If one of your new year’s resolutions is to try something new, you might’ve considered picking up a cool hobby with a friend. Well, what about getting chaotically creative with balloon splatter paintings? Or reduce wastage by turning used eggshells into coasters?
We’ve rounded up a list of 12 unique craft activities you can dip your toes – or fingers – into this year. Try them out and who knows? You might just find something that intrigues you.
Table of Contents
Image credit: Print N Matters
Writing cards to your besties may be your love language – but get this, instead of purchasing coloured paper for your cards, why not make your own? At Print N Matters, you can learn to make paper from scratch and customise its colour and design.
The process involves using paper pulp from unused scraps of paper – then, you can try mixing your own colour combination, adding pressed leaves, or sprinkling bits of flowers. There’s no limit to how many sheets of paper you can make within the hour-long workshop, so let your creativity shine through and don’t hold back.
Image credit: @printnmatters
Besides taking home a stack of unique handmade paper, you’ll also get a $5 store voucher. You can use it to purchase paper made by the experienced staff, notebooks, or stickers from the Print N Matters store.
Book a paper making workshop session at Print N Matters.
Rate: $38/pax
Address: 3011 Bedok Industrial Park E, #03-2014, Singapore 489977
Operating hours: 10am-6pm, Daily
Contact: 8800 3563 | Print N Matters website
It’s a creative way to blow off some steam as you fling darts at the balloons filled with paint.
Image credit:@artpop.sg
If you watched the first The Princess Diaries movie, you’ll remember a scene where Mia did balloon splatter art with her mum. Well, you can do that irl and be the main character at Art Pop Studio. Throw darts at paint-filled balloons attached to a canvas and watch the colours explode on it.
Before you enter the splash zone, instructors will share some art techniques like colour-mixing and layering. With the knowledge gained, you won’t be as clueless about the process and will have more ways to spice up your masterpiece.
Image credit:@nadiahartista
If you have kids aged 5 years or older, bring them along to have some family fun. For once, they can have their fun and make a mess without you having to worry about cleaning it up. As darts are involved, parental supervision is strongly encouraged.
The paint will need a few days to dry – you can come back and pick it up or have it delivered at an additional fee. The balloon splatter workshop can also be booked with your SG Culture Pass credits.
Rates: $83-85/pax
Group rates: $85/pax for groups of 1-3 | $83/pax for groups of 4 or more
Address: 3007 Ubi Road 1, #06-446, Singapore 408701
Opening hours: Wed-Fri 11am-7pm | Sat-Sun 11am-5pm (Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays)
Contact: 9663 6864 | Art Pop website
Have some fun while reducing your impact on the environment.
Image credit: @thesustainabilityproject_
If you bake or cook at home, you probably tend to use lots of plastic cling wrap. A more sustainable option is to replace them with reusable beeswax wraps. Instead of buying one, consider making your very own and find out what goes into making one with The Sustainability Project.
In this 45-minute workshop, you’ll get to make 2-3 beeswax wraps that can last 6 months each. The best part is that they are non-toxic and reusable, perfect for wrapping your food.
You get to pick out your desired design for your handmade beeswax wrap.
Image credit: The Sustainability Project
Both physical and virtual workshops are available, so even couch potatoes can take up this hobby from home. Materials will be provided for both – all you need to bring is an open mind and eagerness to learn.
Book a beeswax wrap-making workshop.
Rates:
Virtual workshop: $45/pax
Physical workshop: $50/pax | $87.50/2 pax
Address: 21 Bukit Batok Crescent, #06-78 WCEGA Tower, Singapore 658065
Opening hours: Mon-Wed & Fri 11am-6.30pm | Sat-Sun 11am-4pm (Closed on Thursdays)
Contact: 8316 0845 | The Sustainability Project website
Image credit: @smallgiant.musicsg
If your New Year resolution is to pick up a new instrument, consider Ukulele Paint & Play at SmallGiant Music Singapore. You get to flex 2 talents here – learn the basics of playing the ukulele and painting it to reflect your personality.
Sessions are held every Saturday and Sunday, with each one being 3 hours long. The workshop starts with painting and decorating the musical instruments. Afterwards, an instructor will teach you the basic techniques and a simple tune.
Image credit: @smallgiant.musicsg
At the end of the workshop, bring your new baby home and get practising. You’ll have a pretty cool ukulele to display in your room.
Book a ukulele paint & play workshop.
