Sewing 101: Beginner Bunting
Something about bunting just screams spring décor, doesn’t it? Join Sarah to learn the basics of machine sewing while creating an adorable pennant banner of your own. This easy project is perfect for anyone just starting their sewing journey, or looking to get back into it.
All supplies included! Sewing machines will be provided, but feel free to bring your own as long as it is in working condition. Please plan to arrive on time as there won’t be an opportunity to repeat instructions once they have begun. Seats have been limited to ensure quality instruction for participants.
Sarah (@Sarahbeesews on instagram) is an avid sewist with 18+ years of experience in both hand and machine sewing. She is excited to introduce this versatile artform to new people!
Upcycle's Second Birthday!
You’re invited to our birthday party!! We have all sorts of fun things planned.
Free live art all day!
11am-12:30pm bracelet bar by Play More Charlotte
1pm-3pm whimsical face painting by Damalis Art
3-5pm applique upcycling bar by Sarah Bee Sews
5-7pm caricature portrait booth by Eebspresso
All day pay what you want craft:
Pay what you want and use our curated selection of supplies to make your own planter pot out of upcycled tin cans! It’s perfect for planting herbs, or spring flowers!
Other things:
Games! Prizes! 20% off the whole store! Come to our party to find out more!
Community Event: TreeFest
Come see us at TreeFest!
TreesCharlotte invites you to this FREE, family-friendly celebration packed with trees, art, music, and hands-on fun. Celebrate Earth Month and National Arbor Day with tree-themed crafts, live music, free tree seedlings, arboriculture activities, and an eco-market featuring local, environmentally focused nonprofits and businesses.
Intuitive Beaded Embroidery
Less thinking, more beading! Let your hands and your heart lead the way in this beaded embroidery workshop. Learn basic embroidery techniques while creating beautiful abstract designs. This workshop is beginner friendly and all supplies are included.
Make Your Nest: A Creative Journey in Yarn and Clay
This hands-on workshop invites participants to explore the power of creativity through using yarn, cardboard/poster board, and air-dry clay. Participants will create woven baskets that become unique birds’ nests, symbolizing the personal and collective process of growth, release, and nurturing.
At the end of the workshop, each participant will take home a one-of-a-kind handmade nest, a tangible reminder of the collaborative creative experience and their personal intentions.
Through this process, participants will:
Learn practical weaving and sculpting techniques.
Explore the metaphor of creating a nest to release what no longer serves them and visualize what they want to nurture in their lives.
Engage in a reflective creative process that integrates art, imagination, and mindful intention.
Jessica Rodriguez is an artist, educator, and art therapist who believes creativity is for everyone. With over 20 years in education and a background in art therapy and counseling, she helps people use art for self-expression, creative problem solving, and everyday wellbeing. She specializes in creative reuse and upcycling, using the artistic process as a metaphor for taking creative control in life. Her welcoming, hands-on workshops spark imagination, build confidence, and reveal beauty in unexpected places.
Mosaic Frames Workshop
Transform a simple frame into a stunning, colorful work of art you'll be proud to display! In this hands on workshop, you'll arrange and place mosaic tiles to create a one of a kind piece that's as unique as you are.
Choose your colors, find your pattern, and let your creativity take over, no experience necessary. All materials are provided, so all you need to bring is your imagination and a good time.
Sumayyah (@Suzari.creative.collective on Instagram) is a multitalented artist and workshop instructor who is excited to share her skills as well as her stash of crafty supplies!
Beginner Book Binding
Bookbinding is an old and varied art, often involving complicated stitches and expensive materials. This workshop will teach the basics of making a pamphlet-style book with found materials and zero fancy tools! We will demystify stitching, learn basic concepts of good book construction, and end with a finished product you can use right away.
Button Upcycling Workshop
Did you know you can sew buttons pretty much anywhere on pretty much anything? Take advantage of our bountiful button collection and decorate your clothes with all shapes and sizes of buttons. If you don’t have anything at home you wish to upcycle, that’s okay! We’ll have some options here for you to embellish, so you can still join in on the fun!
