(Patrick Hruby / Los Angeles Times)
Handmade with love: 6 L.A. craft studios to help you DIY a gift that’s actually good
When you think of handmade gifts, all sorts of DIY disasters may come to mind: poorly constructed jewelry, ill-fitting knits, that lopsided vase that doesn’t quite match the decor.
Yet in an era where customization is king, today’s crop of craft studios — offering crash courses in everything from stained glass to custom sneaker-making — are helping people redefine the meaning of handmade. Far from something you settle for, handmade items are now a marker of luxury and a reflection of creativity, craftsmanship and consideration.
Planning your weekend?
Stay up to date on the best things to do, see and eat in L.A.
Across L.A., you can take hands-on classes to create gifts that not only look professionally made but are also uniquely tailored to your loved ones’ interests and aesthetic. In a world of mass production, these classes are teaching us how to create presents that are as desirable as they are personal.
Here are six places that are changing the game by proving that handmade is the most thoughtful way to give — not just during the holidays but any time of year. After all, it’s the thought that counts, especially when the gift turns out to be good.
Showing Places
(Sonaiya Kelley / Los Angeles Times)
Design and roll a custom silver ring at Claedo Studio
Downtown L.A. Craft Studio
The subject of several viral Instagram and TikTok videos, Claedo Studio is the brainchild of Korean American entrepreneur Christina Chae. The nascent business, which has only been in operation since October, is already booked up well into the new year, with weekend appointments filled through March.
The two-hour class is held in a second floor suite at Row DTLA. Chae never hosts more than a handful of people at a time to ensure the most hands-on, personalized experience. “We focus on a more intimate experience where participants not only learn the techniques of working with silver clay, but also have the opportunity to design and create one-of-a-kind pieces that truly reflect their own personal style,” she said.
When I enter the suite, Chae has already set up my workstation featuring a metal brush, paint brush, tweezers, dotting pen and a shared bowl of water. The tools sit neatly in a concrete tray that Chae handmade herself.
She begins by offering us a moment to choose up to four tiny gems (additional gems are available for an added fee) and to measure our desired ring finger. Next, she parcels out a pinch of metal clay for each of us, which would go on to become .999 fine silver after a brief firing process. But first, we’re tasked with rolling each small blob into about a 3-inch long noodle, which she then shaped around a mold matching our preferred ring size.
After fusing both of the noodle ends together to make a continuous circle, Chae hands back our quickly-drying clay (the paintbrush is there for frequent bouts of resaturation) and shows us how to use the dotter to make the small divots that we will insert our gems into one by one. After firing the rings, we sand and brush the metal before it is chucked into a jewelry tumbler for final polishing.
Immediately, I am obsessed with my handmade creation. The ring has a nice solid weight to it and Chae sends us on our way armed with a polishing cloth and care instructions folded inside a small suede envelope, where she advises us to store it to prevent oxidation. Both the ring itself and the experience would make great gifts because while the final product is beautiful, my hand-selected gems and placement greatly add to its allure.
Chae was inspired to launch the business after taking a silver clay ring-making class during a visit to South Korea. She later returned to Korea to get certified and learn more about the process from industry professionals. “I thought it was such an innovative and cool experience that I wanted to bring back home to Los Angeles to share with my community here in L.A.,” she says.
Price: $165 for a 2-hour class. Gem add-ons range from $5 to $15 depending on the type of stone.
The two-hour class is held in a second floor suite at Row DTLA. Chae never hosts more than a handful of people at a time to ensure the most hands-on, personalized experience. “We focus on a more intimate experience where participants not only learn the techniques of working with silver clay, but also have the opportunity to design and create one-of-a-kind pieces that truly reflect their own personal style,” she said.
When I enter the suite, Chae has already set up my workstation featuring a metal brush, paint brush, tweezers, dotting pen and a shared bowl of water. The tools sit neatly in a concrete tray that Chae handmade herself.
She begins by offering us a moment to choose up to four tiny gems (additional gems are available for an added fee) and to measure our desired ring finger. Next, she parcels out a pinch of metal clay for each of us, which would go on to become .999 fine silver after a brief firing process. But first, we’re tasked with rolling each small blob into about a 3-inch long noodle, which she then shaped around a mold matching our preferred ring size.
