How to Throw a Craft Party

Craft Party Inspiration Board including
Valentine Craft Party Invitation by B.Nute productions

Whether you're young, old or somewher in between, a Craft Party is always a hit! Even your most "uncreative" friends (as they call themselves) will enjoy a couple hours of cutting, pasting, and decorating with good friends!

A Craft Party can be held anytime of the year you want to be creative with friends, but is especially good during holidays such as Valentines, Easter or Christmas. Here are some tips on how to throw your own Craft Party.

Guest List - Adults Only? Kids Only? Adults and Kids?
The first decision in throwing a Craft party is who do you want to come. A crafty morning, afternoon or evening with friends is a great way to relax and have some quality "girl" time. So many times we wish we had more time to sit down and make something by hand... now here's your chance.

On the other hand, your little artist may love to have a Craft/Artist Party for her birthday, say. This may be a daunting thought (visions of painted handprints covering your living room walls), but when planned carefully this party can definitely be a hit and kept under control. If the kids are very little (preschool or toddler age) it may be best to make sure a parent comes too, to enjoy craft making and help her little artist.

Once you've decided your guest list, this will help tailor the rest of the questions you need to decide to host your party.

Pick a Craft
Obviously the craft you choose to make should be geared towards your guests age and ability... but here are some suggestions on things to make:
Holiday Themed Crafts

Valentine Crafts

Valentines Day and card making go hand in hand together! Get out your doilies, hearts, red and pink paper, glitter and more, and get to work! Think up some fun extras to add to the mix, like fabric trims, ribbon, embroidery thread (for stitching on a card), old Valentine ephemera, playing cards (especially the Heart suit), and more.

Another crafty idea for Valentines is to make candy. There are many candy making kits available at craft stores; how about candy lollipops, chocolate hearts, or bonbons?

Easter Crafts

Family and friends will love a homemade Easter card. Similar to Valentine card making, find a bunch of extra embellishments for folks to put on their card. A great easter card is to simply start with an egg shape on the card, and then create several different designs in the egg using pens, glitter, fabrics, notions and more.

Easter is also a great time to decorate eggs of course. Whether you'd like a crafty afternoon of egg dying, or creating egg ornaments, friends will love this traditional Easter craft activity.

Halloween Crafts

Pumpkin carving parties, costume parties and more usually dominate this holiday, so throw a twist and host a Craft Halloween Party. Host it in early October, with the intention of creating Halloween decorations to use around your house, or give to friends as gifts. Make Halloween garlands, a wreath for the front door, or even decorate a canvas bag or two to give to your kids to use while trick or treating. There are so many great Halloween craft accessories available this time of year, I'm sure something at the craft store will catch your eye!

Christmas Crafts

Christmas is craft season. There are shelves full of crafty gift and card ideas for Christmas and the holidays at the library. Check out several of these books, and pick out your favorite activities to create at your Christmas Craft Party.

Adult Craft Party

UFO's

In the crafting world, a UFO is an UnFinished Object... you know the one... that wreath you started to make for your front door but never finished, or how about that mosaic table top collage that got started and never finished. This party is all about bringing those unfinished pieces back to life, and get them done!

Knitting

Knitting is a great way to gather friends and have some fun crafting and chatting. If you have beginner knitters, be sure to have either some "how to" books available, or if someone is an expert, have the help them get started. You can come up with a project (a simple scarf, perhaps), and provide supplies, or have friends bring their own projects and just have fun knitting together. The internet is a wealth of information on knitting circle ideas.

Paper Crafts

If you search paper crafts on the internet, I'm sure something will tickle your creative fancy! Pick a project or two, purchase some decorative papers, gather friends, and have fun!

Jewelry Making

Ask friends to bring a pound (or more?) of different types of beads. Now, at the party you will have your very own "jewelry making store"... with a plethora of bead choices to use!

Make it Pot Luck
A pot luck craft party is a great way to share the expense of all the crafting supplies. Have guests bring either their own supplies, or better yet, assign them an element of the craft, or their favorite items. Once all together, you will have a bounty of supplies to create the objects you desire!

The Set Up
A large table is essential for this party. Depending on the craft (messy, relatively clean) it may be necessary to cover the table with a plastic table cloth. Set out either a buffet of crafting supplies and/or set bowls of craft pieces in the middle of the table. Now it's time to create!

Something to Nibble and Sip
Be sure to have some nibbles to eat and something to drink. No need to get to elaborate with this, since the focus on the party is crafting! How about a mini-sweet treats table with coffee, hot cocoa and tea? If you're having a crafty morning, how about bagels with loads of fixin's and coffee. For a crafty evening, some savory appetizers, and wine will definitely please the crowd!