Silly Still Life Class
This class is an exercise on understanding form and composition while also letting loose with medium of choice (paint, pencils, pastels, etc.) and a playful still life composition to reference. Students will learn how to draw and/or paint using 3d objects as the subject. This class is beginner friendly, but also a fun exercise for more experienced artists.
Damalis Caraballo is an artist and illustrator with a degree in Fine Art from App State University. She specializes in creating whimsical illustrations in a variety of mediums. This class has a limited number of seats available in order to ensure each student receives high-quality instruction. Don’t wait to sign up!
Momigami: The Japanese Art of Kneaded Paper
Momigami is a traditional Japanese craft that transforms basic paper into a unique, soft-yet-durable, textured medium. Learn how to turn magazine pages and other paper goods into a fabric-like material to use in your art creations from papercrafts and collage to journals to pouches. Upcycling meets mindfulness and refinement in this grounding craft.
Heidi Baggott (@madamveuve on instagram) is a multimedia artist who excels in combining textures and colors and finding creative uses for upcycled materials.
Jungle Story Summer Camp
Unleash the Wild Within at "Jungle Story" Summer Camp!
This summer, your child won't just go to camp—they'll create it! Welcome to "Jungle Story," an immersive theater production camp where young explorers will craft an original jungle tale from the ground up by collaborating with three amazing creative spaces in our Eastway Crossing Shopping Center!
The Adventure Unfolds Across Three Shops:
VisArt (The Story & Stage): Campers become playwrights and actors! They'll learn theater fundamentals, develop characters, and rehearse their original "Jungle Story" script.
Upcycle Arts (The Build & Design): The magic comes to life here! Using creative reuse materials, kids will build wild props, design costume pieces, and craft the scenery for their show.
Open Door Studios (The Rhythm & Movement): The jungle pulses with energy! Campers will learn vibrant dance choreography and the powerful beats of drumming to give their story a heartbeat.
Finale: The week culminates in a Jungle Jamboree Showcase where campers perform their play with the props, costumes, and rhythms they created!
Full-day: 9am-4pm ($400)
Flex hours: 8am-9am + 4pm-5pm ($50 weekly or $15 a day as needed)
Recommended Ages: 6-10
Intro To Beaded Embroidery
Come join us for a creative and mindful workshop on the basics of beaded embroidery! You’ll learn essential stitching techniques for embellishing your embroidery with beads to create unique textured art or wearable designs. No embroidery experience required (although it definitely doesn’t hurt!). We’ll have everything you need to get started on a simple motif of your choice. Spots are limited so snag yours while you can!
Needle Felting: Frog!
In this hands-on beginner workshop, participants will learn the basics of needle felting while creating a charming felted project to take home. Heidi will cover tools and safety tips. Then, you’ll be guided step-by-step through shaping and layering wool to bring your design to life. All materials will be provided. No experience Necessary!
This class will be taught by Heidi Furr. As a chronic crafter, Heidi loves sharing her knowledge and creativity. By teaching this class, she hopes to jumpstart your interest in needle felting.
Make Your Own Pet Rock
All day on Sunday March 15th we will have a Make Your Own Pet Rock station!
Here's how it works:
Step 1- Pay what you want at the front register
Step 2- Adopt your favorite rock
Step 3- Use googly eyes, paint, felt, paper, and many more craft supplies to bring your pet rock to life!
Travel Junk Journal
Learn fun ways to document your spring break or summer vacations with this Travel Junk Journal workshop. Take junk, scraps, and miscellaneous embellishments and turn them into a precious memento, or a visual map of your dream vacation. All materials will be included, but feel free to bring with you any sentimental scraps from your own adventures.
Fabric Collage
Turning trash into beautiful artwork is the name of the game here at Upcycle Arts. In this workshop we will be using fabric scraps to create playful collages. Perfect for displaying in frames, fabric collage is just as fun as paper collage, but with added depth and texture! No sewing required for this one!
Silly Still Life
This workshop is an exercise on understanding form and composition while also letting loose with medium of choice and a playful still life to refer to. Students will pick a medium and colors of their choosing and pick a viewing angle of their choice.
Damalis Caraballo is an artist and illustrator with a degree in Fine Art from App State University. She specializes in creating whimsical illustrations in a variety of mediums. This class has a limited number of seats available in order to ensure each student receives high-quality instruction. Don’t wait to sign up!
