From pottery and weaving to broom making, here’s where to learn heritage crafts from Kentucky artisans.
There’s something satisfying about making something with your own hands. A handmade bowl, a woven basket, or a quilt stitched from scraps takes time and patience. That’s part of the appeal for a growing number of people rediscovering the pleasure of making things by hand.
Traditional crafts are attracting new interest, especially among people looking for a creative hobby that doesn’t involve a screen. In its 2026 Creativity Trend Report, arts-and-crafts retailer Michaels reported a 136% increase for hands-on hobbies, including knitting and embroidery, in just six months.
Many of these activities fall under the category of “heritage crafts,” skills that people have passed down through generations. In Kentucky, that includes everything from weaving and pottery to basket making, blacksmithing, and traditional Appalachian or Bluegrass music.
Kentucky has a long history of craft education, dating back to when families relied on these skills for everyday necessities. Today, working artisans are teaching those skills to people who may never have held a pottery tool or sat at a loom.
Here are seven places across Kentucky where you can learn something new, meet the makers, and take home more than a souvenir.
1. Make a traditional broom in Berea
A broom may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of handmade art. But in Berea, craftspeople turn bundles of broomcorn into surprisingly beautiful creations.
The city’s Berea Learnshops program lets you learn the craft from working artisans. Now in its 15th year, the twice-yearly series offers more than 50 workshops this fall, says Laura Poulette, tourism program manager for the city of Berea.
Berea artist Amanda Lee Lazorchack leads broom-making workshops. She tells her students that brooms are both sculptural tools and stories themselves. Her handbroom classes combine the techniques and the cultural narratives behind them.
Where: Berea Gallery and Event Center, 633 Chestnut St., Berea (Central Kentucky)
Workshops: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Ages 16 and older. Beginners welcome.
Cost: $136 per class, including materials
Website: Berea Learnshops
2. Shape some clay at The Pottery of Park Hills
After nearly three decades of teaching art in schools, Park Hills artist Monica Namyar opened her own pottery studio in 2025. A potter, landscape painter, and author, Namyar wanted to share her love of ceramics while giving people a place to get creative and connect with others.
At The Pottery of Park Hills, beginners can try their hand at the potter’s wheel during a one-day Sunday class or sign up for a four-week course. Seasonal workshops offer a chance to make something for the holidays, too. November and December classes include Kentucky winter bird ornaments, nutcracker vases, Dala horse ornaments, holiday cookie trays, and ceramic tree luminaries.
Where: The Pottery of Park Hills, 1518 Dixie Highway, Park Hills (Northern Kentucky)
Workshops: One-day pottery wheel experiences, four-week courses, and seasonal hand-building classes
Cost: Confirm current fees when registering
Website: The Pottery of Park Hills
3. Try weaving in Bardstown
Before factories produced affordable clothing and linens, weaving was an essential household skill. Families spun fibers into yarn and used looms to make blankets, clothing, and other necessities.
The Nelson County Cooperative Extension Service offers a chance to try the craft without buying a loom or investing in expensive supplies. Its November weaving workshop begins with a look at how fiber becomes yarn. Participants learn basic weaving techniques and create a patterned piece to take home.
Where: Nelson County Cooperative Extension Office, 317 S. Third St., Bardstown (Central Kentucky)
Workshop: 9 to 11:30 a.m., Nov. 12
Cost: $22. Reservation required
Website: Nelson County weaving workshop
4. Learn basket making in Lexington
Lexington artist Emily Ridings learned to weave baskets from her grandmother, Judy Ridings. She went on to study fashion design at New York’s Pratt Institute, where she incorporated basket weaving into an oversized loop skirt for her senior collection.
Today, she makes baskets, vases, and sculptural pieces using traditional weaving techniques. Her work has appeared in Vogue and Garden & Gun.
On Nov. 10, she will lead an experimental basketry workshop in Lexington to teach students weaving techniques.
5. Take a quilting class in Paducah
Quilting has come a long way from stitching fabric scraps into bedcovers. Today’s quilters use traditional techniques to create everything from keepsakes to colorful works of art.
Paducah has become an international destination for the craft. The Western Kentucky city holds a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art designation and draws quilters from around the world.
At the National Quilt Museum, visitors can admire the work of accomplished quilt artists, then sign up for a class to learn some of the techniques themselves.
Where: National Quilt Museum, 215 Jefferson St., Paducah (Western Kentucky)
Workshops: Classes throughout the year for different skill levels. Most run 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Varies by class. Registration required
Website: National Quilt Museum
6. Learn traditional Appalachian music in Floyd County
In Eastern Kentucky, learning an old fiddle tune or picking out a song on the banjo is another way to connect with the region’s traditions.
Families have passed down Appalachian music for generations, often teaching children by ear or playing together at home and community gatherings.
The Mountain Arts Center in Prestonburg continues that tradition through music lessons and performance programs. Students can learn fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, and other instruments associated with bluegrass and old-time Appalachian music.
Where: Mountain Arts Center, 50 Hal Rogers Drive, Prestonsburg (Eastern Kentucky)
Lessons: Fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, and other instruments. Schedules vary.
Cost: Contact the center for current lesson fees
Website: Mountain Arts Center
7. Try blacksmithing in Hindman
Blacksmithing takes a little more preparation than most hobbies. It involves a forge, specialized tools, and enough heat to make solid metal easier to bend and shape.
For generations, Kentucky blacksmiths have used those skills to make and repair the tools that farmers, tradespeople, and households need.
At the Appalachian Artisan Center in Hindman, master blacksmith Dan Estep teaches students traditional techniques for working with hot metal. The center offers monthly workshops and longer apprenticeships for people interested in developing their skills.
Where: Appalachian Artisan Center, 30 W. Main St., Hindman (Eastern Kentucky). Blacksmithing classes meet at a separate forge. Confirm the location when registering
Workshops: Monthly classes and apprentice opportunities
Cost: Varies by workshop
Website: Appalachian Artisan Center blacksmithing
The art of making something by hand
A first attempt at pottery or weaving may not turn out quite as planned. That’s part of learning. For many people, the real reward is spending a few hours trying something new, working alongside others. These heritage crafts have lasted generations because people keep practicing them and passing down what they know.
