Craft Gym
Categories: Arts & Crafts, Venues & Event Spaces, Adult Education [Edit]
Neighborhood: Nob Hill1452 Bush St
(between Polk St & United States Highway 101)
San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 702-5700
- Hours:
Mon-Tue, Thu 5:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fri 1:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Sat 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
202 reviews
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
"This place is the Fifth element of hip hop. With awesome throw ups and murals on the walls, amazing DJ's and drum and bass nights, yummy…" read more »
29 Reviews for Craft Gym
I first noticed this place on my way to work via express bus from the Inner Richmond. One day I finally looked it up online and I decided to sign up for the Photo Frame Pendants workshop aka learn how to solder. The class size was small and the instructor was very patient. This 3 hour workshop cost about $65 and included all materials. By the end of class I had three beautiful photo frame pendants that I eventually gave away as gifts.
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Craft Gym rocks! Two friends and I took a collage class on a weekday evening and we each came out with two pieces worthy of hanging on our walls. I think the class was around $35. It's a great option for those of us who like to DO something while catching up with friends. I can't wait to take a Panoramic Sugar Easter Egg class.
Also, it's a great option around the holidays if you're tired of blowing your budget and want to give homemade gifts.
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I am excited to see what products they are developing, and I like that I was written to to let me know the calendar was updated because of my review! Thanks for listening guys. Look forward to a class so I can write a great review.
I made a pillow, people! Me! I just got back from Sewing 101 and I'm still admiring my creation with such awe and amazement.
The instructor practically held my hand through it all and helped me with some problems that I was having with my initial stitches. I learned how to cut a pattern (yes, it was just a bunch of squares and rectangles), load a bobbin, load the machine, and put everything together.
I've already signed up for Crochet Basics and plan on going to a few more of their sewing classes. It might be time to buy a sewing machine!!
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Crafty lil wherehouse space. I took Sewing 101 here over a year ago and loved the class. Super infomative and hands on training was well worth the cost of the class. The instructor was a sweetface and they allow you to come in on the weekends for help on projects. I totally recommend Craft Gym for the sewing beginner or anyone who wants to do some crafty projects. They offer some cool handbag classes also, which I plan on signing up for soon.
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3 or 4 so years ago, I had aspirations. I decided that I was going to knit. You know those super hip chicks that wear their self-made super delicious looking scarves, soft fuzzy hats, tightly knitted skirts, and comfy warm socks under their black thigh high boots? I was gonna be one of those girls. Yeah, that's me on the corner. Say hi. It was decided. So, I set out to my local yarn shop and bought the coolest slickest looking lavendar knitting needles and the best $100 ultra cool yarn. I looked at those cool lavendar knitting needles and decided that I was going to have the fastest fingers in the west...make that the world. I was gonna rock the knitting world!
So, there I was with my ultra cool yarn, lavendar needles, and a two page instruction guide on how to knit...I went to town on that yarn. Two looooonnnngggg weeks later, I looked at my piece of art(crap) and thought "What the...?" I never picked up those lavendar needles again. They were bad luck. Evil bad luck. I donated them. If the new owner of my lavendar needles is reading this, go get them cleansed. Go see a Buddhist priest. Buddhist priests are cool. Take away evil.
Last week, with the encouragement of my friend Christina H., I decided to try my hand at knitting again. I decided to go to the Crafts Gym. I went there last Tuesday evening with very low goals. I was going to knit a blanket for a fly. That's it. Something small, simple, not so hot. Maybe a blanket for a frog. But, thats it. Nothing fancy schmancy. Simple goals.
My class was with 7 other girls led by Leah. Leah is cool, patient, kind, and from the way she talks...she was once a beginner, too. Personally, I highly doubt it. I think she was born knitting or teaching cause she is just too cool. She went around the table showing us the good of our errors. I was so happy...I wasn't the worse one in that class. I know, I know...I'm still possessed by the evilness of the lavendar needles. I will meditate tonight and become pure. Anyways, I also learned why different sized needles are used, how to match your needles with your yarn, and what all the information on yarn labels mean. I was learning something! More importantly, by the end of the class, I was able to knit. 5 rows out of 50 rows of my first scarf was on its way. I'm gonna be cool! Yes!
