City Guides

The Crafty Guide to Cleveland

Cleveland is filled with people who support the home team, if you catch our drift. This rust belt jewel’s makers are particularly great at repurposing, upcycling and bringing back to life all manner of rust belt remnants. Cleveland native Shannon Okey is right in the middle of it as the founder of Cleveland Bazaar (the show formerly known as Bazaar Bizarre Cleveland, now in its 11th year) and of knit publishing house Cooperative Press. These are Shannon’s recommendations of what to do and see in Cleveland!

CRAFTY STORES

salty-not-sweet

Salty Not Sweet
2074 W. 25th St., Cleveland, OH 44113
This boutique located across the street from the West Side Market sells handmade goods from small businesses all over the country and the occasional to-die-for vintage find.

In The 216
1854 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
This Coventry Village gift shop sells exclusively Ohio-made products!

in-the-216

R/S Boutique
2078 W. 25th St., Cleveland, OH 44113
Room Service is a lifestyle boutique in Ohio City that offers a variety of carefully selected designs from regional and national makers.

PLACES FOR MAKERS

Tech Central Maker Space
325 Superior Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114
The main branch of Cleveland’s library makes a wide range of maker-focused machinery available to anyone with a CPL library card, including laser engraver/cutting, 3D printing and vinyl-cutting machines as well as sound recording equipment and more!

CPLmakerspace

Small Studio
26113 Detroit Road, Westlake, OH 44145
This little gem on the far west side is an excellent resource for book and paper artists that offers both retail and classes.

Stitch Cleveland
18117 Detroit Road, Lakewood, OH 44107
Stitch offers sewing classes for kids and adults, regular maker spaces for textile artists.

Tabletop Board Game Cafe
1810 W. 25th St. Cleveland, OH 44113
This board game cafe offers DIY maker workshops on a monthly basis. Sign up in advance– they tend to sell out.

CRAFT SHOWS

Cleveland Bazaar
Main holiday show at 78th Street Studios; other events year-round
Cleveland Bazaar is the longest-running indie handmade show in Northeast Ohio, with a broad audience and a number of longtime vendors with significant draws of their own. The main holiday show takes place at 78th Street Studios, itself home to a large number of artists and makers.

cleveland-bazaar

The Cleveland Flea
Tyler Village and other venues
This recent addition to the Cleveland show scene features a combination of vintage and handmade vendors. Summer events are outside in the Tyler Village redevelopment district.

Artscape at MOCA
Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland
An upscale event centered at Cleveland’s beautiful new Museum of Contemporary Art building in University Circle.

The Last Minute Market
The Galleria at Erieview
This annual market, which takes place the Saturday before Christmas, is every Clevelander’s last chance to find the perfect gift.

BEST VINTAGE

The Cleveland Shop
6511 Detroit Ave., Cleveland OH 44102
Cleveland’s oldest vintage clothing store (and source of all your fearless author’s prom and formal dresses through high school) is also one of its best.

Flower Child
11508 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44102
This shop specializes in vintage clothing and housewares. They feature mid-century modern, funk and more!

Re/Dress
17140 Madison Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107
You want plus size vintage? How about a pair of brand new Teggings, a tights/leggings combo that are indestructible and never run? Head over to Re/Dress and owner Rachel Kacenjar will hook you up! Though located in Cleveland, they have a national presence due to their specialized market.

Sweet Lorain
1705 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113
This vintage department store boasts 8,000 square feet of vintage housewares, clothes, collectibles and more.

CRAFTY HANGOUTS

Melt
Multiple locations
You like grilled cheese, right? Ok, you need to go. (Don’t miss the buffalo chicken chowder).

melt

Luxe Kitchen and Lounge
6605 Detroit Ave., Cleveland OH 44102
In the middle of the Gordon Square Arts District is Luxe, whose happy hour is legendary and fries are 100% steal-worthy. Open for dinner, with a great Sunday brunch, too.

Platform Brewing Co.
4125 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113
Located in the unofficial brewery district which houses both Cleveland’s oldest brewpub as well as its newest beer-related businesses (a malt house and a brewing supply company among them). Platform is quickly gaining regional and national attention for its Speed IPA. They have an incubator program for microbrewery businesses, too!