After fusing both of the noodle ends together to make a continuous circle, Chae hands back our quickly-drying clay (the paintbrush is there for frequent bouts of resaturation) and shows us how to use the dotter to make the small divots that we will insert our gems into one by one. After firing the rings, we sand and brush the metal before it is chucked into a jewelry tumbler for final polishing.
Immediately, I am obsessed with my handmade creation. The ring has a nice solid weight to it and Chae sends us on our way armed with a polishing cloth and care instructions folded inside a small suede envelope, where she advises us to store it to prevent oxidation. Both the ring itself and the experience would make great gifts because while the final product is beautiful, my hand-selected gems and placement greatly add to its allure.
Chae was inspired to launch the business after taking a silver clay ring-making class during a visit to South Korea. She later returned to Korea to get certified and learn more about the process from industry professionals. “I thought it was such an innovative and cool experience that I wanted to bring back home to Los Angeles to share with my community here in L.A.,” she says.
Price: $165 for a 2-hour class. Gem add-ons range from $5 to $15 depending on the type of stone.
Read All Read Less
Route Details
(Sonaiya Kelley / Los Angeles Times)
Travel back in time with bespoke perfume in vintage vessels
Culver City Sewing and Craft Studio
I am no stranger to the craft behemoth that is These Hands Makers Collective. After taking a mending class in its backroom sewing studio Moving Thread a while back, I was excited to return to the Westside makers collective where classes from watercolor to wood burning are regularly offered.
In a perfume making class led by Camp Disco creator Sarah Vanover, our group of would-be perfumers draw numbers to democratize the process of choosing our one-of-a-kind vessels. There were beautiful vintage bottles of all shapes, sizes and colors, and I settled on one with a leaf pattern etched onto its thick white glass.
Next, Vanover explained the difference between top, heart and base notes as we swatched and smelled nearly two dozen essential and fragrance oils. After choosing our favorites, Vanover led us through the creation of a sample blend featuring just three different scents which we would later build upon to create our final scent. Our final blend was layered with perfumer’s alcohol to distill the oils enough to create a personalized eau de toilette.
My bespoke perfume ended up being equal parts floral and fresh-smelling, with notes of amber, oakmoss, peony, black orchid and gardenia doing much of the heavy lifting. The result was a scent that both felt like me and reminiscent of memories of my mother, although the jury is still out on whether she’d appreciate the perfume as a gift (the gorgeous vintage vessel provides a compelling incentive though).
Price: $120 for a 2-hour class (all materials included)
In a perfume making class led by Camp Disco creator Sarah Vanover, our group of would-be perfumers draw numbers to democratize the process of choosing our one-of-a-kind vessels. There were beautiful vintage bottles of all shapes, sizes and colors, and I settled on one with a leaf pattern etched onto its thick white glass.
Next, Vanover explained the difference between top, heart and base notes as we swatched and smelled nearly two dozen essential and fragrance oils. After choosing our favorites, Vanover led us through the creation of a sample blend featuring just three different scents which we would later build upon to create our final scent. Our final blend was layered with perfumer’s alcohol to distill the oils enough to create a personalized eau de toilette.
My bespoke perfume ended up being equal parts floral and fresh-smelling, with notes of amber, oakmoss, peony, black orchid and gardenia doing much of the heavy lifting. The result was a scent that both felt like me and reminiscent of memories of my mother, although the jury is still out on whether she’d appreciate the perfume as a gift (the gorgeous vintage vessel provides a compelling incentive though).
Price: $120 for a 2-hour class (all materials included)
Read All Read Less
Route Details
(Sonaiya Kelley / Los Angeles Times)
Capture the female form with a sculpture from the Potters Bar
Downtown L.A. Ceramics studio
The scene was hectic but cozy when I arrived for a clay sculpting class at the Potters Bar.
Owner Daisy Mendez (who co-owns the business alongside Mitchell Crockom) had her babysitter bail on her an hour before class so she led our group of eight or so students through the art of clay making while balancing a baby on her hip. Mendez (a local artist with a residency at Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts Gallery) and Crockom each have more than a decade of experience with pottery and have been operating the business since late 2021.
“Working with Mother Nature is a key component that binds us, allowing us to embrace the joy of working with the elements of this world and see the alchemy and magic of mud (earth) and share it,” she said.
