Get creative with arts & crafts kits

May 18, 2023

Making things by hand can be a great way to relax and to take a step back from technology for a while. The library has arts & crafts kits you can check out that contain all the supplies and instructions you’ll need to try something new. There are 17 different arts & crafts kits to check out including our new Learn Drawing kit and recently updated hand sewing and macramé kits. You can check out a kit at the library or request one online.

Our newest kit is Learn Drawing includes the book How to Draw Stroke-by-Stroke. This is the first drawing book I’ve come across that makes me think I could actually learn how to draw. It very clearly describes the tools and techniques for drawing, including how to hold a pencil properly.

The projects in the book are divided into five levels and each project identifies the number of steps involved at the beginning so you know what you’re getting into. As you work your way through the book and build your skills the projects get progressively more difficult. Each kit includes the book, drawing paper, several different pencils to try out and a blending stump.

Hand sewing is both a useful skill and a fun craft. We recently revamped our hand sewing kits to include a practical project, rather than a more decorative one. The newly improved kits have supplies to create a small drawstring bag.

This project will help you get started or refresh your skills if you don’t sew often. In the kit you’ll find fabric, thread, pins, needles and a ribbon to make a bag.

The great thing about this project is once you’ve mastered the skills to make a bag, you can scale up or down to create different size bags. These techniques will easily transfer to other projects as well.

Artsy staff recently updated our macramé kits too. We realized the projects we started with when we developed the kit were too complicated and time consuming for people interested in learning the basics.

The newly improved kits have macramé cord in two different sizes in a variety of colors and the hardware to make two keychains. The instructions include several different types of knots you can use to create the keychains so you can mix and match if you want to create something unique. You can also apply the techniques you learn to bigger projects like wall hangings or smaller projects like jewelry.

Whether you’re a new crafter or a more experienced one, it’s always fun to learn something new. Check out the list below to see all the arts & crafts kits the library offers.

View complete list

Brea Black is the Art Librarian and Book Arts Curator in the Alice C. Sabatini Gallery. Her favorite thing is to share the wonderful world of artists' books with the community. She also leads the Arts & Crafts team and teaches workshops on book making and a variety of other crafty topics.