I will be back at the Crafts Gym to learn how to purl and rib. Yup. So, meet me there!
The other plus about this place besides learning how to knit is they have snacks and tea/water. Snacks? I'm so there again. It's just a great little place!
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Sewing 101 - January 19th
i will either sew my fingers together or break an expensive piece of machinery.
...that's what i THOUGHT anyway, before walking into Sewing 101 w/Leah.
i successfully learned how to operate a sewing machine, and made a FANTASTIC throw pilow using three different materials. i also incorporated a little fancy-shmansy top stitching. Leah was incredibly patient w/me, and i will definitely return for further classes!
my aspirations to become a fashion designer have certainly solidified today. : )
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I've taken three classes here, all geared toward beginners (I'm inept at arts and crafts, admittedly).
The teachers always have a ton of patience for those of us who need extra help, and the creations I came home with were hip and cute. I got lots of compliments on the t-shirt "remake" I made in class. I'd definitely say the creations I made looked home-made, but as I mentioned, I'm inept at this sort of thing. And the classes were small enough that the teachers could take time to help me finish my stuff.
The people who go here for classes tend to be pretty laid-back and somewhat friendly, which puts me at ease. No cliques or intimidation. The Craft Gym peeps are also really cool about offering snacks and tea, and they don't seem to mind when people bring takeout and eat during class.
Fear not, craft-phobes, the Craft Gym is easy and fun. You sign up for your class online with PayPal, you drive to the TenderNob (a bit scary, but not terrifying) and park in a paid garage... or take Muni, I guess... basically, it's a nice way to spend an evening exercising your brain and your manual dexterity.
I'd definitely go back. Only reason I can't give it 5 stars: the neighborhood is somewhat sketchy. Makes me a little hesitant to go here on my own.
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What a wonderful place! I took the Sewing 101 class with Jackie last night. I don't own a sewing machine, I have never touched one, and I don't know the first thing about the craft. But, I've always wanted to learn and I thought it would be a good skill to acquire. The class is very easy going and you learn all the basics. Don't worry if you're prone to bad luck when it comes to being creative. Craft Gym finds a way to make you love it and be good at it at the same time. Jackie was very patient when I had any questions or just didn't understand something. $65 can be a little steep for a sewing class, but it's well worth the money. I will DEFINITELY be signing up for another class very soon!
I love this place! I've taken 2 classes so far (Sewing 101, Hemming) and think it's great for beginners that want to learn the right way and tricks from the pros.
I got to alter my own pricey jeans and went home very happy with the results. I almost feel I have done a better job on these than others have done for me in the past.
The instructors are very helpful and patient. You can also BYO machine and they help you learn how to use it!
I'm going back for sho!
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I think the last time I did arts & crafts, I was a Girl Scout in elementary school. Needless to say, I am not crafty.
The art of crafting seems to be passed down from mother to daughter- a loving tradition that women have shared throughout the centuries.
However, my Mom did not pass down her amazing sewing abilities that she abandoned when she became a full-time working Mom.
Instead, she passed down her acute anxiety and love of wine. This in turn has made me a pill-popping wino-- not a crafting genius like so many other girls I know.
In an effort to curb the alcoholic burning inside me which rears it's lushy head in the winter, I decided to turn to crafting and re-learn how to knit (had a 4th grade teacher who tried to teach us how). Perhaps this winter I will not drown my sarrows at the bottom of a bottle of red wine.
Leah lead the class and was a patient and encouraging teacher. She was able to effectively guide 4 of us, at different levels of knitting capabilities, through the basics and ushered us out into the world with the knowledge to create scarves like no body's business.
I will definitely be back to take the next knitting class and even some sewing! Who knows, by this time next year, I may be a knitting/quilting/sewing maniac!
