Best Craft Classes NYC: Find Courses & Onsite Training

Learn More About NYC Craft Courses

What is Crafting?

Craft is a broad term given to pursuits or hobbies that often combine function, creativity, and artistry. Some of the more popular crafts include pottery, knitting, embroidery, candle making, woodworking, soap making, jewelry making, and screen printing. In modern society, craft generally refers to handmade work. Craft is intricately woven into culture, heritage, art, activism, fashion, and society as a whole. Although craft began as more of a functional activity born of necessity, like creating pottery to have vessels for cooking and storing various liquids, it has become a pastime for many and even a way to earn money due to the presence of precise techniques and prescribed methods and styles. Craft came to be defined by a high level of craftsmanship, detail, skill, and artistry. The essence of craft revolves around a high level of skill, attention to detail, and a personal touch in the creation process.

Why Learn Crafting?

You’ll find that there are many reasons to learn a craft. Many people get into crafting because they’re looking for a creative outlet or because a family member or friend introduced them to it, and it stuck. But what makes people stick with a craft or choose to explore new ones? There are benefits, both personal and professional. Because there is an element of necessity and functionality to many crafts, learning a craft will improve your personal life. If you learn woodworking, you’ll be able to create functional pieces like furniture. Sewing, knitting, and crocheting can keep you well-dressed and accessorized. Beyond resulting in functional pieces that serve useful purposes, crafting also results in stress relief. Crafting is a relaxing and meditative activity that requires you to focus, which often helps distract you from daily stresses and contributes to a sense of calm and accomplishment.

Although there’s nothing wrong with having a hobby for the sake of it, many people opt to turn their hobby into a side hustle when they’re good at it. If you’re considering turning your hobby craft into a side hustle, it can be helpful to take an advanced class to ensure that you’re providing a quality product to your consumers they will appreciate for years to come. If you’re still at a beginner level, it’s in your best interest to learn more advanced skills to develop a more successful and lucrative side hustle. If you develop an expertise, it could even become a career. If you’re not interested in monetizing your hobby, the skills your craft is helping you develop can be applied to your professional life. You’re more likely to develop better problem-solving skills, creative thinking, fine motor skills, and emotional health.

What You’ll Learn in a Crafting Class?

When you enroll in a craft class, not only will you get a wonderful experience, but you’ll also experience many benefits, from practicing mindfulness to developing attention to detail to building your self-confidence. Just as each of these skills is needed when practicing any craft, they are easily transferable into other areas of your life. Moving beyond the less tangible things you learn in a craft class are the physical skills. There are craft-specific skills, and there are general skills. Some of the general skills you’re likely to learn in a craft class include material knowledge, hand-eye coordination, color theory, project planning, time management, and historical knowledge.

Material knowledge is important when choosing what paper to paint on, what lacquer to finish a wood project with, which fabric to make an article of clothing with, and what metals are best suited for an everyday bracelet. Understanding different materials and their properties can enhance your ability to select and use the right materials for your projects. Because most crafts have a creative element to them, color theory often comes into play, whether you’re pairing multiple colored stones, thread and fabric, paint colors, or even wood stain. Project planning and time management are also skills that crafting teaches as you become more organized and better able to order the steps in your process. Historical knowledge and cultural context are also things you’ll learn as you get deeper into a craft. Sometimes, history and culture will take center stage when learning a craft that’s specific to a region or culture, like Hungarian Written Embroidery.

What you learn in a craft class is also craft-specific. What you learn in a watercolor painting class will be completely different from what you learn in a glass-blowing class because the materials, methodology, and tools are different. In a woodworking class, you’ll learn techniques for using tools such as saws, chisels, planes, drills, and sanders, as well as joinery and finishing techniques. A metalworking class will teach you techniques for cutting, sharpening, and joining metals, surface finishing, and heat treatment processes. Sewing classes can teach students how to use a sewing machine, read and cut patterns, and finish seams. Candle-making classes often cover the various waxes and wicks, fragrance and color integration, layering, and embedding. As you can see, each of these crafts differs from one another greatly.

Learning craft-specific skills is important because they are the foundation of the craft itself. These skills allow you to build upon what you already know of the craft and be a more active and knowledgeable participant in the craft. Without basic skills in your craft of choice, you’ll have a hard time progressing into more advanced techniques and materials. What you learn in a craft class can help you decide to move deeper into it or decide that it’s not a good fit for you. While most crafts demand some physicality, some require more than others, so knowing what sort of demand you’ll have to place on your body helps decide what craft is best suited for your abilities.

How Long Will It Take to Learn Crafting?

The time that it will take to learn a craft varies widely. The craft you choose to learn will determine how long it takes to learn a craft, as will the level of proficiency you want to reach. In any craft, it will take much less time for you to become comfortable with the basics of a craft and its related skills long before you achieve mastery. Your learning style, learning preferences, your ability to retain information, previous experience, and the learning format are also factors that will influence how long it takes to learn the craft of your choosing. For instance, learning basic wire wrapping skills for jewelry making will take considerably less time to learn than learning how to wheel-throw pottery successfully for most people. If you’re interested in learning more about craft with advanced classes, you’ll be extending the time it takes to learn. Some classes can get you started in a craft in just a few hours, while others will take weeks of classes for you to gain proficiency. As with any skill worth learning, regardless of how simple it is, you’ll need to put in many hours of practice to gain confidence and fluency.

