Who doesn’t love a handcrafted gift? It’s one-of-a-kind, and whether it’s merely decorative or functional, there is something extra special about it. There are several places in metro Atlanta where handcrafted items may be purchased, and for those with a do-it-yourself spirit, there are a number of studios and shops that offer lessons in a myriad of specialties, ranging from sewing to pottery to jewelry making. Here are several local options for those looking to learn or perfect their craft — or simply purchase the works of others.
Where to buy
The Beehive, located in the Old Fourth Ward, is a co-op boutique filled with the products of local artisans and craftsmen. It’s a great place to shop for apparel, housewares, accessories, local foods and skincare products. The Beehive also conducts a variety of craft workshops in such skills as sewing, needle felting, card making, knitting and making soaps.
Across the way, Wild Oats & Billy Goats is an art gallery and artisan boutique in Decatur that highlights the works of local and regional artists. There is something for all tastes including pottery, wood, metal, glass, gourmet food, paintings and fiber.
“Our desire is to support the local artist community,” says Weatherly Munroe, who opened the gallery 10 years ago. “Artists need a place to get their work out in the world. It’s our desire for people to buy things that have a past life, for instance, even if it is people’s memories that they put in their folk art.” She also believes that people are increasingly being drawn to handmade items. “It’s not manufactured,” she says. “There’s no way I’m going to buy stuff that’s made in China or wherever — not that there’s anything wrong with that — but it’s important to me to keep things local.”
In the heart of the city, there’s Eco Denizen, a local family-owned Midtown store that not only offers handmade items but eco-friendly items. Their curated and sustainable gifts include jewelry, food, candles, Houston Llew spiritiles and pillows.
Another option is Crafted/Westside, a collective of artisans and designers located in The Brickworks Midtown in West Atlanta. Various artisans sell their products including jewelry, apparel, accessories, bath and body products and art/decor. Look for women’s tees, hoodies and dresses by Ellembee, jewelry by Allison Hickey and stationery by Erica Loesing. There are also locations at Lenox Square, Mall of Georgia, on Ashford Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody, and The Forum on Peachtree Parkway. Courtney Hamill operates Honeycomb Studio, a modern ceramic design studio in the West Midtown Design district and sells a variety of her work including tableware, lamps, barware, jewelry and vases. She also conducts workshops.
Located in Avondale Estates, Garage Door Studio highlights local art and handmade goods with a focus on emerging talent. In this historic space (it’s a former 1950s drug store and soda fountain shop), Garage Door Studio sells original art, jewelry ceramics, woodwork, personal care items and apparel. The studio offers art parties and workshops on a variety of crafts including the art of gyotaku, bargello stitching, abstract watercolors and embroidered flowers. Among the local artists found at Garage Door Studio are Tania Julian, Bradford Mix, Susi Duncan and Aberleigh Rice.
Where to go for craft lessons
If you like an experiential moment, there are lots of places to try crafting for yourself. Fabricate Studios, located on Howell Mill Road on Atlanta’s Westside, offers skills-based sewing instruction for adults and children, including beginning sewing, quilt making, knitting and crocheting, embroidery and weaving, and macrame. Advanced sewing classes fitting plus-sized commercial patterns and mastering knits are also available.
At the Red Seal Craft Studio, you can make something and have a fun time. In fact, you can turn it into a party. The studio is a DIY studio and crafting boutique where children and adults can make easy projects in areas such as jewelry and home decor, wood-burning and glass etching. The studio also offers girls’ night out events where crafters can bring drinks and snacks. They also offer simple projects for kids’ birthday parties.
Inman Park’s The Craftivist sells high-quality yarn, knitting tools and patterns as well as holds classes on knitting. Participants can learn basic knitting as well as how to knit sweaters, master stranded colorwork in a Fair Isle workshop, get an introduction to brioche as well as crocheting and cross-stitching.
Learn to make pottery at MudFire, a self-described “playground for imaginative adults.” MudFire, located in Decatur, doesn’t hold formal classes; instruction is available “when you want or need to learn.” The fully-equipped open studio offers memberships that allow budding artisans complete access to the tools, equipment, glazes and firings. The studio offers 56 hours of open time and lessons are available — without scheduling — with the two rangers who are on duty during two-hour shifts. A studio trial month membership is $99. The studio also sells the work of its potters.
The Spruill Center for the Arts is the go-to place in Dunwoody that offers a little bit of everything. The center, which provides more than 800 visual arts classes to more than 5,000 students annually, offers classes for adults and children in such crafts as jewelry, mosaics, fiber arts, stained glass, ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, decorative arts and photography.
“People need a creative outlet and escape from the everyday life,” says Amy Gresens, marketing director of the Spruill Center for the Arts. “Students make friendships over the years and taking classes is a good way to meet people.” In addition to its classes and workshops, the non-profit organization offers programs for seniors and people with special needs.
Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, located in the historic Candler Estate in Virginia-Highland, offers year-round instruction in a variety of crafts including weaving, jewelry making, photography, painting and printmaking. Every February they host an artists’ market where more than 70 artists display and sell their work.
The Jacqueline Casey Hudgens Center for Art & Learning in Gwinnett County offers classes in such skills as calligraphy, clay, hand-building and ceramics, painting, photography, pottery and sculpture. The center also has an online shop where you can purchase the work of both students and instructors.
The Beehive
1250 Caroline St. NE, Atlanta. 404-581-9261, thebeehiveatl.com.
Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
980 Briarcliff Road, NE, Atlanta. 404-872-5338, callanwolde.org.
The Craftivist
743 Edgewood Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-330-8023, thecraftist.com.
Fabricate Studios
1537 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-981-4665, fabricatestudios.com.
Hudgens Center for Art & Learning
6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Building 300, Duluth. 770-623-6002, thehudgens.org.
MudFire
175 Laredo Drive, Decatur. 404-377-8033, mudfire.com.
Wild Oats & Billy Goats
112 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-378-4088, wildoatsandbillygoats.com.
