Detroit Craft Summer: Clubs help people connect offline
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Gather some like-minded souls in the fresh air, BYO crafts and snacks, and you've got one of this summer's biggest social trends.
Why it matters: In recent years, as third places disappear, more people are looking for ways to connect outside work and offline. That's helping accelerate a rise in casual crafting and activity-based meetups.
The big picture: Social crafting is catching on amid intersecting factors.
- Young people are focusing more on their mental health; back-to-basic hobbies, such as crocheting, are making a resurgence; and consumerism-based leisure activities are becoming less affordable.
Between the lines: It's also about getting offline and "touching grass" — though, ironically, finding these meetups requires social media savvy, including regularly checking organizers' Instagrams.
Here are some local groups:
Detroit Craft Club: Bring your own craft project (anything from cross-stitch to coloring books) to these regular indoor or outdoor meetups multiple days per month in various locations.
- The next couple are full, but an Instagram post suggests staying tuned for July events.
Stitch & Sip: Every first Saturday of the month at the Dovetail coffee shop in Warren.
Crafternoon: Family-friendly at the Detroit Public Library's Conely branch, every fourth Wednesday at 4pm.
Social Stitching: This meetup, specific to fiber-based crafts, meets in Berkley 4-7pm Tuesdays and 2-4pm Sundays.
Secret Garden Art Cafe: Learn a designated craft in Woodbridge with snacks and a non-alcoholic beverage, or attend Stitch & Bitch to work on your own existing craft project.
- Prices range from $12 to around $50 for dinners, and events sell out quickly.
Looking for something social but a little more traditionally productive? The New Yorker recently delved into the trend of "admin nights," or gatherings of friends for the purpose of tackling your to-do list with company.
Go deeper: The digital detox movement