Get in touch with your crafty side

Here are some places that will help you get in touch with your creative, crafty side this fall. Some options work for the solo artist, and others are great outings for a group of friends.

Wichita Center for the Arts offers a range of classes and workshops for adults and children: bookbinding, painting, jewelry making, batique cloth dyeing, dancing, sculpting and much more. Most classes start in mid-September. Workshops vary but usually involve just a couple of hours. The center, 9112 E. Central, near Webb, also has gotten aboard the paint party bandwagon, offering private parties for groups of 10 or more painters. Visit www.wcfta.com.

CityArts — A big part of the mission at CityArts, 334 N. Mead, is making art accessible to everyone. It accomplishes that through a range of classes and workshops for adults and youths in Old Town Square. Try silversmithing, photography, digital arts, floral design and more. Visit www.wichitacityarts.org for details.

Wichita Pottery — Clay is the medium of choice at Wichita Pottery, 300 N. Meridian, near Second Street, which offers classes in hand building, pottery, raku and sculpture. Four-week classes begin the first week of every month. Children can try hand building starting at age 8 and wheel classes beginning at 12. Visit www.wichitapottery.com.

Color Me Mine — It’s easy to drop in to this paint-your-own pottery shop. Customers pay a studio fee – $10 for adults and $5 for children – and also for their pieces, which include small figurines, large platters and everything in between. The NewMarket Square shop, 2441 N. Maize Road, frequently offers specials, available at wichita.colormemine.com.

ReLove All Things Shabby — The shabby chic look is still going strong. ReLove All Things Shabby offers “Get Plastered” classes that teach customers techniques for using plaster paint to update old furniture pieces. Beyond furniture, offerings include finishes or painting a whimsical canvas or chalkboard. The shop is at 515 N. Woodlawn, near Central. Visit www.reloveallthingsshabby.com.

Paint the Towne — There are east and west locations for this paint party favorite. Paint the Towne offers open classes weekly and also schedules private parties. In both instances, the painters are welcome to bring food and drink to make it a party. Paint the Towne locations at 8037 E. Peachtree Lane and 7011 W. Central provide all the painting materials and instruction. Check paintthetowne.com for the schedule.

Pinot’s Palette, another sip and paint endeavor, operates out of Old Town Square, 338 N. Mead. Check out the Pinot’s Palette calendar for upcoming offerings, or schedule a private party for your own group of friends. It’s a BYOB facility, and Pinot’s touts its convenient location next to a liquor store. For private parties or team builders, the organizer can pick from the Pinot’s Palette library of paintings or have a custom painting created. Visit www.pinotspalette.com/wichita.

Tissu Sewing Studio in Clifton Square offers beginning sewing classes as well as specialty classes for youth, teens and adults. The fall session starts the week of Sept. 14. Check out the studio at 3700 E. Douglas.

Needle nirvana — Wednesdays are “sit and stitch” days at A New Twist Yarn shop, so take your spinning, crochet and knitting over to the Delano shop, 607 W. Douglas. Find out more at anewtwist.org. Heritage Hut, 2820 E. Douglas, west of Hillside, is another spot for drop-in stitching or even learning to use a floor loom. Check out heritagehutyarn.com.

Wichita Parks and Recreation — Don’t forget about local rec centers for adult and youth classes related to arts, crafts and cooking. Find the fall activities guide at www.wichita.gov/government/departments/park.

Quilters, unite — Hen Feathers, Material Girls Quilt Shoppe and Picket Fence Quilt Company are among the local spots that offer quilting classes for novices up to experts. Hen Feathers is most convenient for east-siders, Picket Fence for west-siders and Material Girls for the Delano and downtown area. Check out their websites at henfeathersquilts.com, materialgirlsquiltshoppe.com and picketfencequiltcompany.com.

Craft store chains — There is also an ever-rotating roster of classes at the craft store chains. Be sure to check out the offerings at your closest Michaels, Jo-Ann’s or Hobby Lobby.

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Get in touch with your crafty side."