From an upcycled fashion show to a personal storytelling showcase, New Hampshire has all kinds of opportunities to learn and show off a new craft or skill.

Local makers talked about how they got into quilting, blacksmithing, 3D printing and more, and why they’ve stuck with it. If their stories have you feeling inspired to try out the craft for yourself, check out some of the upcoming programs and events listed here.

3D printing

As a home care provider, Pat Michaud of Concord is always looking for ways to help improve her clients’ quality of life. One of those ways, she found, was taking a class on 3D printing at Making Matters NH, a makerspace in Penacook.

“When I told my home care client I signed up for the class, he was excited,” Michaud said. “He is in a wheelchair, and he also owns a 3D printer … so he said I can ‘be his hands.’”

Michaud has worked with her client to 3D print a number of custom accessibility items, including a phone holder, a controller holder and a mug straw holder. For herself, she has printed household items and specialty accessories, such as votive and LED-votive chickens, ornamental chickens and Volvo key chains and other paraphernalia. Her next endeavor, she said, is providing 3D printing services for local businesses.

“I already have a person who is asking me to print things for her business,” Michaud said. “It’s exciting to me that I can use this [skill] to help other small businesses.”

Michaud said that, because she has a background in working with computers, 3D printing came easily to her; it may be more challenging for those who aren’t as tech-savvy, but the instructors at Making Matters are equipped to teach people of all levels of knowledge and experience.

“The class is amazing and so informative … and the teacher [has] so much enthusiasm about the subject,” she said. “If you want to learn a new skill, and you have the right mind to do it, it can be so fun.”

Making Matters NH (88 Village St., Penacook, 565-5443, makingmattersnh.org) is a makerspace that offers a variety of classes and workshops, including ones teaching 3D printing. “Hands-on 3D Printing for Beginners,” a one-day crash course covering the basics of 3D printing, will be offered on Saturdays, March 12 and April 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $15 for Making Matters members and $50 for nonmembers.

Port City Makerspace (68 Morning St., Portsmouth) is offering an “Intro to 3D Printing” class on Wednesdays, April 13 and June 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $25 for members of the makerspace and $45 for nonmembers. Call 373-1002 or visit portcitymakerspace.com.

Blacksmithing

Jesse O’Brien of Danbury tried blacksmithing for the first time at a workshop offered at Sanborn Mills Farm in Loudon, which his friend encouraged him to sign up for.

“She is one of the best metalworkers I know, and she raved about taking this workshop for blacksmithing,” O’Brien said. “[After] seeing what she had made in the workshop … I had to give it a try myself.”

O’Brien found blacksmithing to be “surprisingly practical,” he said, and having the ability to craft his own artistic and functional metal pieces appealed to him. Plant hangers, coat hooks and custom gifts are just some of the items he has made; he also makes his own hardware for building and repair projects around his small farm property.

After his first workshop, O’Brien assembled his own small forge at home, which he uses on a regular basis, he said.

“A small forge is like a magical problem-solver which only needs some steel, coal or propane and a bit of time and ingenuity,” he said. “It’s more convenient to make things right from home instead of having to go to a store, and I can generally make something that I’m proud to own.”

O’Brien said he has plans to expand his home forge and his collection of blacksmithing tools.

“Every time I make something, I realize that it would be faster [to make] or [of] higher quality if I had one more … shape of tongs, or a hammer with a different face shape or a different shape of anvil to work against.”

Blacksmithing is a more accessible craft than it may appear, O’Brien said, and it doesn’t require a lot of strength or agility or any special physical capabilities.

“Anyone who can lift a hammer should try blacksmithing,” he said. “It’s a skillset that’s empowering and encourages anyone who tries it to learn and improve their skills.”

Sanborn Mills Farm(7097 Sanborn Road, Loudon) offers ongoing blacksmithing workshops for all ages and experience levels. The next beginner level workshop with space available is “Blacksmithing Basics,” running Friday, May 20, through Sunday, May 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost is $375. Other three-day workshops range from $225 to $400. Call 435-7314 or visit sanbornmills.org for the full schedule of workshops through November.

Fused glass

Aimee Whittemore of Henniker tried the art of fused glass for the first time a few years ago while visiting family in Arizona and “absolutely loved” it, she said. Prior to that, she had been doing stained glass.

“Now, I do both,” she said. “I love that [with fused glass] you can make things look 3D, and you can also make dishes.”

When she was starting out, she didn’t know of any glass studios in New Hampshire. Then, one afternoon, she and her husband were walking around downtown Manchester when they came across StudioVerne, the working studio and gallery of fused glass artist Verne Orlosk.

“I was so excited to see a glass studio,” Whittemore said. “We went in and talked to Verne about what she does for fused glass … [and] talked for a while about different projects that we had made. … We ended up doing three workshops at her studio.”