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I consider myself pretty crafty.
When I saw the name of this place, I thought, wow, I can actually practice my craftiness and get fit at the same time?
Well no. Craft Gym is a wonderful space to improve your crafty side only. Not to get a firm belly.
They offer one-day classes (or often 3 hours classes) like:
-Sewing 101
-Patternmaking
-Intro to Loom Weaving
-Broken Mosaic
-Custom Graphic Tees
After a couple of classes there, here is what I learn about sewing lingo:
Straight: -------------------------------------------------- ----------------------
Zigzag: /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Blind: -^---^---^---^---^---^---^---^---^---^---^---^---^ ---^---^---^---^--
/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\
3 Step Z: \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \
\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/
And they are about 3 blocks from my room, so it's the perfect place to go when I feel in need of some creativity boost.
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Great place to spend some time away from alcohol and blaring music. Get to know your inner self as you knit, braid, bind, and print yourself into shape. The best part about it is that (with a membership) you can just drop in and kill some time doing crafts. They have all materials and tools on site. Best to call in, or check with them to see what classes are going on that month. This place is obviously very good for parties and/or 'team-building' exercises.
Will not get 5 stars until they have a kiln on site. Now THAT would be the bees knees.
Tip: If you really want to get your hands dirty, the Crucible http://www.yelp.com/bi... should fit the bill.
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Loved this place! I took a quilting class there last night and I am already figuring out when I can go back! I took a sewing class at Stitch Lounge but couldn't fit their quilting class into my schedule. So, I went to Craft Gym instead with high expectations after my great sewing class at Stitch Lounge. And Craft Gym was equally excellent! Parking was much easier in this neighborhood too! I am already looking forward to taking a private lesson with Leah and to finishing my quilt top. They had some great scrap fabrics to work with and Leah was WONDERFUL about answering all my silly questions! I totally recommend this place - LOVED IT!!!
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what a waste of my time. i signed up for a 3 hour card making class through their website and was charged for it by paypal. i assumed that since they took my money, that my reservation took. well, i showed up for class tonight and saw surprised faces. "what? you're here for the class? but no one signed up. let me look. oh oops. it's the computer's fault." NICE. i looked forward to this class, choosing it over some of paper-source's classes that were even cheaper ($45 versus $65). plus, i planned my evening around this, killed an hour and a half before work, took the bus and walked through a seedy neighborhood. then, after a lot of hesitation, they said, you can get your money back or we'll do a one and half hour class for you. WHAT? i signed up for a three hour class, not one and a half hour class. i felt really jypped and definitely not in the mood to go through this maneuver all over again with these people. no, thank you.
UPDATE: within a day of writing this review, i got a long email from craft gym urging me to change my review. SPOOKY. i felt really violated and spied on. plus, isn't yelp all about having the freedom to speech as a consumer?? this is really disturbing.
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Just came back from the hemming class. I can hem my jeans now!!! YAHOO! I hope they have the T-shirt class soon. I think that would be a great class to take.
I love this place. I was put into a panic on Christmas when I got a sewing machine. I had no idea what to do with it. For two months it sat idle until I signed up for sewing 101. 3 or 4 classes later, I'm able to make some really cool stuff on my own.
Classes usually run for a couple of hours, and you leave with a finished project and a huge sense of accomplishment. Leah, one of the instructors, is incredibly patient and encouraging. She's stayed an hour and a half late with me to make sure I completed my project. It's a hip and fun environment, with no stuffy old ladies in sight.
My mom and sister and I just took a sewing class here and had a blast! Leah was a fantastic teacher and unbelievably patient (she stayed three hours after the class ended while we finished up!). There was a broad range of skills, and she was able to work with everyone to catch them up to speed or just speed them along. The space is lovely and they've got a fantastic listing of classes. They also have open studio hours where you can go in and use their facilities (sewing machines, looms, glass etchants, etc).