Velvet Tango Room
2095 Columbus Road, Cleveland, OH 44113
Feel like you’re in a fancy speakeasy with retro cocktails, fine art from local artists and often live music.

Shannon Okey is a craft show manager, publisher, author and designer who lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband and four cats (who are probably plotting to kill them both for their thumbs). You can find her on most social media as @knitgrrl.

Are you coming to Midwest Craft Con in Columbus? Get your tickets now and join creative business people from all across the Midwest!

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City Guides

The Crafty Guide to Milwaukee

Our crafty city guide for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, comes from Cortney Heimerl, a transplant who became a force in the local craft scene there:

I have lived in Milwaukee for 15 years. I moved here to earn my BFA, and I stayed when I found I could contribute in a meaningful way to the local creative community. Today I spend a lot of my time creating opportunities for people who want to turn their crafty hobbies into small businesses, whether that means coordinating a craft fair or creating a business class for artists — I have found many, many enthusiastic participants in these ideas I dream up. It’s all part of my plan to engage with my community, to make it stronger and to create opportunity. I certainly do not do this alone, as you will see from my list! Milwaukee is lucky to have so many creative people creating and so many supportive people out there shopping local and buying from independent artists. I like to watch the momentum as it builds, and I am excited to see what we can do in the next 15 years. — Cortney Heimerl

CRAFTY STORES

Hometown Established, A General Store
321 W. National Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53204
Hometown Established was created to give Milwaukee an option for locally sourced utilitarian items and art, with a beautifully curated selection of Milwaukee’s best artists and crafters.

Orange Gallery
1438 E. Russell Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207
Orange Gallery is the smallest of all of the crafty stores I’m listing, but it is so finely curated and merchandised it would be a shame if you missed it. The owner of this gallery often seeks out artists to make something special just for her shop, so you never know what you’ll find!

Our Daily Salt
3519 W. National Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53215
Our Daily Salt opened a storefront to sell their handcrafted kitchen goods and their woodworking shop under one roof.

Waxwing
1800 E. North Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202
The Waxwing showcases the work of more than 100 local designers. If you want to see the range of talent that exists in Milwaukee, this is a great place to start.

PLACES FOR MAKERS

ABK Weaving Center
1250 E. Burleigh St., Milwaukee, WI 53212
ABK Weaving Center hosts classes for beginning students and intermediate weavers who want to enhance their skills.

makerspace

Milwaukee Makerspace
2555 S. Lenox St., Milwaukee, WI 53207
Milwaukee Makerspace hosts a community of makers, providing knowledge, equipment and space to support everyone from emerging makers to established creatives. Join them for free open-to-the-public nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

RedLine
1422 N. Fourth St., Milwaukee, WI 53212
RedLine is a gallery and education space but also a print shop and paper-making studio that provides resources to the community.

SPARROW

Sparrow
2224 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207
Sparrow hosts a wide range of classes from metal etching and enamels to constructing jewelry or tying Celtic knots. Stop by any time to check out the store, which showcases the work of more than 100 artists from Milwaukee and beyond.

Wild Haven
2658 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207
Wild Haven is a yarn shop focusing on unique fibers and notions for knitters, crocheters and weavers. And if you aren’t a knitter, crocheter or weaver yet, you can take a class to become one!

CRAFT SHOWS

Hover Craft
annually in early December
Hover Craft focuses on encouraging creative people to create. We host over 70 vendors from Milwaukee who range from emerging to established.

makermarket

Maker Market
first Sunday of each month May through September, in the parking lot of Bay View’s Colectivo
Over 40 artists, crafters and makers from Milwaukee and beyond come to vend each market day. Grab a cup of coffee, listen to local DJs spinning vinyl, and enjoy checking out the crafts!

One Trick Pony
biannual — check website for upcoming shows
A pop-up flea market that provides a unique one-day shopping event with local and regional collectors, vendors and vintage specialists.

Urban Garage Sale
annually the Saturday after Thanksgiving at Turner Hall
Local shops, makers, artists and crafters showcasing their work at this holiday-focused buying event.

BEST VINTAGE

Alt’s Antiques
601 S. Sixth St., Milwaukee, WI 53204
A curiosity shop with a finely curated selection of antiques, oddities and flowers.

