How to stay connected to your craft community from home
Whether you struggle to get out and about or just prefer the keeping things virtual, there's loads of ways to find a craft community online
When you fall in love with a new craft hobby, you want to share that joy with the world. But sometimes finding like-minded crafters in your local area can prove tricky. And of course, some people find it difficult to get out and about, or hacvce other commitments that mean they can't get out to socialise as much as they'd like to.
However, there's loads of different ways you can connect with fellow crafters online! From following hashtags to find fellow makers, to joining joint make-along projects and even crafty podcasts, we're here to help you find your new crafty friends!
Instagram hashtags to follow
#crochetersofinstagram #knittersofinstagram #crossstitchersofinstagram #sewersofinstagram #papercraftersofinstagram #quiltersofinstagram
Exploring Instagram is a great way of finding fellow crafters, especially if you're obsessed with one craft in particular! The hashtags above are just a few of our favourites, where you'll find a wide range of people sharing their current projects - great for a bit of inspiration.
#Makersgonnamake
The #makersgonnamake is a fab all-round crafty hashtag. There really are no restrictions on this one, you'll find everything from ceramics to painting to woodwork and so much more - if you make it, you'll find it here!
#AmiguruMay
If you're an amigurumi maker (or a fan of those who are), then you'll definitely want to check out the #AmiguruMay Instagram challenge. Everyday through May amigurumi makers are encouraged to post every day using the daily subject prompts as inspiration for their posts. The challenge was started by super-star amigurumi designer Ilaria Caliri, and is a great way to not only see some amazing amigurumi but also to learn more about the designers behind these cute creations.
#makelemonademal
If you like the sound of #marchmeetthemaker, and wished you'd got involved earlier, then maybe you'll like the #makelemonademal. This new make-along has been started by @crochet_circle_podcast to give makers a space to come together to share their crafty makes through these tough times.
Lovecrafts - #Togetherwemake
Lovecrafts have started the new #togetherwemake hashtag to enable crafters to support and inspire each other and share their crafty makes. Lovecrafts also have loads of free patterns and resources available on their website, so it's a great place to find some inspiration.
Me Made May is coming
If you love to make clothes, the upccoming extra time at home may help to boost your sewing time, so why not join in with this year’s #MeMadeMay2020 community challenge? This instagram challenge started by Zoe from What do you Know? sees sewists of all abilities come together and pledge to up their skills and share their makes throughout the month of may on Instagram, with the hashtag #memademay
You can find out more about this fab instagram challenge here!
Online community activities and projects
GBSB fan group
If you love to sew, check out Simply Sewing’s Great British Sewing Bee fans group and chat to fellow fans when the new series airs next month. The group also share their latest projects and swap tips for their dressmaking at home as well as discussing each week’s unfolding events in the on screen sewing room
More like this
You can find the GBSB Facebook fan group here!
Yarnspirations - #Letsstitchtogether on Facebook live
Yarnspirations are hosting special online stitch circles, special lessons, a Stitch-A-Long, community Q&A, and much, much more on their facebook page, including facebook live videos.
You can find out more and details on how to get involved here!
UKHKA virtual knitting groups.
As well as starting the #yarnshoplove campaign (which you can find more about here) to support our local yarn shops during these difficult times, the UK hand knitting association is also running regular virtual knitting groups. You can join in the fun each week using zoom video chat, and they've even started live Q&A sessions with knitting and crochet experts.
Sew A Softie FB group – if you like to make toys for kids
Trixie Symmonds has been doing some brilliant work to get children sewing by bringing the global sewing community together to offer free easy toy sewing patterns to share with your children for several years. Check out the FB page to find free patterns and resources from the community. She’s also hosting a global kids sewing party next Tuesday for anyone looking for ideas to keep kids entertained next week!
Find the Sew a Softie Facebook group here!
Quilting fans – take the Free Motion Quilting challenge
Angela Walters hosts the popular FB group where quilt fans come together to join in and quilt along with regular group challenges. Her next series of free video challenges and tutorials is set to start on 10th April and can be found here!
You can also chat to others as you quilt along on the Facebook group here
NB: You will need a bit of experience at quilting for this one – it’s probs not for beginners
Podcasts
If you're feeling a little lonely and fancy seeing a friendly face (or hearing a lovely voice), then podcasts are for you! Here are just some of our favourites.
Arne & Carlos
This knitting duo are your go-to podcasters for everything knitting! As well as their podcast, you'll find live streams, shorts, knitting tips and tricks and lots more on their youtube page here.
Love to Sew
Love to Sew is one of the gathered teams favourite podcasts, but as well as sewing Caroline also covers knitting and crochet. Check out her video below and head to her youtube channel here.
Zeens & Roger Podcast
Here's one for the crocheters - Rosina is a regular designer for Simply Crochet and Mollie Makes magazines, and we love her crochet podcasts and finding out all about what she's up to! Find her youtube channel here!
Very Serious Crafts
We love this multi-craft podcast by these 3 lovely ladies. This one's an audio podcast, so make yourself a nice cuppa, plug in your headphones and enjoy! Find all of their episodes here.
If you're looking for more sewing podcasts, you can find our list of 8 of the best sewing podcasts here.
More online fun!
If you're looking for more craft projects to do virtually with your creative pals then we have loads! Check out our free daily craft patterns and our five minute crafts round-up which includes 48 makes.
Authors
Matt Spiers is a crochet artist and designer who has been overseeing Gathered's crochet articles for over 2 years. He previously worked as Digital Assistant for Simply Crochet magazine and is our in house video editing pro. What started as a hobby a decade ago led to Matt developing a passion (and then a career) with crochet. As well as still regularly writing and designing for Simply Crochet magazine, Matt is a crochet artist in his own right, having displayed and created crochet installations at festivals and fibre events across the UK. You can keep up to date with Matt at @onemancrochet on Instagram.
