DIY is having a moment—and not just online. As millions watch makers flip furniture, stitch custom pieces, and craft eye‑catching décor, demand for real‑life classes is exploding. These five small businesses are seizing that momentum, bringing hands‑on workshops to their communities that make creativity accessible, social, and seriously fun.
Tuft the World
Two passionate artists from Texas, Tiernan Alexander and Tim Eads established Tuft the World in Philadelphia in 2018. Their main objective was to make tufting more accessible by providing high-quality tools and instruction to novices and experienced tufters alike. Together, the two have sparked a resurgence of interest in the art form through weekly workshops offered to the public. They leverage their expertise and eagerness to demystify the rug-making process, giving locals a unique experience and ownership over a finished piece of art.
In these workshops, participants learn how to set up a tufting frame, how to apply the backing cloth, and how to thread and operate a power tufting machine. Beginners are encouraged to start with something like a wall hanging or rug, while more advanced tufters can try tufting a pillow, a wooden stool, or a chair covering. For more experienced tufters, the residency program provides access to the Tuft the World studio and all of its machines, frames, carvers, and finishing tools, as well as mentorship from the owners.
Hellbent Silversmith
Originally from Venezuela, Ani Gabrielson moved to Utah with her parents when she was 4 years old. When she was 15, her then-boyfriend’s grandfather taught her how to forge a ring by hand. That experience sparked Gabrielson’s passion for silversmithing and eventually led her to Los Angeles. A motorcycle enthusiast, she went south to Long Beach where she found Off Track and made friends with the owner. She held silversmithing workshops in that motorcycle shop until she gained enough traction to open her own brick-and-mortar.
In 2022, Gabrielson opened Hellbent Silversmith in the East Village Arts District in downtown Long Beach. Although she initially wanted to focus on jewelry, Gabrielson followed her business instinct that told her classes would offer consistency through the ebbs and flows of small business retail. Class instructors take participants through all the steps of measuring, cutting, shaping, and sanding their rings. “I think it’s just so fulfilling to see people do something that they didn’t think they could do,” Gabrielson said. Hellbent also hosts four-week-long silversmith courses for people who are interested in delving deeper into the craft.
Carpe Noctem Candle Co.
Sarah Moslemi and her husband Dariush founded Carpe Noctem Candle Co. in 2020. Their flagship location is in Stillwater, Minnesota. Three years later, Sarah and one of her customers, Nikki Ferraro, teamed up to open the second storefront in Las Vegas. The apothecary-style shops and custom labels channel a kind of dark luxury that sets this brand apart from others.
In addition to selling small-batch candles, Carpe Noctem also offers a Pour Your Own Candle Experience. It is a 50–60 minute workshop, wherein chandlers guide participants through the creation of two nine-ounce candles. “We offer a true olfactory experience to our guests to let them find the scents for their home and body that bring up positive memories and feelings,” Moslemi said. Guests choose from over 60 scents and can take them home once they’ve completely cooled. Candles take a minimum of four hours to cure, so the business recommends picking them up the following day.
I think it’s just so fulfilling to see people do something that they didn’t think they could do.Ani Gabrielson, Founder of Hellbent Silversmith
Labor of Love Studio
While serving as a Marketing Consultant for Airstream, Austin Hines was also building a business of his own. With a background in Industrial Design and a desire to share his favorite creative outlet with others, Hines opened Labor of Love Studio in Denver. What started out as a pottery production brand recently evolved into a communal ceramics studio where locals can throw clay and learn different techniques from a team of instructors.
Labor of Love Studio offers a variety of classes for beginners to intermediate students. The beginner handbuilding series teaches participants the foundations of slab and coil techniques, surface design, and glazing. Students build a tray, a vessel, and a lidded keeper over the course of four sessions. Another beginner option is a wheel-throwing series that lasts five weeks and yields four to six cups and bowls. Those wanting to experience both handbuilding and wheel throwing can sign up for the mixed methods workshop, which lasts six weeks.
Dedicated patrons can also sign up for a membership. Members get 24/7 access to the studio, they can reserve any wheel and slab roller, and they receive unlimited clay and studio glazes and weekly kiln firings.
Cool People Sew
Like many people, Linsey Cloud took up a new hobby during the pandemic: quilting. Meanwhile, Michelle Collins was teaching online workshops and started a popular Facebook group called Cool People Quilt. In 2021, Collins took her business to the next level and rented space in Jaime Stepic’s Spool School in downtown Duluth, Georgia. By 2024, the three moms and crafting extraordinaires combined forces and became Cool People Sew, a colorful quilt shop and sewing school. Later that year, Collins made the difficult decision to take a step back from the business and focus on her growing family, passing the torch to Cloud and Stepic.
A true retreat from the hustle and bustle outside, Cool People Sew is located beneath Main Street in the basement of a white brick building, nestled between the Red Clay Theater and PURE Taqueria. Kids, teens, and adults can choose from a variety of classes that teach sewing machine basics, the fundamentals of quilting, how to hem an article of clothing, garment making, and more. Cool People Sew even hosts weeklong summer camps for little ones to hone their sewing skills.
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