Dragonfly Vintage Goods
1117 E. Brady St., Milwaukee, WI 53202
Vintage clothing for men, women and children — but it doesn’t stop there! Shop at Dragonfly for an impressive array of barware, vintage vinyl and beautiful old record players.

LuvUnlimited

Luv Unlimited
2649 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202
Luv’s got new, vintage and handmade clothing, plus an assortment of jewelry and accessories of men and women.

CRAFTY HANGOUTS

goodkind

Goodkind
2457 S. Wentworth Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207
A charming farm-to-fork restaurant specializing in craft cocktails and beer paired with an ever-changing menu. Delicious!

Milwaukee Public Market
400 N. Water St., Milwaukee, WI 53202
The independent merchants of the Public Market provide high quality selections of artisan and ethnic foods. It’s like a food court, but way, way better.

Palomino
2491 S. Superior St., Milwaukee, WI 53207
Stop by Palomino for a wide selection of bourbon and delicious Southern-inspired cooking, or take a class to learn the secrets of pie! They really have it all.

Sugar Maple
441 E. Lincoln Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207
More than 60 American craft beers on tap. What’s more crafty than that?

Cortney Heimerl is a fiber artist and craft fair organizer who loves to find ways to grow the local creative community in Milwaukee. She organizes both Maker Market and Hover Craft, she creates small business classes for artists through Maker Sessions and she provides a consulting service for people who are interested in growing their handmade business, but just aren’t quite sure of the next steps. You can find Cortney in Milwaukee, see what she is making at CortneyHeimerl.com or follow her on Instagram (@cortneyheimerl).

Are you coming to Midwest Craft Con? Get your tickets now and join creative business people from all across the Midwest!

City Guides

The Crafty Guide to Minneapolis and Saint Paul

The crafty city guide to the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN, comes from Mei Pak of Creative Hive Co., one of our creative conference’s illustrious speakers:

I met my husband while we were studying at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. After graduating, I went full time into running my own business, and my husband got a job offer in Minneapolis, so we moved to the Twin Cities. Although we’re transplants, we love Minneapolis and call it our home. It’s a beautiful city with awesome people, it’s super affordable to live here, and we have a thriving creative community! Here are my favorite places that any crafter or maker should visit if you find yourself in this corner of the Midwest. — Mei Pak

CRAFTY STORES

ilikeyou, minneapolis

I Like You
501 First Ave. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
I Like You carries the largest selection of handmade products from the Midwest and beyond. You’ll find something for everyone!

Bibelot
1082 Grand Ave., Saint Paul, MN 55105
Bibelot is home to a variety of locally made and designed products ranging from jewelry and paper to home goods and eco-friendly wares.

Patina
821 50th St. W, Minneapolis, MN 55419
You could spend hours browsing through Patina’s unique curation of home décor, paper, jewelry, toys and accessories. With seven stores in the Twin Cities, you can’t miss it the next time you’re in town!

PLACES FOR MAKERS

crafty planet, minneapolis

Crafty Planet
2833 Johnson St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
Find super cool reproduction and modern fabrics as well as tons of craft stuff here.

Articulture
2613 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406
Kids and adults can take a workshop or two at Articulture — but don’t forget to visit their gallery and retail space where you can find art supplies and products made by local artists.

CRAFT SHOWS

No Coast Craft-o-Rama
Annually at Midtown Global Market
This holiday indie craft show is heavily advertised and promoted in the Twin Cities. Vendors from out of town brave the snowy weather to sell at No Coast because foot traffic and sales can go through the roof!

craftstravaganza, minneapolis

Craftstravaganza and Craft’za
Annually at Minnesota State Fair Grounds and Grain Belt Bottling House
Andy Krueger at Scuttlebug LLC organizes two annual awesome craft shows in the Twin Cities. They’re juried shows that showcase the best and coolest handmade products and art!

BEST VINTAGE

Junk Bonanza
Canterbury Park in Shakopee, MN
One of the biggest events for purveyors and shoppers of vintage finds, beautiful antiques and artisan-repurposed pieces.

junk bonanza, minneapolis

Rewind
2207 Lyndale Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55405
Specializing in men’s and women’s fashion and accessories from the ’60s to the ’90s.

The Cottage House
4304 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407
Find rare vintage items, shabby chic furniture and antique home décor accessories here that you can’t get anywhere else.

