Great Places Offering Craft Workshops for All Ages in Kingsport

Do you like crafts? Does your idea of a fun time involve glue, glitter, paint, yarn, wood, metal or power tools?

If so, then you’re not alone. According to a study published in January 2019 by Statista, 63 percent of Americans say they participated in a craft activity in the last 12 months.

Yes, crafting is very popular in the U.S. And, in Tennessee, we have a long tradition of making handmade crafts – from quilts to pottery.

Perhaps crafting is so popular because it’s a social activity. Through shared craft making activities parents (and grandparents) can bond with their children and make lasting memories. Many crafters learn in workshops and form groups.

So, for the “crafty” (and craft curious) among us, here are a few places where you can learn a new craft or enjoy an old one right here in Kingsport.

GENERAL ARTS & CRAFTS AND MORE

Michaels, 2626 E. Stone Dr, #110, Kingsport, TN 37660, 423-230-0903
Michaels sells art and craft supplies. They also offer many craft classes and workshops for children and adults. Classes are taught by local makers skilled in their craft and are usually project oriented. Recent classes featured still life painting, sewing, crocheting, Continental European knitting and Tunisian crochet. Many classes have no fee, but there is a product cost. (For instance, if you are decorating T-shirts, then there is a $3 cost for the T-shirt.)

Michaels’ MAKE Break family crafting workshops are held on Saturdays. In this month’s workshop participants will make Christmas ornaments, mini tree decorations and holiday wreaths. In December, participants will make gingerbread houses and Christmas T-shirts. Check their schedule to find the date and time for the activity that interests you and your family.

Michaels’ Kids Club meets on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. In Kids Club, children, ages 3 and up, choose between two 30-minute craft projects. The fee is $3.00.

Michaels also offers craft-themed birthday parties for ages 4 and up. Party-goers make age-appropriate crafts like decorated totes for tweens, robot masks, hats and decorative T-shirts. Some of the birthday themes available are Monster Bash, Robot Squad, Unicorn Fantasy and Epic Emoji. Visit their birthday party page to see other available themes and for more information.

Hobby Lobby 1905 N Eastman Rd, Kingsport, TN 37660, 423-246-2118
Hobby Lobby offers classes taught by members of the community. Their classes include a Bob Ross painting program taught by a Bob Ross Certified painter, floral wreath design and floral design. Drop by the store to pick up a current flyer for class listings and cost.

Kingsport Senior Center, 1200 E Center St Ste 121, Kingsport, TN 37660, (423) 392-8400
The Kingsport Senior Center offers many craft classes. Options include beginner clay, pottery making, flower arranging, acrylic painting, watercolor painting, Bob Ross Style painting, sewing and more. Check the center’s schedule for available classes.

Lynn View Community Center, 257 Walker St, Kingsport, TN 37665, (423) 765-0134
The Lynn View community center offers workshops in greeting card making and crochet. You can check their schedule near the bottom of the Kingsport Senior Center website page for times and dates.

PAINTING, FINE ARTS AND POTTERY

Brush Strokes N’ More, 1001 E Stone Dr, Kingsport, TN 37660, (423) 765-0352
If you love to paint, Brush Strokes N’ More is the place for you. Brush Strokes N’ More offers workshops for kids, teens and adults.

In their Paint Your Own Pottery workshops, adults, children and teens can choose from dozens of items to paint (plates, bowls, mugs, figurines, boxes and more).

Canvas painting is another workshop for children as well as teens and adults.

Workshops reserved only for teens and adults include board art (painting signs and art on wooden boards), jewelry making and glass fusing (art made from glass and heated in a kiln).

Private parties are available for adults as well as for children of all ages.

Kingsport Art Guild, 1200 E Center St, Kingsport, TN 37660, (423) 246-1227
The Kingsport Art Guild was established to “create opportunities in the arts.” The guild showcases art in their gallery and provides art education. Explore your artistic bent in one of their classes. In the past, classes have included color mixing and painting from still life in acrylic and oil paint.

Brixey Artist Studios, 119 Shelby St, Kingsport, TN 37660, (423) 863-3978
Fancy getting your hands wet with clay? Brixey Artist Studios is an open art studio. Kipp Brixey, the studio’s owner, makes handmade stoneware and provides pottery wheel lessons for all levels. The beginner pottery lessons are 2 hours long and cost $30. Brixey Studio is open Thursday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. Call or check their Facebook page for more information.

NEEDLE CRAFTS

Heavenly Stitches, 4219 Fort Henry Dr # 100, Kingsport, TN 37663, 423-406-1401
Heavenly Stitches offers classes for children and adults. In their monthly Kids Camp, children create a new project each month. The cost for Kids Camp is $15 and there is no age limit; however, we were told that the youngest participant they’ve had was 8-years-old.  

Workshops they’ve offered recently include beginning sewing, finishing class, making bling to decorate your crafting tools, quilting and embroidery. Check their website for current classes and prices.

JOANN Fabrics and Crafts, 1409 E Stone Dr, Kingsport, TN 37660, (423) 247-0225
JOANN’s offers workshops and classes in sewing, needle crafts (knitting, crochet, embroidery), jewelry making, paper crafting and food crafting for children and adults. Most classes are project oriented. Check their website for workshop costs and schedule.

Carriage House Custom Framing, Yarn, Apparel and Accessories, 505 E. Center St, Kingsport, TN 37660 (423) 247-9091
Besides offering custom framing, Carriage House is a full-service needlework shop. They offer needlepoint, needle punch and needle rug hooking and have weekly classes and stitching groups. Check their Facebook page for class and workshop times.

INDUSTRIAL ARTS

The Inventor Center, 118 Shelby St, Kingsport, TN 37660, (423) 765-0900
If working with wood, metal and power tools is your thing, then The Inventor Center is for you. The Inventor Center is a studio and makerspace for those interested in the industrial arts, costuming and weaving. The Inventor Center has a woodworking shop with all the equipment one could possibly imagine. They also have state-of-the-art metal cutting and die cutting equipment, 3-D printing, plasma cutters and more. They’ve offered classes in basket weaving, sewing, metal work, wood carving and home brewing in the past. All classes are open to the public. Check the schedule on their website or Facebook page. New classes are constantly added throughout the month so be sure to check often.

Learning a new craft, or sharing an old one, with like-minded folks can be fun and a way to make friends. And with Christmas just around the corner, ’tis the season for handmade crafts.