The studio, located inside a high-rise apartment in downtown L.A., offers a range of services including weekly themed pottery classes making everything from sculpture to tableware. Clay — which is available in Hawaiian red, Aztec, speckled, B-Mix and recycled options — is available for purchase alongside functional ceramic pieces made by instructors and visiting artists.
I chose to sculpt a female bust and was handed a mound of air-dry clay by Mendez. I began by taking inspiration from some of the samples on the table, which was set up in the middle of the kitchen with convenient access to the sink. Everyone around me seemed to be working on different things including cups and mugs, plates and what looked to be an ashtray carved with leafy vines. A silent German shepherd occasionally circled the long table as we all worked, as if inspecting. Mendez made the rounds offering advice and feedback on the shapes students were making.
After the hour was up, we wrote our names and contact information on slips of paper and left them by our works, which Mendez told us would be back from the kiln in a couple of weeks.
Price: $50 for one hour, all materials included
Owner Daisy Mendez (who co-owns the business alongside Mitchell Crockom) had her babysitter bail on her an hour before class so she led our group of eight or so students through the art of clay making while balancing a baby on her hip. Mendez (a local artist with a residency at Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts Gallery) and Crockom each have more than a decade of experience with pottery and have been operating the business since late 2021.
“Working with Mother Nature is a key component that binds us, allowing us to embrace the joy of working with the elements of this world and see the alchemy and magic of mud (earth) and share it,” she said.
The studio, located inside a high-rise apartment in downtown L.A., offers a range of services including weekly themed pottery classes making everything from sculpture to tableware. Clay — which is available in Hawaiian red, Aztec, speckled, B-Mix and recycled options — is available for purchase alongside functional ceramic pieces made by instructors and visiting artists.
I chose to sculpt a female bust and was handed a mound of air-dry clay by Mendez. I began by taking inspiration from some of the samples on the table, which was set up in the middle of the kitchen with convenient access to the sink. Everyone around me seemed to be working on different things including cups and mugs, plates and what looked to be an ashtray carved with leafy vines. A silent German shepherd occasionally circled the long table as we all worked, as if inspecting. Mendez made the rounds offering advice and feedback on the shapes students were making.
After the hour was up, we wrote our names and contact information on slips of paper and left them by our works, which Mendez told us would be back from the kiln in a couple of weeks.
Price: $50 for one hour, all materials included
Read All Read Less
Route Details
(Sonaiya Kelley / Los Angeles Times)
Immortalize your pets in stained glass at Element Art Center
Chinatown Craft Studio
I already know my cats are spoiled, but spending three hours painstakingly handcrafting a stained glass portrait of them really takes the cake.
The popular class, held at Chinatown’s Element Art Center, was my first experience with stained glass and it made an instant fan out of me. Like sewing, there are a series of very different processes that go into completing a stained glass work including design, scoring, cutting, grinding and fitting — and that’s before any soldering even happens.
Luckily for us, Element owners Chloe Hess and Justin Steffler design and precut the glass pieces beforehand from a photo that participants are asked to send over before the class. I was charmed — the design actually looked like my cats with all of their notable markings well represented.
Our session began with Hess explaining how the glass was prepped before we were tasked with lining the edges of each small piece with copper foil. The process was incredibly tedious but soothing in the way that meditative, repetitive things often are.
Next we plugged in our irons, donned our safety gear and soldered the glass pieces together using lead came and a mild acid, which we brushed along the copper strips with a paint brush. This part was scary — the irons get incredibly hot and sometimes the lead can sizzle and splash like grease when it reaches boiling temps. It was also pretty difficult to make beautiful soldered lines and this was where my limited experience in the medium showed itself the most.
After we connected each piece and soldered the lines on the front, back and sides, Hess came around and attached a wire chain for hanging. She also gave us the option to paint additional details onto the glass, which I did using guidelines that were already accounted for in the paper design.
Owned and operated by Steffler and Hess, working artists who hold degrees in both fine art and education, the interdisciplinary studio has been in operation since 2022. “We saw a need for a space that provides the community with a version of what we had in art school: equipment and space,” said Hess. “We hope to help our students and artist members share their stories through art.”