Snail Mail Social Club
Best described as a “Round Robin letter writing party”, SMSC is your speedy way of making a penpal! Participants select an envelope, which contains their number and selected prompts for them to respond to; their responses are then assigned to a number, so everyone should get approx. 6 letters back! The letters are brief, but the fun won’t be!
Sticker Pajama Party (for Grown-A$$ adults)
From Play More Charlotte’s Website:
IT'S A STICKER SLUMBER PARTY, FRIENDS! (Without the slumber, but with the pajamas!)
We're bringing stickers, we're bringing journals, we're bringing beads to make journal charms, we're bringing MASH, we're bringing junk food... Maybe we'll choreograph a BSB dance routine and play Light As A Feather, idk. Come find out.
Tic-Tac-Toe To go!
Make your own Tic-Tac-Toe travel set out of upcycled tile samples! This fun easy craft is great for all ages. All supplies included!
Upcycled Jewelry Workshop
Make fun earrings and necklaces from a variety of upcycled vintage game pieces such as Scrabble, Bingo, Ginasta, and poker with art educator Susan Vandyke. In this workshop you will learn safe drilling methods, simple connections, and use jewelry pliers and several types of drills. Metals will be hypoallergenic. Great for beginners. Age 16 and up.
Beginner Needle Felting: Patchwork Valentine
In this hands-on beginner workshop, participants will learn the basics of needle felting while creating a charming felted project to take home. Heidi will cover tools and safety tips. Then, you’ll be guided step-by-step through shaping and layering wool to bring your design to life. All materials will be provided. No experience Necessary!
This class will be taught by Heidi Furr. As a chronic crafter, Heidi loves sharing her knowledge and creativity. By teaching this class, she hopes to jumpstart your interest in needle felting.
Galentine’s Junk Journaling
Bring a couple of friends, come hang out and play with junk! You’re always amongst friends while we rip, cut, break, and create the most amazing junk journal.
A junk journal in its simplest form is a handmade journal created using an eclectic mixture of various papers and ephemera. It is the perfect place to write your thoughts, tuck your photos or fill with whatever makes you smile! This workshop is $10, all supplies included.
Snail Mail Social Club
Snail mail meets (platonic) speed dating, just in time for Valentines Day. Come hang out, make new friends, and write letters to strangers. And because this is Upcycle Arts, there will be plenty of options for funky embellishments and personal touches.
Valentine Making Station
Join us on Sunday February 8th for a valentine making extravaganza. Drop in at any time, make as many as you need, and pay what you want! Make valentines for classmates, friends, lovers, or leave them for other shoppers who visit our store! We'll be busting out all the cute card making supplies you could ever need at our programming table in the back. We can't wait to see you there!
Creepy Dolls: Valentine's Day Edition
Stephanie Gainer is back to share her wisdom with us! This time the theme is everything sweet and spooky. Learn how to use doll parts, toys, and everyday objects to create a unique (and slightly terrifying) sculpture.
Stephanie is an artist who creates really cool upcycled assemblage art out of objects that would otherwise go to waste. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn from her!
Cat Toy Workshop
Want to impress your furry, feline friend? Make them the best, dangliest, most colorful toy that will be sure to win you some purrs, and maybe even a snuggle! All furry friends deserve some play time, and they’ll be mildly impressed that you made it yourself. This workshop is $10 all supplies included!
Needle Felting: Owls
In this hands-on beginner workshop, participants will learn the basics of needle felting while creating a charming felted project to take home. We’ll cover essential techniques, tools, and safety tips. Then, you'll be guided step-by-step through shaping and layering wool to bring your design to life. All materials will be provided. No experience necessary.
This class will be taught by Heidi Furr. As a chronic crafter, Heidi loves sharing her knowledge and creativity. By teaching this class, she hopes to jump start your interest in needle felting.
Basic Bows Workshop
Learn the best way to make basic bows! Whether it's a hair accessory, garland, jewelry, or general flourish, nothing is better than wrapping it in a bow. We will learn to make a basic bow of all sizes with a variety of different materials. All levels welcome, but we will be using hot glue guns.
