The still-popular maker culture has made everything crafty hip again, with emerging hobbies such as knitting and crocheting, and calligraphy, flower arrangement and coloring at the forefront of the movement. So break out those color pencils and start shopping for yarn—you’ll need them with our list of where to check out these hot and sexy past times.
1. Knitting
Join a knit party at with knitting community It Takes Balls (@ittakesballs) every Thursday, from 7-9pm at Fry Rooftop Bistro & Bar (96B Club St.). It’s a free beginner-friendly session as a step-by-step tutorial—which guides you through the basics of reading and understanding the pattern, to individual stitching techniques—is available. Aspiring domestic goddesses and Martha Stewart wannabes, register here.
2. Crocheting
Stylish 24-year-old knit, crochet and dreads artist Kelly Lim (@Kllylmrck) conducts regular knitting and crocheting workshops at various venues here and past events include arm-knitting sessions at The Star Vista in August, which saw participants creating simple scarves. Next, she’ll be holding a plastic bag crochet workshop this Sat, Oct 31 from 3-7:30pm at Pearl’s Hill Terrace. $157.50 from www.public-garden.com
3. Calligraphy
Improve your penmanship with The Boarding Room (@THEBOARDINGROOM) at a basic calligraphy workshop held at Naiise on Nov 21, 1pm. This three-hour workshop teaches you the fundamentals of Copperplate calligraphy and materials such as an oblique pen holder, nibs and ink will be provided. $130 from www.naiise.com
At The Letter J Supply, learn how to write elegantly with a brush—you’ll be working with watercolor and learn the basics of letterforms. Look out for next workshop, held on Nov 10, from 11am-2pm, at Someset Triple One. $150 from www.theletterjsupply.com
4. Flower Arrangement
Create a “hanging” mini bouquet in a jar at the Mini Jar Workshop by florist boutique, With Every Bloom on Nov 7, 2-2:30pm at 16D Lorong Ampas. You get to select your own flowers from a free-flow flower buffet and pick up simple flower arrangement skills. $45 from www.witheverybloom.com
If it’s a pretty bouquet you’re after, then sign up for a Hand-Tied Bouquet Workshop on Nov 29, 2-4pm at Naiise. This time, you’ll be making a medium-sized bouquet complete with flowers chosen from a flower buffet. There will be a 101 on how to care for the flowers, too. $150 from www.naiise.com
5. Coloring for Adults
This trend has become the relaxing activity du jour for stressed-out adults around the world (move aside, yoga); even international fashion authority, Vogue, is releasing a coloring book next month. Fans of adult coloring book Secret Garden by Scottish illustrator Johanna Basford will love her new release, Lost Ocean ($23 from all major bookstores), which has pages of intricately detailed exotic sea creatures, coral reefs, shipwrecks and pirate treasure. But if her insanely-popular books are sold out (as they’re bound to be), there are also other illustrators such as Zoe De Las Cases (Parisian Street Style, $23.32 from all major bookstores), Steve McDonald (Fantastic Cities, from Books Actually) and Millie Marcotta (Animal Kingdom, $18.64 from all major bookstores) to fawn over. To join a local coloring book community, head here.