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I'm in the midst of taking a knitting class right now and it's absolutely fantastic I missed the first class but luckily Rachel M (see her review below!) was able to catch me up on what Leah went over the first class. Tuesday was round two and i loved it. Leah was really patient and made sure we knew what we were doing! The class is pretty small so you get a lot of attention. And ok, it may sound a little boring but it's actually really fun. It's like getting together with a bunch of your friends and chatting while knitting your little project. I definitely recommend coming by here and at least seeing what they're about!! It's not just knitting either. There's sewing, metal work, and stained glass too!
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My friend Jackie Ortega started this business so I can't be completely objective. But I think its fantastic - you can either take a class on a particular craft (knitting, sewing -including survival sewing - good for guys like me, jewelry making, candle making, natural dye making (!!), etc etc) or you can just drop by to use their equipment and work on your own projects. Classes are small,intimate and friendly, the instructors are very knowledgable and helpful. The place is always clean, well lit and inviting. Parking on the street can be hard but there is a garage on Polk and Bush which charges about $3.25 an hour
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I just took the sewing 101 class. It was great! Jane was very patient and tried to spend as much time as she could with each student.
I will definately be signing up to take more classes.
I love my pillow! :)
I took a fun one evening class quite a while ago where we reconstructed old concert tees. This place is hip, intimate and of course totally hands on. I loved that there were only four of us and one was a young teenager - what a great idea for youth. Nice instructor and they supplied everything we needed.
What really cracked me up was looking directly across the street watching the windows of the Krav Maga "GYM" steam up to complete opacity while we sat there sewing in our "gym."
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I'm not entirely sure why this place exists. I've been searching for a place to get my hands in some clay, and was entirely dissapointed. They have one wheel which I don't believe anyone really uses, because it's sort of set ackwardly against a wall in a place not conducive to throwing. They don't have a single kiln on site, and instead truck your fragile work across town for firing. Maybe the classes are worthwhile to those without an art background, but as a studio space, this place gets O stars.
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I took a knitting class there, and the instructors were patient and had a great sense of humor. I really enjoyed the class...as for the knitting...well I'm working on giving it a second chance.
Memorable quotes from the class:
"No, No, No!"
"What happened here, its a little wonky"
"We're good now"
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I just took a sewing class here last weekend. Here's the scoop:
The Craft Gym offers an array of different classes and workshops.
You get there and are immediately greeted by a friendly instructor (mine was Leah).
They have snacks and things to drink and they provide all the materials and supplies you may need.
We were a class of 8 and there was plenty of fabric for us to choose from.
Leah was marvelous at helping all of us with our sewing machines. Our class ran overtime by a few minutes but we were encouraged to stay if we were not done with our projects yet. That was great because I was expecting to be hustled out as soon as class was over.
I will definitely work out my brain and hands at the Craft Gym again!
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This place is great! The instructor, Leah, was very helpful and enthusiastic, and the class moved at a perfect pace. The price was very reasonable, and I felt like I got so much out of it. I am already planning what classes to take next!
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Great craft workshops at a reasonable cost - and a nice way to meet other craftsy folks. My friends and I always sat around planning a business like this, these women actually did it.
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The place to discover your inner crafty self! They do all the set up and clean up for you and you get to go home with your own unique creations. And if you find a natural talent for any of the given project, you can always come back to the studio and perfect your "craft" on your own time using their equipment and expertise. I've taken two classes there so far and plan to take several more.
Even if you're not naturally crafty, the teacher, Jane is patient and always offering up good ideas. She compliments your work even if it sucks or at least has something nice to say about it: "Oh -- even though you can only see the horses butt, it still has a cool outline." Kind of brings you back to the days when your mom gushed over the lopsided coil pot painted chartreuse that you made in art class. And Jane is not just the teacher -- she's also the owner...
Good Stuff! Really interesting selection of classes. Good way to spend an after work evening and generate ideas for your own crafty projects. Great website and excellent new space. One three hour bag-making project got me excited about sewing after many years.
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