Crafting Together: How Group Crafting Enriches Lives and Fosters Connections

Group crafting is gaining momentum in our digital age as more people become interested in exploring their creativity in a way that can enrich their lives and create some offline, screen-free fun.

In this digital era, bringing people together is more meaningful than ever before, so it comes as no surprise that the demand for group crafting is on the rise. Group crafting, which has always been popular with previous generations, is gaining momentum with Millennials and young adults because it offers an opportunity to connect with friends and is a great “offline” or “screen-free” activity.

Reminiscent of the old quilting bees, when women gathered to create and chat, group crafting performs a similar function in today’s modern society by providing a creative outlet for expression, while also using crafting as a way to bond with others. Whether it’s neighbors, friends, co-workers, parents, children, or simply strangers, community crafting has the power to bring people together.

The Social and Emotional Benefits of Group Crafting

In a digital world, it feels good to make something with your own two hands. It feels even better to create something while connecting with other individuals in real life. It’s a fantastic balance to our busy, hustle-and-bustle, notification-heavy, often isolating daily routine.

Group crafting events provide an opportunity for individuals to disconnect from their day-to-day life and reconnect with their creative side. They allow participants to immerse themselves in the creative process while building a sense of community and emotional well-being. In addition to being fun, there are many social and emotional benefits to group crafting, such as:

Making new friends
Connecting you with other like-minded individuals
Creating “feel-good” endorphins as you engage in activities that are creative and fun
Building long-lasting friendships and support networks
Fostering self-expression and creativity
Giving you a productive use of time and money
Creating community and broadening social circles

Best Practices for Group Crafting Sessions

Group crafting is for everyone, regardless of skill level. If you’re a beginner but want to launch a crafting group, start with these basic best practices to create an inclusive and relaxed crafting event that will make your event fun and engaging for everyone:

Keep the craft simple.
Choose an inclusive craft that all skill levels can enjoy.
Make a few samples for inspiration, but encourage participants to use their creativity for the final product.
Include a snack and have background music.
Ask guests to RSVP.

Organizing a Crafting Event: Steps and Tips

Before you hit send on that email or text invite, use the following checklist to make sure you’ve got every detail planned:

Select an appropriate craft for the group’s interests and skill level.
Consider the setup for the evening (for example, will there be group workstations, or will everyone work independently? Will there be one project or multiple options?)
Provide opportunities for everyone to get to know each other throughout the gathering.
Make sure you have extra supplies on hand in case an unexpected friend joins or someone makes a mistake.
Create a comfortable and inviting environment with plenty of space for everyone to work comfortably.

Organizing a Crafting Event only takes a few steps.

Supplies and Projects for Group Crafting

The goal is to create a relaxed and collaborative working environment. When working in groups, it’s important to have versatile supplies that work well in group settings, like shared tools and multi-use supplies. Select crafting supplies and shared tools like adhesives, stamps, and cutting tools, that easily allow for collaboration.

As you’re gathering supplies for your group crafting experience, consider using one of the many Stampin’ Up! kits. Our crafting kits, like the Hooray for Honeycomb kit, So Much to Celebrate kit, or Beautiful Blues kit, come with supplies to make several cards or other projects. They are great for both beginners and experienced crafters, as you can follow a template or infuse them with your own creativity to make them uniquely yours. Plus, because they come with everything you need to make the project, you don’t have to have a large stockpile of other materials on hand.

Select crafting supplies and shared tools like adhesives, stamps, and cutting tools, that easily allow for collaboration. — Product Link: Hooray For Honeycomb Kit

Easy and Engaging Crafting Projects for Groups

One of the biggest decisions when organizing a group crafting night is what project to work on. You want to choose one that is simple, yet engaging for multiple skill levels. Here are a few of our favorite projects for group crafting, as well as kits that make them easy to plan for a crowd.

Make a Happy Birthday Card

Everyone knows someone with a birthday, which makes creating birthday cards a great group crafting project. You can use our Simple Birthday stamp, basic white note cards, and a rainbow of inks to create a nice little reserve of cards so you and your crafting circle will always be ready to send off Happy Birthday wishes.

Or to make it even easier, this DIY birthday card-making kit is perfect for a group! The kit comes with everything to make nine cards, and includes step-by-step instructions, so everyone in your crafting group is sure to have a great time. A craft like this that is already mapped out and ready to go is great for when you want to make sure your crafting event is social-friendly while still making sure that everyone feels like they made something pretty and enjoyed the crafting process.

A craft like this that is already mapped out and ready to go is great for when you want to make sure your crafting event is social-friendly while still making sure that everyone feels like they made something pretty and enjoyed the crafting process.

And if you want to kick things up a notch, try adding this Birthday Bash kit to the mix. It comes with supplies to make birthday gift bags and gift bag holders. It’s a lot of fun that requires minimal prep work on your part.

Make a Thank You Card

There is no better way to say “Thank you” than with a home-crafted card inscribed with a heartfelt message. A thank you card can be made using patterned paper, a stamped “thank you” message, and some visual interest—in this case, a die-cut butterfly. Your crafting companions will leave with a handful of thank you cards so they can be ready to spread joy and appreciation when the opportunity arises.

A thank you card can be made using patterned paper, a stamped “thank you” message, and some visual interest—in this case, a die-cut butterfly. Your crafting companions will leave with a handful of thank you cards so they can be ready to spread joy and appreciation when the opportunity arises.

The Essential Occasions kit is a fun kit for making thank you cards or other special occasion cards. The pre-designed project kit comes with enough supplies to make six cards. The fun colors and cute designs are sure to be a crowd pleaser, and best of all, it’s a no-stress option if you’re planning a group crafting night.

Make Handmade Gift Tags

Get ready for an upcoming holiday together by making a big batch of gift tags! Simple, yet sweet, handmade gift tags can pack a lot of personality into a small footprint. This is great for group crafting because you can use both simple and complex crafting tools to create different designs that give your craft circle a chance to get as creative as they like.

Finding and Joining Crafting Groups and Events

If you’re new to crafting, local or online crafting groups can help you hone your crafting skills by introducing you to new techniques and crafting resources. They are a wealth of knowledge! Plus, joining a group will open up new opportunities to find new friends and forge new connections within your community.

If there isn’t already a crafting group in your area, you can create one yourself! Any one of the simple projects outlined in this article would be perfect for a beginner’s first event. And if you want to make it even easier, grab a cardmaking kit for a simple, no-prep project that all skill levels can enjoy. If you want to dip your toe into the crafting world, group crafting is the ideal forum to explore creativity while forging meaningful connections with friends.

Want to get your friends together, but don’t want to be in charge of coming up with the project? Reach out to a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator—they can help with ideas for the projects and can even lead the crafting portion of your gathering. It’s a great way to learn new techniques without the pressure! To connect with a fellow crafter, contact with your local Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. They will be able to fold you right into the paper crafting community in your area and help you learn more about the projects you’re interested in trying. Find one today!