Sewing Machine Basics
Were you gifted a new sewing machine over the holidays? Or perhaps you’ve had one for a while that you’ve been meaning to figure out. Or maybe you’ve been thinking about getting one, but don’t want to take the leap without trying it first! In any case, let us demystify it for you with this class on sewing machine basics. In this class, Sarah will teach you how to set up, operate, and troubleshoot a sewing machine. If you have a sewing machine we recommend you bring it- but if not we will provide one for you!
Threads of Resilience: A Winter Wellness Experience
Join us for Threads of Resilience: A Winter Wellness Experience, an evening creative workshop designed to help you slow down, connect, and create during the winter season. Through music, drawing, and weaving, participants will explore how moments that feel messy or overwhelming can be transformed into meaning and strength. This hands-on experience blends creativity, reflection, and gentle nervous system regulation, and no art experience is required. While the focus is on the process rather than the product, participants will leave with a woven mixed-media piece that can be centered in a shadow box, made into a simple wall hanging, or kept as a personal reminder—something to pull out and view as a symbol of strength, identity, and empowerment.
Vision Board In-A-Tin
Cupcakes are cute but we’re cooking up our New Year’s resolutions with these muffin tins. Muffin tins, materials, and trinkets will be provided, but feel free to bring some of your own festive supplies for a personalized touch!
Cardboard Gingerbread House Workshop
These cardboard gingerbread houses look good enough to eat… but we don’t recommend it. Get creative and help us turn our recycling pile into decorations for you to keep. The best part is- they won’t spoil so you can bring them back out year after year!
Embroidered Felt Ornament Workshop
Back by popular demand- this craft is a classic! Learn how to make embroidered felt ornaments for your Christmas tree, festive garland, or as a customized gift for someone special. Each ornament is always adorable and unique!
Holiday Ornament Needle Felting Workshop
In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn the basics of needle felting while creating a charming holiday ornament project to take home. We’ll cover essential techniques, tools, and safety tips, then guide you step-by-step through shaping and layering wool to bring your design to life. All materials will be provided. No experience necessary.
This class will bey taught by Heidi Furr. With over 20 years of experience as a chronic crafter, Heidi loves sharing her knowledge and creativity with others and is excited to help start your journey in needle felting.
Upcycled Paper Chain Workshop
We’re seeing paper chains everywhere this holiday season and we wanted to get in on the fun! Come craft with us and make your own paper chain from upcycled materials. Reduce, Reuse, Decorate!
Kids' Crafting Hour
Using scrapbook paper, paint, toilet paper rolls, and anything else in our crafting area, kids can make and take several holiday themed crafts with guidance from our lovely team member Brache. Lights, trees, presents- oh my!
Kids' Crafting Hour
Using scrapbook paper, paint, toilet paper rolls, and anything else in our crafting area, kids can make and take several holiday themed crafts with guidance from our lovely team member Brache. Lights, trees, presents- oh my!
Paper Pie Banner Workshop
We only have PIES for you – really! If you’re looking for a fun, all ages activity that creates beautifully festive decor that can be hung around the house, then you’ve got to try this DIY Pie Garland craft!
Sewing 101: Cloth Napkins
Whether you're looking to spruce up your own holiday table, or give a thoughtful handmade gift, these simple napkins are a great way to add that perfect custom touch. As a bonus, you'll also learn how to operate a sewing machine and create a folded hem- both skills that can be applied to numerous other projects! No experience required. All materials provided!
Note: Out of respect for your fellow participants, please plan to show up on time or early. Latecomers may not be allowed to join the class if instructions have already begun.
Clothespin Ornament Workshop
Get into the festive spirit at our all-ages ornament-making workshop! Using clothespins, trim, and other upcycled materials, we’ll create one-of-a-kind Christmas ornaments that are as eco-friendly as they are fun. Whether you’re a crafty adult or a creative kid, this hands-on session is perfect for the whole family. All materials are provided—just bring your imagination and holiday cheer!
Interested in teaching a workshop at Upcycle Arts?
Upcycle Arts is happy to have partnered with many artists to teach their passions and artistry to the community in Charlotte.
We’ve created the form below to submit your workshop ideas! Once submitted, our team will look over the details and reach out about next steps as applicable. We appreciate your shared interest in engaging our community in upcycling activities!