Hess and Steffler lead all of the classes, including abstract stained glass, woodcarving, ceramic sculpture and wheel throwing, painting, mosaics and printmaking. They also offer a ticketed membership program that includes dedicated storage and round-the-clock access to facilities.
Price: $145 for the 3-hour workshop
The popular class, held at Chinatown’s Element Art Center, was my first experience with stained glass and it made an instant fan out of me. Like sewing, there are a series of very different processes that go into completing a stained glass work including design, scoring, cutting, grinding and fitting — and that’s before any soldering even happens.
Luckily for us, Element owners Chloe Hess and Justin Steffler design and precut the glass pieces beforehand from a photo that participants are asked to send over before the class. I was charmed — the design actually looked like my cats with all of their notable markings well represented.
Our session began with Hess explaining how the glass was prepped before we were tasked with lining the edges of each small piece with copper foil. The process was incredibly tedious but soothing in the way that meditative, repetitive things often are.
Next we plugged in our irons, donned our safety gear and soldered the glass pieces together using lead came and a mild acid, which we brushed along the copper strips with a paint brush. This part was scary — the irons get incredibly hot and sometimes the lead can sizzle and splash like grease when it reaches boiling temps. It was also pretty difficult to make beautiful soldered lines and this was where my limited experience in the medium showed itself the most.
After we connected each piece and soldered the lines on the front, back and sides, Hess came around and attached a wire chain for hanging. She also gave us the option to paint additional details onto the glass, which I did using guidelines that were already accounted for in the paper design.
Owned and operated by Steffler and Hess, working artists who hold degrees in both fine art and education, the interdisciplinary studio has been in operation since 2022. “We saw a need for a space that provides the community with a version of what we had in art school: equipment and space,” said Hess. “We hope to help our students and artist members share their stories through art.”
Hess and Steffler lead all of the classes, including abstract stained glass, woodcarving, ceramic sculpture and wheel throwing, painting, mosaics and printmaking. They also offer a ticketed membership program that includes dedicated storage and round-the-clock access to facilities.
Price: $145 for the 3-hour workshop
Read All Read Less
Route Details
(Sonaiya Kelley / Los Angeles Times)
Create custom drip at Major Wavez Lab
Eagle Rock Shoe Store
Ruben Barraza’s Major Wavez Lab, a sneakerhead wonderland offering 5-hour custom shoe workshops, was born out of a passion for art and sneakers.
“We offer a class similar to Build-a-Bear, but for sneakers,” said Barraza. “I wanted to create a place where you can make your own one-of-one custom and have an experience at the same time.”
The Lab, which has been in business for three years, now boasts three locations: In addition to L.A., the brand has physical storefronts at the Miami Wynwood and Resorts World Las Vegas. The L.A. outpost is sponsored by Nesquik, which means you’re free to enjoy all the flavored milk one’s heart desires “as long as you’re not lactose intolerant,” said Darius, one of two instructors, “because this is a small enclosed space.”
The day begins with each student choosing fabrics and creating patterns by tracing along their chosen shoes (there’s an option to bring your own sneakers to customize or buy a pair of white Converse or Nikes in store). Next comes cutting, glueing and painting followed by sewing and add-ons. Finally, the shoes are laced up and ready to be broadcasted via Instagram Live to the brand’s 500,000-member online community where viewers choose a most-loved design from each class’ cohort.
For sneaker lovers, a pair of custom sneaks alone is a great gift but this experience, which test the limits of one’s creativity and game-time decision-making, is perfect for aspiring accessory designers and sneaker maximalists alike.
Barraza started the company in L.A. with a team of two: Rosey Flores and Jonathan DeSantos. The two still lead classes, with Flores doing the stitching for students on one of two large cobbler sewing machines (a basic version is available for sale for $300).
In addition to the custom workshops, Major Wavez Lab also helps with custom projects for sneaker companies and brands alongside famous fans like rappers Blueface and Lil Mosey, actor Hilary Duff and boxing star Floyd Mayweather Jr. “Most of the clients we have are a wide mix of either sneakerheads or someone who just wants to come in and create something unique,” said Barraza.
Price: $80 to observe, $150 to participate not including the price of sneakers
“We offer a class similar to Build-a-Bear, but for sneakers,” said Barraza. “I wanted to create a place where you can make your own one-of-one custom and have an experience at the same time.”