CRAFTY HANGOUTS

Turtlebread
4762 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407
A local favorite artisanal bakery that serves up delicious soup and lunch items. Come for the good food and peaceful atmosphere! 

turtlebread, minneapolis

Rustica
3220 W. Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55416
A cozy neighborhood bakery with a unique selection of breads, pastries and dessert tarts.

Bull Run Coffee
3346 Lyndale Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Bull Run Coffee is a small-batch coffee roaster with a great new expanded space to hang out and chat with crafty friends!

Mei Pak is a marketing strategist guiding and supporting small and creative business owners to a more consistent income. Mei also runs Tiny Hands, a line of handmade, scented food jewelry with her small team of assistants, that is sold in over a hundred stores across the U.S. You can find Mei in Minneapolis and on Instagram.

Are you coming to Midwest Craft Con? Get your tickets now and join creative business people from all across the Midwest!

City Guides

The Crafty Guide to Cincinnati

In my eight years living in Cincinnati, I’ve seen the city grow into a real center for creative activity. Back when my friend and I started Crafty Supermarket six years ago, it was hard to find other crafters, makers and creatives. I’m very happy to report that is no longer the case, as you can see the options for creative engagement abound in my Crafty Guide to Cincinnati:

CRAFTY STORES

The Hoop & Needle
4019 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45223
All the supplies you need to do needlework, cross-stitching and embroidery, plus fun works of art by the owner, Purple Hippo Stitches.

hoop and needle

Indigenous
2010 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208
This gallery has a long history of showing fine craft and art from around Cincinnati and around the world.

MiCA 12/v
1201 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
A lovely store run by a couple of design lovers with a great eye for housewares, jewelry and accessories.

Red Tree Gallery
3210 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
A wonderful coffee shop that has expanded its gallery to include tons of work from local makers and crafters.

Rock Paper Scissors
1301 Main St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
This homegrown arts and crafts store focuses exclusively on crafts, art and music made around Cincinnati. Say hello to the shop dog!

PLACES FOR MAKERS

Brazee Street Studios
4426 Brazee Street, Cincinnati, OH 45209
If you love glass art, you’ll love this creative center where you can take a class or set up some studio time for yourself.

Funke Fired Arts
3130 Wasson Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
This clay studio (soon to become Queen City Clay) offers lots of classes for kids and adults alike.

Hive13
2929 Spring Grove Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45225
If your interests skew tech-y, check out this hackerspace in Camp Washington. 

Maker Space at the Cincinnati Main Library
800 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH, 45202
The main branch of the public library has a new, giganto maker space including 3D printers, lasercutters, vinyl printers, A/V recording, sewing machines and button makers, all available to use for very cheap.

The Manufactory
12055 Mosteller Road, Cincinnati, OH ‎45241
Up in the northern suburbs, this member-based makerspace offers classes in everything from woodworking to welding to lasercutting.

Sewn Studio
3212 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
This adorable fabric shop in Oakley also hosts classes for sewists of all levels. 

crafty supermarket crowd

CRAFT SHOWS 

  • Crafty SupermarketThe show I run with my business partner, Chris, is celebrating its sixth birthday this year, and we anticipate more than 5,000 shoppers to join us and 90+ vendors at Music Hall in Over-the-Rhine on Nov. 28!
  • The City Flea: A monthly urban flea market that runs from May to December each year. The next big show for them is Small Mall, bringing together bricks-and-mortar stores on Nov. 29.
  • Art On Vine: This monthly art market is downtown on Fountain Square during the warmer months and up at the Rhinegeist brewery in OTR when it’s cold.
  • Clay AllianceIf you love ceramics and pottery, you’ll love the two shows this organization puts on each year, in spring and around the holidays.
  • Art Off PikeJust across the river in Covington, KY, this annual big street festival includes lots of makers.
  • The OFF Market: This monthly street fair in Oakley draws lots of makers and crafters from around the city.

BEST VINTAGE

Lentz & Company
339 Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45220
This vintage shop in the very cute Gaslight District also sells handmade items from local crafters.

Mainly Art
3711 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
If high-end mid-century modern furniture is your jam, you will love this shop that frequently sends its pieces to movie sets.

NVISION
4577 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45223
From the huge amounts of reasonably priced vintage clothing to the impeccable mid-century furniture, you’re bound to find something to fall in love with here.

