City Cast Portland logo

Where to Get Crafty in Portland

Posted on May 31

Ben McBee

A top down view shows hands with red painted nails holding a blue triangle-shaped piece of stained glass. In the background there is a cluttered worktable with other multi-colored pieces of stained glass and beads.

Sign us up for a stained glass workshop. (AI25.Studio Studio / Pexels)

Feeling inspired by the pieces on display at Daffodill Studios? Perhaps you’d like to pick up a bygone hobby or dive into something entirely new. These workshops will certainly help stoke your artistic energy — just make sure to plan ahead, as classes can fill up quickly.

This is your chance to stick it to anyone who ever mocked those basket-weaving classes you took in college, because guess what? It’s still really fun. And so is upholstery and paper sculpting. Weekend-long intensives are offered in a variety of topics, including Native arts (Coast Salish relief woodcarving looks fascinating).

The stakes are low at this welcoming space, no matter the medium you decide to work with. You can weave macrame wall art, customize a leather coozie, or paint coasters. “Do it yourself” may be in the name, but it’s always more fun to bring a couple of friends along.

Live out your sootiest medieval blacksmithing dreams and try your hand at the time-honored tradition of hammering molten steel. Instructor Arnon Kartmazov brings the experience he’s earned around the world to each class, which ranges from spoons to swords.

Who’s got two green thumbs and loves to shape self-contained gardens? You do, of course, or at least you will after spending a few hours arranging living mosses, tropical plants, and dazzling rocks into a miniature ecosystem.

see more:things to do

Share article

Hey Portland

Stay connected to City Cast Portland and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

The Weekly Wander by City Cast Portland

See All
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 14

Side Quest: Streetcar Stories

One of its most notorious stops was at the White Eagle Saloon, now a potentially haunted rock ‘n’ roll hotel operated by McMenamins in pr...

Alternating images show different iterations of streetcars throughout Portland’s history. The first sepia-toned photograph shows horse-drawn trolleys along tracks. The second black-and-white image shows a conductor and other people posing on an electrified car. The final image shows the modern Portland Streetcar coming over the Broadway Bridge.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 14

Your Guide to Eliot

In 2021, the AMT debuted Albina Soul Walk (now Soul Walk South), a self-guided walking and listening tour that highlights the significanc...

A scene from 1977 in Northeast Portland shows a crowded street made up predominantly of Black people. The sun shines brightly and people are jubilant with smiles on many faces following the Portland Trail Blazers’ NBA championship.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 7

Side Quest: You Can Play These Games

Just a few hundred feet from Pioneer Courthouse Square (and one story below ground), you’ll find Glowing Greens Indoor Mini Golf, the per...

A retro style bowling alley with four lanes. Above the pins on each lane sits a retro Western painting in a golden frame.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 7

Your Guide to Pioneer Courthouse Square

When it comes to Downtown Portland, there’s almost too much to tackle in one visit, so we’re keeping this week’s wander focused on places...

A crowd of people raise their hands in the air with Pioneer Courthouse in the background. A flock of pigeons are flying by in the sky.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandMay 31

Your Guide to Portland’s Laurelhurst Neighborhood

Ornate sandstone arches and palatial century homes announce your arrival to the Laurelhurst neighborhood, one of Portland’s earliest parc...

Hundreds of people sitting on blankets and lawn chairs are packed together beneath the trees of Laurelhurst Park.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandMay 24

Your Guide to Concordia

Wander the Concordia neighborhood, and you’ll always learn something new — like how one of Portland’s iconic gay bars found a new home in...

A colorful mural with a saxophone, rose blossom, coffee cup, and a bridge is emblazoned with the word Concordia. On the right edge, a tree’s swirling roots write the words transformation, integrity, and community on the pages of a book.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandMay 24

Side Quest: Hit the Bricks

It can be mind-boggling to witness how much Portland has changed in just a few years — over decades, that transformation is even more dra...

Water cascades down the angular steps of Ira Keller Fountain.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandMay 17

Side Quest: Porch Power

There’s something magical about gathering on the front steps and jamming with friends. If you’re looking for a way to meet new people or...

People sit in camp chairs underneath pop-up canopies in a driveway while listening to musicians play guitar in the front yard.

The latest in Portland

Portland's BestJune 15

Tips For Getting the Most Out of Summer

The City Cast Portland team shares their favorite Portland summer hacks — tips for cooling down on hot days, favorite patios, the perfect...

People biking through an arch-shaped water mister on a street lined with cars and trees on a clear day.
Portland's BestJune 2

What To Do in Portland in June 2026

City Cast Portland contributor Alex Frane has a couple picks:

cyclists out for a group ride on a leafy street in Portland, Oregon
Portland's BestApril 30

Your Guide to May 2026 in Portland

From Mother's Day brunches to 503 Day celebrations to the Primary Election, there's going on in Portland this month.

People on a podium having shot off confetti.
Food & DrinkApril 7

Where To Find the Best Deals for Portland Groceries

For the last year, Stumptown Savings’ Bryan M. Vance has been tracking where to find the cheap groceries in Portland. His one-person medi...

A grocery store aisle.
Portland's BestApril 1

Your Guide to April 2026 in Portland

Out on the Oregon Coast, April means it’s time to celebrate the puffin’s seasonal return to Cannon Beach, which will host an annual Puffi...

A closeup of a tufted puffin.
Portland's BestMarch 16

Where to Find Downtown Portland's Best Hotel Bars

With the opening of Damian Lillard's shiny new bar at the Benson Hotel, I've been thinking a lot about our city's hotel bar scene. For me...

people sitting curved banquettes and tables, at Abigail Hall, Portland, Oregon
Portland, ExplainedMarch 12

How Well Do You Know Portland Crows?

You can tell whether you’re a real Portland resident by how you pronounce local names. Or can you? Today’s quiz tests your Portland stree...

Picture of a black crow
Portland, ExplainedMarch 10

The Portland Area’s Local Income Taxes, Explained

Here’s a reminder on all our local taxes due today: The Portland Arts Tax, Metro Supportive Housing Services, and Multnomah County Presch...

Cropped shot of Asian woman sitting at dining table, handling personal finance with laptop.