The Lab, which has been in business for three years, now boasts three locations: In addition to L.A., the brand has physical storefronts at the Miami Wynwood and Resorts World Las Vegas. The L.A. outpost is sponsored by Nesquik, which means you’re free to enjoy all the flavored milk one’s heart desires “as long as you’re not lactose intolerant,” said Darius, one of two instructors, “because this is a small enclosed space.”
The day begins with each student choosing fabrics and creating patterns by tracing along their chosen shoes (there’s an option to bring your own sneakers to customize or buy a pair of white Converse or Nikes in store). Next comes cutting, glueing and painting followed by sewing and add-ons. Finally, the shoes are laced up and ready to be broadcasted via Instagram Live to the brand’s 500,000-member online community where viewers choose a most-loved design from each class’ cohort.
For sneaker lovers, a pair of custom sneaks alone is a great gift but this experience, which test the limits of one’s creativity and game-time decision-making, is perfect for aspiring accessory designers and sneaker maximalists alike.
Barraza started the company in L.A. with a team of two: Rosey Flores and Jonathan DeSantos. The two still lead classes, with Flores doing the stitching for students on one of two large cobbler sewing machines (a basic version is available for sale for $300).
In addition to the custom workshops, Major Wavez Lab also helps with custom projects for sneaker companies and brands alongside famous fans like rappers Blueface and Lil Mosey, actor Hilary Duff and boxing star Floyd Mayweather Jr. “Most of the clients we have are a wide mix of either sneakerheads or someone who just wants to come in and create something unique,” said Barraza.
Price: $80 to observe, $150 to participate not including the price of sneakers
Read All Read Less
Route Details
(Mandy Kolahi / Pot Studios)
Puff and paint a pipe at Pot Studios
Jefferson Park Pottery
“We are not a dispensary,” clarifies a large banner on the side of Pot Studios’ Mid-City location.
Although the BIPOC-owned, operated and focused pottery studio may not sell marijuana, it has baked (pun intended) 4/20-friendliness into its ethos. Here, monthly “Pipe Party” pipe-making workshops and weekly ceramic paraphernalia-painting classes are held.
I attended a two-hour pottery painting class that was held at Little Pot, the sparsely decorated annex building adjacent to the main Pot Gardens studio. A handful of long tables were set up in the space along with a shelf containing blank pottery pieces, including ceramic bowls, bongs and rolling trays alongside mugs, vases, planters and seasonal holiday decor. In addition to empty paint palettes, each seat was set up to include a sponge, ashtrays and water cups to share.
I chose a bong, loaded up my palette with some of the large, shareable paints arranged on the front table, selected brushes and sat down to freehand some basic shapes in pencil. After deciding to paint a fishbowl scene, I began to roughly draw the outlines of a goldfish, seahorse and aquarium fauna while puffing away at a prepacked joint.
At the end of the two-hour session, I quickly added a final layer of paint to the piece, which was collected by a studio facilitator and set aside for the kiln. (For one-time classes, pieces are made available for pickup 30 days later).
Price: $55 for a regular piece, $75 for a bong
Although the BIPOC-owned, operated and focused pottery studio may not sell marijuana, it has baked (pun intended) 4/20-friendliness into its ethos. Here, monthly “Pipe Party” pipe-making workshops and weekly ceramic paraphernalia-painting classes are held.
I attended a two-hour pottery painting class that was held at Little Pot, the sparsely decorated annex building adjacent to the main Pot Gardens studio. A handful of long tables were set up in the space along with a shelf containing blank pottery pieces, including ceramic bowls, bongs and rolling trays alongside mugs, vases, planters and seasonal holiday decor. In addition to empty paint palettes, each seat was set up to include a sponge, ashtrays and water cups to share.
I chose a bong, loaded up my palette with some of the large, shareable paints arranged on the front table, selected brushes and sat down to freehand some basic shapes in pencil. After deciding to paint a fishbowl scene, I began to roughly draw the outlines of a goldfish, seahorse and aquarium fauna while puffing away at a prepacked joint.
At the end of the two-hour session, I quickly added a final layer of paint to the piece, which was collected by a studio facilitator and set aside for the kiln. (For one-time classes, pieces are made available for pickup 30 days later).
Price: $55 for a regular piece, $75 for a bong
Read All Read Less
Route Details
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