Ohio Valley Antique Mall
7285 Dixie Highway, Fairfield, OH 45014
This gigantic antique mall is a favorite for pickers from surrounding counties, with reasonable prices and everything you could possibly hope to find. Plan to spend at least a few hours to get through it all.

CRAFTY HANGOUTS

Cheapside Cafe
326 E. Eighth St., Cincinnati OH 45202
Cool decor, great coffee and even better food at this breakfast-and-lunch spot.

collective CAC

Collective CAC
44 E. Sixth St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
The first floor of the Contemporary Arts Center has a brand new cafe and beautiful lounge area where you can chill.

The Comet
4579 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati OH 45223
Have a beer, get a burrito and hang out with the creative community in Northside.

Findlay Market
1801 Race St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
Ohio’s oldest continually operating market offers fresh foods year-round, and there are great places to eat in and around the square!

Kaze
1400 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
I wholeheartedly endorse the cocktails at this Japanese gastropub on Vine Street.

MOTR
1345 Main St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
A chill local bar where you are sure to find other creative types. Try the MOTR burger!

Grace Dobush is a freelance journalist in Cincinnati and one of the organizers of Midwest Craft Con. You can follow her on Twitter at @gracedobushtogo.

Are you coming to Midwest Craft Con? Early bird tickets are on sale now until Oct. 31 or until the first 100 sell out. Don’t wait!

City Guides

The Crafty Guide to Detroit

Bethany Nixon of Reware Vintage and Handmade Detroit was kind enough to write this guide for her city of Detroit:

Metro Detroit is one of the most friendly, diverse and imaginative areas I’ve ever known, and I am proud to have lived here nearly my whole life. As a community, we have historically been known for our ingenuity and hard work, and that applies to our crafty scene too. Come here to shop, learn, and party with us — you’ll fall in love with Detroit too. — Bethany Nixon

CRAFTY STORES

City Bird
460 W. Canfield St., Detroit, MI 48201
Carrying handmade goods from all over the US, with a great emphasis on makers from Michigan and the Midwest.

City Bird

Yellow Door Art Market
3141 W. 12 Mile Road, Berkley, MI 48072
Yellow Door features over 60 Michigan artists and has gifts for pretty much anyone on your list.

Haberman Fabrics
905 S. Main St., Royal Oak, MI 48067
Haberman is a huge independent fabric store that teaches lots of different kinds of classes for all levels of sewers, and also boasts fabrics & patterns from Marimekko and lots of other big and independent designers.

Munro Crafts
3954 12 Mile Road, Berkley, MI 48072
Paradise for jewelry makers, this independent bead store has an insane amount of jewelry stuffs, and other craft supplies — many of them vintage.

PLACES FOR MAKERS

Pewabic Pottery
10125 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48214
A historic ceramics studio in Detroit, with beautiful traditional and modern works for sale from its artists, and classes for all ages to learn. 

Pewabic Pottery

TechShop Detroit
800 Republic Dr., Allen Park, MI 48101
A Maker Space open 24 hours with lots of equipment and classes to get your make on. 

Signal Return
1345 Division St #102, Detroit, MI 48207
This letterpress studio teaches many different workshops, or come in and work on your own project during open studio time. 

Arts and Scraps
16135 Harper, Detroit, MI 48224
A non-profit that annually recycles 28 tons of material to help spark creativity. Shop through their scrap store, buy a prepackaged project for kids to take home or sign up for a class (adults & kids) and craft outside the box.

CRAFT SHOWS

DUCF

  • Detroit Urban Craft Fair: Organized by Handmade Detroit, DUCF is the longest-running indie craft fair in Michigan, featuring over 100 crafters. Takes place the first weekend in December each year. 
  • DIY Street Fair: An annual festival in Ferndale each September with dozens of local bands, nearly 200 vendors, including tons of indie crafters and lots of fun activities for kids and grown ups.
  • Rust Belt Market: An indie vintage/craft market open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They also host special events within like concerts, performance artists and even weddings.
  • DIYpsi: A semi-annual festival in Yspilanti with favorite Midwest crafters, a full weekend long!

