Celebrating National Craft Month
In 1994, the Craft & Hobby Association established National Craft Month as a means of encouraging everyone to rediscover the joy of crafting. It is one of the few monthly observances that I heartily enjoy and celebrate each year. I invite you to celebrate along with me this year. This March, rediscover a favorite childhood craft activity; begin a new project working in your preferred medium; or strive to learn some new-to-you craft technique. You just might find, as I did, that doing crafts is a great way to pass the time and relieve stress.
If you need some inspiration, libraries are a great place to look. If you search our catalog for “crafts”, more than 700 books, DVDs, eBooks, and e-videos display. You will find books featuring adult crafts, kid’s crafts, holiday crafts, fabric crafts, paper crafts, outdoor crafts, recycled crafts, and even super-easy crafts. Want even more? Try entering “scrapbooking”, “knitting”, “crocheting”, “jewelry making”, “cake decorating”, “woodworking”, “origami”, “sculpting”, “drawing”, “painting”, or whatever your favorite craft activity is. I am confident that you will find lots to choose from.
Don’t be too concerned with your ability, just enjoy the process. Since many crafts can be made with materials that you already have on hand, you likely won’t need to invest too much into new craft supplies. What you will need is a little determination, time, and creativity.
If you prefer to work from a kit, check out the Take and Make Kits offered by The Library. Kits for both adults and kids are provided regularly. (Note: This March, our Adult Take and Make Kit is a macramé coaster project.) Our Take and Make kits come complete with supplies and instructions. Supplies are limited, so check with the library location you plan to visit for kit availability.
In addition to supplying kits, The Library also hosts occasional arts and crafts programs. I encourage you to explore Compass, The Library’s program guide, to look for listings of future craft programs. If you find one that you would like to attend, register early. These popular programs fill quickly.
For those of you who are reluctant crafters, celebrate National Craft Month with us by reading one of the many craft-themed novels in our collection instead. There are lots to choose from. Here are a few that you might enjoy:
Murder at the Arts and Crafts Festival by G.P. Gardner
A Crafter Quilts a Crime by Holly Quinn
Knot your Usual Suspects: A Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery by Molly MacRae
The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil
Loom and Doom : A Weaving Mystery by Carol Ann Martin
The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society by Darien Gee
Painting the Light by Sally Cabot Gunning
Lastly, if you are inclined to share, I would love to see how your craft projects turn out. I invite you to post pictures of the craft projects (inspired by library materials) you created this month to The Library’s Facebook or Instragram social media.
Have fun crafting!
