By Kendra Gilchrist
For The Herald-Dispatch
I grew up in an intensely do-it-yourself, craft-centered household. My dad built loft-style beds for my little sister and me in his woodworking shop. My mom decorated the walls of our house with her own paintings. Scrap fabric, paper and various art supplies were never hard to find.
You can imagine how happy I was to discover that DIY crafting was among the top searched subjects on Google recently, according to the Aug. 5 Google Trends report. With so much information readily available online, getting into crafting is easier than ever.
But before you dive into creating your next masterpiece, you need to gather supplies. Luckily, there are several local craft shops across Charleston and Huntington that will have what you need, whether you’re adventuring into crochet, needlepoint, sewing, pottery or something else that sparks your creativity.
Craft shops in the area
- Blue Thistle Fibers, 314 Main St. in Gauley Bridge, Fayette County; A mill and natural dye studio, Blue Thistle Fibers sells naturally dyed tarn and hosts workshops.
- Capitol Clay Arts Company, 512 D St. in Charleston; This shop has all clay and other supplies and equipment that you need to make pottery. They also offer pottery classes and kiln firing services.
- Gabby’s Sewing & More, 4506 Pennsylvania Ave., Charleston; This family-owned quilt shop has fabrics, sewing machines, notions and other sewing supplies. They also host classes and provide services like alterations and sewing machine repairs.
- The Covered Bridge Vinyl and Supply, 5636 U.S. 60, Huntington; This shop specializes in screen printing and fabric arts supplies.
- The Pottery Place, 3550 Teays Valley Road in Hurricane and 940 3rd Ave. in Huntington; If you’re not quite ready to sit down at the pottery wheel, this shop has a variety of pre-made pottery pieces for you to paint.
- WV Quilt, 642 Main St. #101 in Barboursville; A selection of fabrics, threads and notions can be found at this shop, as well as quilting classes and other services.
Once you have all the supplies you need, there are a variety of ways to begin your craft. The traditional way for many projects is to purchase patterns — written instructions and photos or diagrams that show you how to create the desired item — in magazines, at craft stores or online.
Rather than spending even more money on patterns, which require an additional special skill to be able to read, I like to watch free tutorial videos on YouTube. Many crafters more skilled than me post step-by-step videos online that are easy to follow along with.
There are many benefits to crafting — stress relief, increased focus, creative expression — but my favorite is being able to give handmade gifts. Nothing says “I love you” quite like something you made with your own two hands.
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