BEST VINTAGE

Detroit Mercantile
3434 Russell St., Detroit, MI 48207
Lots of rad American- and Michigan-made gifts here, but the vintage housewares here are seriously jaw dropping.

Detroit Mercantile

Lost and Found
510 S. Washington, Royal Oak, MI 48067
Metro Detroit’s must-shop vintage clothing store, with a huge variety for guys and ladies. 

Vogue Vintage
23622 Woodward, Ferndale, MI 48069
If you want to outfit your entire home in Mid Century Modern decor, this is your place.

CRAFTY HANGOUTS

Garden Bowl
4120 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48201
America’s oldest running bowling alley, over 100 years old, which also happens to have punk rock bartenders, concerts on the lanes, and some of the best pizza in Detroit.

Gold Cash Gold
2100 Michigan Ave., Detroit, MI 48216
Located in a former pawn shop, the menu is regional and delicious. 

The WAB
22646 Woodward, Ferndale, MI 48220
Great pizza, greater brews. Get a Raspberry Blonde, then a growler to go.

Eastern Market
Russell and Wilkins Streets, Detroit, MI
There are 4.5 miles of produce, meat, gardening, art and culture in this market, with great lunch spots and people watching too.

Want to know more about Detroit? Contact Bethany, the lady behind Reware Vintage, and a member of Handmade Detroit, the organizers of the Detroit Urban Craft Fair. Find her at RewareVintage.com and HandmadeDetroit.com, on Twitter at @bethanylouise and on Instagram @rewarevintage.

City Guides

The Crafty Guide to Columbus

Part of what we hope to accomplish with Midwest Craft Con is to highlight the cities, people and places that make the Midwest so good. This is the first in a series of city guides highlighting Midwestern cities and what makes them so crafty. Representing our 2016 host city of Columbus, Ohio, is Claire Jennings!

I’ve come to know Claire over the years through her support of local events and small businesses. She lends moral support, her time, her talents and her spirited energy to everything she touches. So Claire was the perfect candidate to share with you how awesome Columbus is and showcase its DIY haunts. You will all get a chance to meet more of Claire as the Midwest Craft Con assistant coordinator, her fancy title for being our go-to girl for all the things all weekend. Take it away, Claire!

CRAFTY STORES

Wholly Craft 
3515 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43214
Wholly Craft is the mother of all handmade stores. Owner Olivera Bratich is the No. 1 supporter of Ohio makers. She started bringing makers together to help them sell their wares 10 years ago. Wholly Craft’s new expanded store is a must-see.

wholly crafty columbus ohio

Sew to Speak 
4610 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43214
Sew to Speak is the best place in town to get beautiful, fun fabrics for your crafting needs. They also have a wide range of classes available, where you can learn to make quilts, bags and garments.

The Smithery 
1306 Grandview Avenue, Columbus, OH 43212
The Smithery was opened by two local jewelry makers, Anne Holman and Jen Townsend. Their own jewelry lines are some of my favorites, and they have exceptional taste.  Their stock of jewelry and housewares comes from independent makers from Ohio and from all over the world. I want to buy everything they have to sell.

Igloo Letterpress

661 High Street, Worthington OH 43085

Igloo Letterpress combines old school equipment with modern day printing. Having recently made the move into a new facility around the block from their former space, a sprawling print studio that also houses a retail shop, Swoonful Gifts, and classroom space for teaching others the printing craft.

Yarn It & Haberdashery 
1093 W. First Ave., Grandview Heights, OH 43212
Yarn It is my favorite local yarn store. Opened in June 2014, it has a wide range of beautiful yarns, from indie dyers like Frabjous Fibers and Anzula, to stalwarts like Madelintosh and Berroco. They offer a wide array of classes, and people are always welcome to come in with questions or to sit in the window and knit.

PLACES FOR MAKERS 

Cultural Arts Center 
139 W. Main St., Columbus, OH 43215
Run through the City of Columbus’s Recreation & Parks Department, the Cultural Arts Center is the best place to take art classes, both for value and the range of classes taught. You can take classes in painting, jewelry making, ceramics, dyeing and weaving. (It’s worth a trip to see the weaving shop on the top floor — over 40 looms!) They also have a gallery space on the first floor, a store that sells products made by students, and it doubles as an event space.

columbus ohio cultural arts center

Columbus Idea Foundry 
421 W. State St., Columbus, OH 43215
If you want to learn how to use high-tech tools to make things, or to learn to weld or be a blacksmith, this is where you go. Classes run the gamut from woodworking to 3D printing to laser cutting to leather working and more. If you’re visiting town and can’t take a class, it’s worth your time to just take a tour. Their facility is huge and full of so many good things.