What are the Advantages of Taking a Crafting Class?

Learning something new is always exciting, and even if it doesn’t turn out to be the right hobby for you, you’ll undoubtedly gain knowledge that you’ll be able to apply to other areas of your life. Sometimes, it’s difficult to navigate some of the intricacies and nuances of crafts alone. That’s why taking a craft class is so helpful. Regardless of your skill level, you’ll find that learning a craft in community with others is inspiring and extremely helpful. Not only will you make new personal connections, but you’ll also gain valuable guidance that can make the difference between turning a craft into a hobby or it being something you once attempted. An experienced instructor can help you better understand the craft and learn more about its usefulness, history, and benefits.

An unexpected advantage of taking a craft class is self-improvement. When you’re in a class with others, not only is there a healthy sense of competition, but also a sense of community. This can help to improve your self-confidence, focus, and patience while also developing your ability to be more detail-oriented. You’ll be able to see how other students approach the craft, encouraging you to be more flexible and creative in your thinking and processes. You can apply these soft skills to many other areas of your life to your advantage, from your work life to your home life and even in your interpersonal relationships. Any craft you decide to learn or experience is going to help you develop an array of soft skills and creative thinking.

Beginners almost always enjoy learning a new craft with an instructor. Learning something new on your own can be frustrating for many people when challenges crop up. If you’re interested in taking a class to advance your knowledge of a craft, you’ll find that you can progress more quickly in a guided setting than when it’s just you, your device, and the Internet. You can ask questions, get personalized feedback, interact with others, and feel more connected to the work you’re doing. Whether you take a class online or in person, you’ll experience a wide range of benefits that will help you continue to dig deeper and grow as a crafter. There’s nothing wrong with learning a craft on your own, but there’s something special about a group setting that allows for the free exchange of ideas and wisdom.

Best Crafting Classes in NYC

If you’re interested in getting started with a craft, you don’t have to look too hard to find amazing courses that can give you a solid foundation in a skill that you can develop and mature into something beautiful. Whether you’re looking for fun and engaging things to do for a date night or an afternoon with friends, New York City has a variety of craft classes that are sure to get your attention. With crafts like woodworking, embroidery, jewelry making, perfumery, and many other creative pursuits to get lost in, it may be hard to pick one. Check out some of these craft classes to get a sense of what’s being offered and pick up a new hobby.

Furniture Restoration and Repair offered by Hudson River Maritime Museum is a class that gives expert guidance in basic restoration techniques to those with little to no experience working with furniture restoration. Students will learn how to pinpoint damage, create a restoration plan, and apply protective finishes; see examples of common wear, deterioration, and mishandled prior repairs; and learn about proper cleaning methods. All students are encouraged to bring damaged furniture to restore, like small end tables, chairs, clock cases, and other small wood structures, to revive with the guidance of the instructor. With everyone bringing a piece of furniture, some students’ repairs may demand more time to restore than the class provides, while others will be able to complete their restoration within the allotted class times.

Glass manipulation is an art that can be learned and applied in a variety of useful ways. Paperweight Glass Blowing Party by UrbanGlass teaches students how to create a solid paperweight from molten glass. This is a fast-paced class that introduces students ages 14 and older to a working glass studio. Students will learn how to work with 2000-degree glass, shaping it and applying color with the proper tools. Protective eyewear and materials will be provided, but if there are any specific tools, materials, or personal protection equipment someone would prefer to have, they will be responsible for furnishing it. The studio can be loud and warm. For the safety of students, long hair needs to be tied back while in the studio, and appropriate work clothing and closed-toe shoes must be worn at all times.

Enroll in NYC Jewelry Lab by Carolina Iwanow’s The Art of Metalsmithing by Carolina Iwanow if jewelry-making with metal is something that piques your interest. Many different beautiful metals can be used to craft stunning pieces of jewelry that showcase your unique style. This is a comprehensive, hands-on jewelry design course that teaches essential fabrication techniques to give you a strong foundation in metalsmithing. Students will learn how to use studio tools, work with a variety of metals, including gold, silver, and copper, and develop jewelry design concepts. Some of the techniques students can look forward to learning include joining, soldering, forming, chain making, wax carving, ring sizing, stone setting, and manufacturing tricks. Tools will be provided for the duration of the course, but students will have to provide the necessary supplies from the list that will be given in the first class session.

Interested in metalworking? Craftsman Ave in Brooklyn is making an introduction with Forge a Survival Knife (Introduction to Knifesmithing). Students will make a custom-forged knife from a steel reinforcing rod in this hands-on four-hour class. This course teaches students how to combine heat, hammers, and metal to fashion a unique knife that is fully functional. There’s no need for any prior experience with metalworking or knifesmithing to enroll in this beginner-friendly course. The class is divided into three sections to ensure everyone has enough time to forge their knife. The first section is dedicated to heating and shaping the rebar using a propane-powered forge, hammer, and anvil. During the second section, students will take the rough knife to the grinder for refining and beveling. The final portion of the class is when the knives are reheated, oil-quenched, and cooled before wrapping the handle. All of the necessary materials will be supplied by the studio.

