Art parties
There are many options for the young crafters in your life — think crayons, stickers, craft paper and glue — but a unique gift is an art party where they can participate in a fun project with friends. Choose from making puppets out of duct tape, creating spinning tops, making altered books or cards. But kids don’t have to have all the fun; there are options for adult craft parties, too. There are also adult craft events at Revel and painting parties at Paint Bar, among others.
Cost: $2-$50 per item/participant
Where: Bare Knuckle Arts, 1949 Winnebago St.;
Anthology, 218 State St.; Revel, 107 N. Hamilton St.;
Paint Bar, 1224 Williamson St.
Pottery classes
A gift of classes at the Midwest Clay Project will give budding potters the opportunity to learn from a skilled instructor and become familiar with the Midwest Clay community. There is a class for beginners and one for those with some experience who want to learn more advanced techniques. At the end of the class, students will have a collection of handmade mugs and bowls. After taking a class at Midwest Clay, potters have access to open studio time and use of the kiln.
Cost: $220- $265 for a series of six classes, includes materials
Where: Midwest Clay Project, 2040 Winnebago St.
The Kombucha Shop
Kombucha brewing kit
Kombucha is a fermented, effervescent tea with purported health benefits, including improved digestion. With bottles at the grocery store costing $3-$5, a kombucha-a-day habit can add up, so why not give the gift of being able to make it at home? You’ll need a starter in the form of a kombucha culture (sometimes called a SCOBY, i.e., a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) and step-by-step directions, both of which come in this homebrew starter kit from the Kombucha Shop, which is based in Madison.
Cost: $54
Where: The Kombucha Shop, thekombuchashop.com
Macrame kit
Macrame is back in a big way. The knot-tying craft that was popular in the ’70s is in the midst of a revival. A kit from Portland-based Modern Macrame includes the tools and materials to make a basic plant holder or wall hanging. Before long, your macrame-making friend might just be gifting you with a mustard yellow knotted owl.
Cost: $48
Where: Modern Macrame, modernmacrame.com
Mad Urban Bees
Bees
A beekeeping class will teach a budding urban farmer the basics, including how to assemble a hive and harvest honey. Give yourself a high-five for thinking of such a clever gift and for helping the plight of the honeybees.
Cost: $75 for one person, $125 for two
Where: Mad Urban Bees, 2017 winter classes held at Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa St. madurbanbees.com
Weaving hand loom kit and basic tapestry weaving workshops
Learning to weave boho-chic wall tapestries is a sure-fire way to decorate your home on
the cheap. A kit with a hand loom will provide the tools to get a beginner weaver started.
A workshop run by One-One Thousand, a community of Madison makers, will teach the basics.
Cost: $40 for the kit and $75 for the workshop
Where: One-One Thousand, oneonethousand.net
The Knitting Tree
Yarn
Gifting a knitting friend with beautiful, hand-dyed or classic wool yarn is always a solid choice. Or consider giving knitting lessons to someone who’s looking to pick up a new hobby this winter.
Cost: varies by yarn
Where: The Knitting Tree, 2636 Monroe St.;
The Sow’s Ear, 125 S. Main St., Verona