The Commissary
1400 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215
The brainchild of Kate Djupe, the Commissary is a place for food makers (and eaters, but I’ll get to that). Geared towards food makers of all stripes — from food truck owners to caterers to people wanting to sell their food at farmers markets to chefs who want to play around with new equipment or host pop-up dinners — the Commissary has it all. There are prep kitchen spaces and hotline kitchen spaces available for rent by the hour, cold storage space for rent, to specialty kitchen equipment like an ice cream maker (with a blast chiller), and there is soon to be a room dedicated to both beer brewing and coffee roasting. For those of us who just enjoy eating food, there are classes and workshops and popup dinners in the event space.

CRAFT SHOWS 

craftin' outlaws, columbus ohio

  • Craftin’ Outlaws: Craftin’ Outlaws has been an outlet for Central Ohio to find unique, handmade gifts for the past 10 years. Without it, my own personal gift giving would be much more boring. The lineup of makers is always stellar.
  • Columbus Arts Festival: Organized by the Greater Columbus Arts Council and located on the downtown Riverfront, the festival showcases fine artists from all over the country and they continue to work with emerging and local artists. 
  • Columbus Flea: Vintage finds and handmade goods. The Columbus Flea can be found seasonally around town and has become a much beloved part of the Columbus marketplace.
  • Comfest: Founded in the 1970s, this community festival takes over Goodale Park and offers local bands, local retailers and your favorite handmade makers in town. 
  • Independents Day Festival: One of the best festivals in town marries every aspect of the arts and the independent spirit of the city. Located in the heart of Franklinton, Independents Day has regional bands, marketplaces, crafters, trapeze artists, outdoor art installations, human foozball and so much more. 
  • Moonlight Market: Take a stroll along the shops  and restaurants of Gay Street the third Saturday evening of each month while shopping from over 100 vendors and small businesses. 

BEST VINTAGE

Flowerchild
989 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43201
Rummage through vintage clothes and home furnishing in this amazing retro shop. Don’t forget about the goods in the basement!

flowerchild, columbus

Rag-o-Rama 
Whether you are looking to sell some gently used clothing or shop their racks for some cool finds, Rag-O-Rama has your back. It’s also a great place to piece together a costume!

CRAFTY HANGOUTS

Jeni’s
The darling of the confectionery scene with more than 10 locations in the city, Jeni’s Ice Cream is a must-eat while you visit Columbus. The Salty Caramel will change your life. 

Jenis Splendid Ice Creams

North Market 
59 Spruce St., Columbus, OH 43215
Whether shopping for produce at their farmers market or having a meal, the North Market is an hub for foodies and just a few blocks from the Hyatt! With over 30 merchants who call it home and annual events such as The Apron Gala and Coffee Roast, there is always something to take in at the Market. I suggest having Hot Chicken Takover, followed by a Brezel pretzel, followed by a drink at The Barrel and Bottle.

Grass Skirt Tiki 
105 N. Grant Ave., Columbus, OH 43215
Polynesian food and delicious cocktails served in Tiki’s. Need I say more. Decorated with a lava wall it’s a quiet place to sip your cares away with crafty friends.

Strongwater
401 W. Town St., Columbus, OH 43215
Great food and spirits housed in a 100-year-old pipe factory. Set in the office space of the warehouse, dine in the open space and bar or take in a private office for a more intimate setting. Strongwater is attached to 400 W. Rich St, which is filled with private art studios and performance spaces.

10698629_10152631096116293_83136463503941272_nClaire Jennings grew up in Columbus and moved back for grad school and fell in love her hometown and stayed. She’s been crafting one way or another since she was big enough to wield a tube of puffy paint, but tends to limit herself these days to fiber arts, photography, and doodles. Find her on Instagram and Twitter as @clairehelene7.

You can explore all of these great spots in Columbus when you join us in February! Early bird tickets are on sale now until Oct. 31 or until the first 100 sell out. Don’t wait!