Rate: $115/pax
Address: 39 Jln Pemimpin, Tailee Industrial Building
Opening hours: By appointment only.
Contact: 8030 5452 | Small Giant Music website
“Decoden” is a Japanese term which means to decorate a mobile case.
Image adapted from: @craftbeast_handmade, @craftbeast_handmade
A blinged-up phone case with adorable charms is the mark of a true cool cat. In fact, you’ve most likely seen these 3D-like dreamy cases on your feed. What if we told you that at CraftBeast Handmade, you can learn to make your own decoden phone case?
The process usually involves piping paint on a phone case before sticking charms on it while it’s wet. Once the paint dries, it will hold its shape and the charms.
Image credit: @craftbeast_handmade
Besides phone cases, you can also decorate hair brushes and jewellery boxes. Just pick what you want to decorate, select paint colours, and then choose from a myriad of charms – from Hello Kitty to a mini Spider-Man. If you want matching phone cases with bae, there are also letter beads to personalise the items. The best part: there’s no limit to the number of charms you can use.
Book a decoden phone case DIY experience.
Rates: $35 for a phone case
Address: 345 Beach Road, #02-00, Singapore 199568
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11am-7pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: 8182 5985 | CraftBeast Handmade website
Image credit: @soapministrygallery
If you want to spruce up your bathroom with your own creations, head on over to Soap Ministry. This is the perfect opportunity to rope your kids in for a family activity. They’ve got a few different courses where you can learn to make uniquely shaped soaps in 2 ways: the quick Melt & Pour or do it from scratch.
In the Melt & Pour workshop, you’ll get to choose between 3 different experience levels: Basic, Upsize, and Intermediate. Basic is the easiest and recommended for kids. If you want to learn the layering technique and add more pizzazz to your handmade soaps, go for Upsize.
Soaps made from the cold press workshop with marbled design.
Image credit: Soap Ministry
Intermediate has more advanced techniques, like flower petal infusions to intermediate cutting. The first 2 courses are compulsory to be taken before the others to build your soap-making foundations. The higher up in difficulty you go, the more intricate the soaps you make are.
Book a soap making workshop.
Rates:
Melt & Pour: $98/pax (Basic Doublee Layering) | $228/pax (Basic + Intermediate)
Cold Press: From $120
Orchard Gateway outlet
Address: 277 Orchard Road, #03-04, Orchard Gateway, Singapore 238858
Opening Hours: 11am-8pm, Daily
Contact: 6634 1920 | Soap Ministry website
LW Technocentre outlet:
Address: 31 Toh Guan Road East, #04-08, LW Technocentre, Singapore 608608
Opening Hours: 11am-8pm, Daily
Contact: 6465 9098 | Soap Ministry website
If you’d like to add some edge to your fashion, perhaps consider styling your fit up with a unique bag – and a handmade one, at that. Take a trip to GINLEE Studio, where you’ll learn how to make a pleated bag in-store.
These bags are a sustainable slay. The store aims to combat waste from unsold clothes by reducing inventory and making clothes to order. The pleated bag workshop is part of their GINLEE _/\/\/\ake initiative where customers get to craft their own cushion covers, pleated bags, and tops.
Staff members will assist you through each step so you’ll be in good hands.
During the 1.5-hour workshop, choose the type of pleats and colour you’d like and get to making a bag that’s unique to you. The workshops are available at the New Bahru outlet.
Book a pleated bag-making experience.
Rate: $88/pax (min. 2 pax)
Address: 46 Kim Yam Rd, #02-10 New Bahru, Singapore 239351
Opening hours: 10am-9.30pm, Daily
Contact: 8784 3160 (Whatsapp) | GINLEE website
Image credit: @theimperialsmithster
Nothing says “a match made in heaven” more than handcrafted couple rings. Step into The Imperial Smithster’s workshop and get a hands-on lesson on basic silversmithing with your special person.
During the 3-hour workshop, learn the techniques used to make silver jewellery such as soldering, piercing, and texturing. You’ll get to handle the tools provided in the workshop to make your ring and add your own personalised flair to it.
Once you’ve mastered the art of silversmithing, you can come back and work on a handmade engagement ring that will win your significant other’s heart – or matching pendants for your besties.
Book a silversmithing workshop.
