If you’ve ever traveled through TSA with knitting needles, sewing scissors or another beloved craft supply and wondered whether your hobby was about to become airport security’s newest property, you’ve come to the right place.
That place being this post, of course, where creatives and the craft-curious are always welcome. The destination? Columbus.
Craft-led travel is on the rise, with travelers increasingly seeking hands-on experiences and souvenirs that mean a little more because they made them themselves. Condé Nast Traveler has even chronicled the rise of “craft-led travel,” where vacations become opportunities to pick up a new skill alongside something handmade to bring home.
Columbus makes it easy to get in on the trend. The city’s creative energy extends from its arts districts, galleries and museums to pottery wheels, sewing machines and worktables across the city. Whether you want to throw your first pot, arrange the perfect bouquet or finally learn what to do with those crochet hooks you bought three years ago, there’s a place in Columbus to get your hands busy.
And if you need an excuse to plan an entire crafty weekend, save the date: The Columbus Craft Crawl returns March 20-21, 2027.
Source: Little Sky Stone
Jewelry & Charm Bars
Little Sky Stone
875 N. Fourth St., Columbus, OH 43201
As seen in Vogue, Glamour, Vanity Fair and more, Little Sky Stone offers its in-store charm bar experience exclusively in Columbus. Choose from more than 500 fun, trendy and vintage charms to create a custom necklace, bracelet or keychain. Hot tip: No crafting session is complete without caffeine, and next door, Ravello’s Coffee is known for fun seasonal drinks and its signature Biscoff cookie butter latte.
Pochettely
1589 N. High St., Columbus, OH
Measure your wrist, pick your charms and create something one-of-a-kind. Pochettely specializes in Italian charm bracelets and watches, with options that show off your personality and passions — from Diet Coke to Ohio State. The shop also offers custom embroidery and personalized accessories.
Painting, Pottery & Pottery Painting
Bareclay
734 E. Lincoln Ave., Columbus, OH 43229
Get a little messy at Bareclay, a working pottery studio, which has offered ceramics classes since 1997. Beginners can learn the basics while more experienced makers can keep building their wheel-throwing and hand-building skills.
Clay Cafe
1644 W. Fifth Ave., Columbus, OH 43212
No pottery wheel required here. Pick a ready-to-paint ceramic piece at Clay Cafe, choose your colors and make it your own at this longtime Grandview-area paint-your-own pottery studio. Bonus: It’s near Second Chance and several other consignment shops, perfect for a little treasure hunting before or after you craft.
Clay Street Ceramics
13 N. Westmoor Ave., Columbus, OH 43204
A neighborhood ceramics shop on the city’s West Side, Clay Street Ceramics is another stop for travelers looking to get acquainted with clay. Pick out what you want to paint and get it done.
Kiln Room
2050 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43207
Part community ceramics studio, part pottery classroom and part supply shop, Kiln Room offers ways for newcomers and experienced makers alike to spend some quality time with clay.
Source: Pinot's Palette
Pinot’s Palette
691 N. High St., Suite 101, Columbus, OH 43215
Paint, sip and see where the brush takes you at Pinot's Palette, a Short North studio offering guided painting experiences designed to be as social as they are creative.
Restalgic Atelier
83 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43215
Try the pottery wheel for the first time or hone your skills through a multiweek course at this Downtown Columbus creative studio. Restalgic offers beginner-friendly wheel throwing and hand-building, plus other hands-on workshops, from candle making to chunky knit blanket weaving.
Fiber Arts & Needlework
614 Knit Studio
4436 Indianola Ave., Columbus, OH 43214
Consider this your permission to start another yarn project. The Clintonville studio offers classes in knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving and other fiber arts, with options ranging from “never touched yarn” beginner territory to skill-building sessions for seasoned stitchers.
Cross My Heart Needlepoint
11141 Kenny Centre, Columbus, OH 43220
Trade your screen time for stitch time at this longtime Columbus cross-stitch shop, where colorful patterns, fabrics and fibers provide plenty of inspiration for your next project. And because honing your skills deserves a reward (preferably a sweet one), stop by Belle’s Bread in the same shopping center for a post-stitching treat.
Dye Mad Yarns
1530 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43207
Come for the color, stay for the very Columbus sense of humor. Dye Mad Yarns creates hand-dyed yarn inspired by Ohio and Midwestern landmarks, food, culture and even cryptids — making a skein from here a souvenir in its own right.