Craft a Side Table (Introduction to Woodworking and Furniture Making) is another great Craftsman Ave class for beginners. As students learn the basics of woodworking, they will also craft a contemporary and minimalist side table out of oak using simple half-lap joints. This class aims to give you some basic woodworking skills that you can build upon to be able to design and build the furniture you’ve always wanted. Not only will students get familiar with woodworking, but they’ll also have a chance to learn how to use tools like a router table, a table saw, and a belt sander. This is a fun and interactive course that is designed to get its students excited about woodworking and encourage them to keep learning.

Dive into the wonderful world of fragrances in this Perfume Making Class for Two (1-hour Private) by Back Porch Soap Company. You and a guest will learn how to create and blend scents to create unique and delicious perfumes. This class focuses on natural fragrances and will guide students through the process of building balanced scents with a well-rounded aroma that taps into their style and preferences. The instructor is an experienced aromatherapist with a deep knowledge of perfumery. Students will learn about intensity, complexity, and harmony as they experiment and experience different fragrances and scent blends before formulating their one-of-a-kind scent to bottle and take home. This class is beginner-friendly and all supplies are included in the enrollment fee.

Live Online Crafting Classes

If you’d prefer to learn a craft in the comfort of your own home or the comfort of someone else’s, a live online craft class is the way to go. The great thing about online craft classes is that you can avoid the hustle and bustle of city traffic and still pick up a new skill that might turn into a fantastic hobby that brings you joy and helps you to relax. Whether you’re interested in indigo dyeing, knitting, candle making, or sewing, a live online class can make learning a lot easier than trying to learn on your own. There is a huge selection of classes on the Internet for you to choose from, but here’s a short list to help get you started.

Sign up for this Virtual Interactive Japanese Ink Painting (Sumi-e) class offered by RESOBOX, a Japanese cultural center in New York. The art of Sumi-e (sometimes called Suibokuga) is a minimalist art form that encourages you to become meditative. Sumi-e is a thousand-year-old art form that attempts to capture the essence of an object or scene with as few brushstrokes as possible. You’ll need to furnish your class supplies, which include Liquid Sumi Ink, calligraphy brushes, and washi paper. This is a beginner-friendly course that will help you let your creative personality shine.

Students can learn everything they need to know to get started with watercolor in this Art School of SF Bay Watercolor 101 workshop. During this 11-session class, beginner watercolor artists and hobbyists will learn how to mix colors, use washes, reserve, and additives, underpaint, and prevent and fix watercolor accidents. Students will attempt to create works in both Classical European and Eastern watercolor styles. Some of the projects will include painting landscapes and portraits. Because this is a live online workshop, students will be responsible for having the right supplies to paint a masterpiece.

Students can learn Shibori Indigo Dyeing at Home with Coastal Design Workshops LLC. This course guides students through the ancient art of Shibori in a little less than one hour. Shibori is a Japanese art where fabric is folded and bound in specific patterns to achieve different visual effects when dyed. Anyone interested in learning how to work with natural indigo dye will appreciate this beginner-friendly introduction to Shibori. Students will complete a one-of-a-kind indigo-dyed cotton tea towel in this live online class. Children as young as 13 years old are welcome to enroll in this course as long as there is an adult present with them during the class. No experience is needed to sign up for this class. All of the necessary materials will be mailed to students, so be sure to register at least five days before the class date to ensure timely delivery of the course materials. Students are encouraged to supply any other fabrics or garments they’d like to attempt dyeing during the class session.

Consider this Sip and Sew: Off the Shoulder Dress live online class for adults with Sew Creative Lounge. For those who would love to learn how to make their own clothes, this beginner-friendly, guided sewing course can help teach students how to sew this cute dress. Students will need to have access to a sewing machine to take part in this four-hour class. This is a simple design, so it’s easy to make, but it leads to a sophisticated finished product that students can wear themselves or gift to someone deserving in their lives. Registration for this class includes course materials, including the fabric and elastic, the dress pattern, and the shipping cost.

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Key Insights

Learn More About NYC Craft Courses

What is Crafting?

Why Learn Crafting?

What You’ll Learn in a Crafting Class?

How Long Will It Take to Learn Crafting?

What are the Advantages of Taking a Crafting Class?

Best Crafting Classes in NYC

Live Online Crafting Classes

NYC Craft Courses by School

92nd Street Y

Collage and Mixed Media for Absolute Beginners

Botanical Print Silk Scarf

Paper Marbling

Collage & Mixed Media for Absolute Beginners

Creatively Wild Art Studio Dumbo

Master Builders! 3D + Mixed Media Fun

Toddler Art Adventure

Snapology

Snapology Summer Camp: Movie Favorites + Animation

One River School

Portfolio Development: Pre-college (Grades 9-12)

Summer Camp: Jungle Creations (Grades K-2)

NYC Craft Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Craft Training Locations in or Near NYC

NYC Craft
Corporate & Onsite Training