Rates: From $120/pax
Address: 229 Joo Chiat Road, #03-01, Singapore 427489
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am-8pm | Sat-Sun 10am-6pm
Contact: 8256 3864 | The Imperial Smithster website
If you’ve been seeing those fluffy custom rugs all over TikTok and wondered how they’re made, About You Studio lets you try rug tufting for yourself. The workshop is beginner-friendly, so you’ll first be shown how to use a tufting gun, thread the yarn, and manoeuvre the machine safely before starting on your own design.
You can choose your preferred artwork, trace it onto the fabric, and pick from the studio’s selection of cotton yarn colours before filling in your design. Once the tufting is done, the rug is glued, backed, trimmed, and finished off so you can bring it home on the same day.
The standard workshop uses a 70cm x 70cm frame and takes around 3.5 to 4 hours, although you can top up $15/hour if your masterpiece needs a little more time. Over 100 yarn colours are available.
Classes are kept small too, which means you can get more guidance if this is your first time handling a tufting gun. And if you’d rather make it a joint project, up to 2 people can share 1 rug at no additional charge – not a bad idea for a crafty date or bestie hangout.
Rate: $105/pax
Address: About You Studio, 1 Rochor Canal Road, #02-39 Sim Lim Square, Singapore 188504
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 10.30am-8pm; Sat-Sun 10am-7.30pm; closed Mon
Contact: 9449 3325
Image credit: Pei Lin Crafts
Instead of painting yet another canvas, try your hand at decorating something a little closer to home: a mini tingkat. At Pei Lin Crafts, you’ll spend around 3 hours painting your own tiffin carrier with Peranakan-inspired motifs, like Nyonya tiles and shophouses. Trainers will also guide you along the way before varnishing your finished piece, which you can bring home on the same day.
The workshop is led by Nyonya artist Pei Lin and her team, and Pei Lin’s customised tingkats have previously been displayed at places including Raffles Hotel and Furama RiverFront. So besides getting a pretty keepsake out of it, you’re also trying your hand at a craft inspired by Singapore’s Peranakan heritage.
Address: 7500A Beach Road, The Plaza, #B1-302, Singapore 199591
Opening hours: 10.30am-1.30pm and 2.30pm-5.30pm
Contact: +65 8147 0259 (WhatsApp) | Pei Lin’s Studio Website
There’s breaking pottery out of frustration, and then there’s breaking pottery on purpose so you can turn it into something prettier. At Gold & Behold’s Modern Kintsugi workshop, you’ll learn a contemporary take on the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics by highlighting their cracks instead of hiding them.
The 2.5-hour workshop starts with an imperfect piece of pottery, which you’ll break before piecing it back together using modern Kintsugi materials. You can then accent the seams with your choice of gold, rose gold, copper, or silver pigment.
Gold & Behold positions Kintsugi as a way of looking at imperfections and setbacks differently, while the use of slightly defective ceramics gives pieces that might otherwise have been discarded a new lease of life.
Address: 48 Hillview Terrace, Hillview Building, #05-02A, Singapore 669269
Opening hours: By appointment only
Contact: staygold@goldandbehold.co
Image credit: IHT Swiss Watch Atelier
If your idea of crafting involves tiny gears rather than paintbrushes, IHT Swiss Watch Atelier lets you get hands-on with an actual mechanical watch.
Its Introduction to Watchmaking masterclass is conducted by Swiss Federal Master Watchmaker Michael Dubs. During the 3-hour session, you’ll use professional watchmaking tools to disassemble and reassemble a genuine watch, while learning what the different components actually do. No prior watchmaking experience is needed.
Image credit: IHT Swiss Watch Atelier
For those who want to go even deeper into the hobby, IHT also runs longer programmes, like its 8-hour Build Your Own IHT Watch experience where you’ll assemble and take home a working mechanical timepiece.
Address: 61 Ubi Road 1, #03-08 Oxley BizHub, Singapore 408727
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm (masterclasses by scheduled slots)
Contact: 8846 5744 | info@iht.com.sg
This year, start afresh and try something new. There are many cool things to do in Singapore – and sometimes, all it takes is stepping out to explore and finding something you might end up being really into.
Whether it is getting crafty and creating decoden phone cases with your besties or making modern kintsugi with the family, you’ll be able to find new experiences within this list. It’s also a good excuse to get out the house and spend quality time with your loved ones.
For more fun things to do indoors:
Cover image adapted from: Print N Matters, @smallgiant.musicsg, @studioan.space
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