Sew to Speak
752 High St., Worthington, OH 43085
Fabric people, you may want to leave some extra room in your suitcase. Sew to Speak pairs a shop stocked with fabric, yarn and notions with classes covering sewing, knitting, crochet, macramé, embroidery, garment making, cross-stitch and more.
The Sewing Hive
3455 Indianola Ave., Columbus, OH 43214
Learn to actually use that sewing machine instead of letting it collect dust. The Sewing Hive specializes in structured sewing instruction, from absolute beginners learning their machines to advanced garment makers looking to refine their technique. Find a group of other crafters with their “sewcial” events.
What’s the Point?
126 S. High St., Dublin, OH 43017
A little outside Columbus, but a personal favorite and the place where my own love of needlepoint began is What's the Point. Browse colorful hand-painted canvases, including Central Ohio-inspired designs featuring Ohio State, the Columbus Zoo and more, for a souvenir you can stitch yourself. Pick up threads and accessories or sign up for a class to learn your first stitch or sharpen your skills. For another Central Ohio stop, check out Needlepoint Lounge in Lewis Center for more canvases.
Source: Blossom Flower Bar
Floral Design
Blossom Flower Bar
946 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43201
Flowers are prettier when you get to play florist. Choose stems and build your own bouquet at Blossom’s walk-in Flower Bar or watch its calendar for hands-on workshops and events.
A Little Bit of Everything
Can’t pick just one craft? These Columbus studios, schools and arts organizations make it easy to dabble.
Art Canvas Studio
1492 Bethel Road, Columbus, OH 43220
Pick your project and get creative at Art Canvas Studio. Paint your own ceramics, tuft a custom rug or dive into other playful, hands-on projects designed for all ages and skill levels. It’s an easy stop for visitors who want to try something new without committing to a multiweek class.
Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD)
60 Cleveland Ave., Columbus, OH 43215
You don’t need to enroll in art school to learn there. CCAD offers noncredit evening art classes for adults in its professional studios, with rotating subjects that include painting, bookbinding and art journaling, photography and digital art.
Source: Columbus Glass Art Center
Columbus Glass Art Center
892 Scott St., Columbus, OH 43222
Turn up the heat and try your hand at glass art at Columbus Glass Art Center. This Franklinton-area center offers a rotating schedule of classes that gives visitors a chance to experience this mesmerizing medium firsthand.
Craft Raccoon
1526 S. High St., Columbus, OH
Part creative reuse center, part community studio and a treasure hunt in its own right, Craft Raccoon rescues art and craft supplies from the landfill and puts them back into the hands of makers. Come looking for inspiration and you may leave with the makings of your next project.
Good Dea (Day) Craft School
4145 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43214
This is the place for the person whose answer to “What kind of craft do you want to try?” is “Yes.” Good Dea Craft School offers beginner-friendly classes range from stained glass and silversmithing to leatherworking, perfume blending and other rotating workshops.
Source: Makers Social
Makers Social
461 W. Rich St., Columbus, OH 43215
Grab a drink and a project at Makers Social, a Franklinton DIY project bar, where the night out revolves around making something with your own two hands. You may recognize the concept from Season 17 of ABC’s Shark Tank, where founder Megan Pando struck a deal with Kevin O’Leary. Choose from more than 30 projects, from jewelry and leatherwork to woodworking and concrete pouring, while sipping a craft cocktail.
McConnell Arts Center
777 Evening St., Worthington, OH 43085
The McConnell Arts Center’s class calendar covers plenty of creative ground, with offerings for beginners and experienced artists in mediums ranging from visual arts and ceramics to writing, dance and more.
Ohio Craft Museum
1665 W. Fifth Ave., Columbus, OH 43212
Need inspiration before making something yourself? Admission is free at the Ohio Craft Museum, where exhibitions put contemporary fine craft front and center. Check its programming for opportunities to learn more about the techniques and artists behind the work.
Source: Studio 614
Studio 614
2487 Summit St., Columbus, OH 43202
Pick your project at Studio 614. This BYOB art studio goes well beyond paint-and-sip with rotating DIY workshops that include candle pouring, soap making, wreaths, string art and other crafty creations.
Make a Weekend of It
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations. We think that deserves a creative day (or entire weekend) in Columbus. And if you’re looking to keep the creativity going, connect with like-minded makers and turn a new interest into a regular hobby, check out our Guide to Creative Clubs in Columbus.
So, go forth and create. Whether you call Columbus home or you’re just here for the weekend, try something new, make something worth keeping and maybe even discover your next hobby along the way.