Over the past two years, Whittemore has created a number of fused glass pieces, including garden gnomes; a glass garden with fused flowers; ladybugs; butterflies; and a maple leaf, for which she used a fine powdered glass.

Fused glass pieces are typically put through at least two kiln processes, she explained. The first is called the “full fuse.”

“When I make a butterfly, for example, I trace my pattern onto the glass, then score the glass and … break the glass where I scored it,” she said. “Now, I have the body of my butterfly, and it needs to go in the kiln for a full fuse … which fuses the body all together and rounds the edges.”

The second process is the “tack fuse,” which fuses the design, formed with smaller glass pieces or powders, to the main piece of glass.

“There are so many different techniques you can do with fused glass,” she said. “Fusing glass is so fun, and once you get the hang of it, it comes easier.”

Studioverne Fine Art Fused Glass is a fused glass studio and gallery owned by artist Verne Orlosk in downtown Manchester. It is currently in the process of moving from Hanover Street to its new location at 412 Chestnut St. Orlosk said she will hold a grand reopening event in April. Upcoming classes and workshops are TBA. Call 490-4321 or visit studioverne.com.

Quilting

Laura Stevens of Goffstown was looking forward to taking her first quilting class at Night Owl Quilting Studio in Goffstown when the pandemic hit, putting her plans on hold.

“My mom is a quilter … [and] I sewed some as a young girl and made a little quilted pillow,” she said, “so I had been considering getting into quilting for some time.”

Not wanting to wait any longer to start her new hobby, Stevens decided to teach herself while stuck at home.

“I became antsy during the pandemic … and had the free time, so I began working on a project,” she said.

Since Night Owl Quilting Studio reopened, Stevens has become “a regular” there, she said, and has participated in five different quilting programs.

“At this point, most of what I know about quilting, fabric and sewing, I’ve learned from [the classes],” she said. “It’s very satisfying to go from a bunch of fabric to something you’ve created.”

Stevens now has several quilts completed, including the one she started on her own during the pandemic shutdown, which she is “very proud of,” she said, and a wedding quilt that she made for her cousin using techniques she learned at Night Owl.

“I can’t stress enough how much I love being at the studio,” she said. “The classes … keep me on track on a project … [and give] me confidence to mix patterns and include my own spin on things.”

These local quilting studios and shops offer quilting classes, workshops and social groups. Call or see their websites for program details and schedules.

• Angels Sewing and Quilting, 236 N. Broadway, Suite G, Salem, 898-0777, angelssewing.com

• Aunt Mary’s Quilting, 43 Stark Road, Derry, 845-9380, auntmarysquilting.com

• Bits ’n Pieces Quilt Shop, 70 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-9705, bnpquilts.com

• Maple Leaf Stitchin Studio, 1022 Dover Road, Unit 3, Epsom, 736-0256, mapleleafstitchinstudiollc.com

• Night Owl Quilting Studio, 35 Main St., Goffstown, 384-2557, nightowlquiltingstudio.com

• Patches Quilt Loft, 1442 Candia Road, Manchester, 206-5490, patchesquiltloft.com

• Pine Tree Quilt Shop, 224 N. Broadway, Salem Market Place, Salem, 870-8100, pinetreequiltshop.com

Storytelling

Tom Ostberg of Windham is a regular performer of True Tales Live, a monthly storytelling series based in Portsmouth and aired on Portsmouth Public Media TV.

An avid outdoorsman, Ostberg focuses much of his storytelling on his adventures in nature.

“I have hiked the Appalachian Trail, gone canoeing, and camp every chance I get, so I continue to collect … stories,” he said. “Through these experiences of mine, I have learned the lessons that have shaped my life.”

In one of his favorite stories, Ostberg said, he describes a memorable night he spent in a wooden shelter in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee while hiking the Appalachian Trail.

“I … [found] out in the middle of the night that [the shelter] had nightly visits by a family of skunks,” he said. “I connected with a young man, who was also afraid, [which] taught me a powerful lesson about respect.”

Another story he’s especially proud of, Ostberg said, recounts his “great adventure” catching feral honey bees in the woods for his home apiary while his wife was out of town.

“I love the way people light up with excitement when they hear an adventure story,” he said. “It transports us to a different place — a place we may not have ever been to before.”

While it can be nerve-wracking sharing deeply personal stories with strangers, Ostberg said, the audience’s reaction often helps to put him at ease.

“They’re so welcoming, down to earth and so easy to connect with,” he said. “They’re always full of laughter and … are feeling the moment with you.

The skills involved in the craft of storytelling also have a valuable place outside of the arts, Ostberg said.

“It’s useful in many other settings, [such as] business meetings, sharing and connecting with your friends and even family gatherings,” he said. “It’s inspiring for the teller, entertaining for the audience and opens up people to experience others’ lives.”

True Tales Live is a Portsmouth-based storytelling showcase held on the last Tuesday of the month (no shows in July and August) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Shows have been held over Zoom during the pandemic but will be held in person at the Portsmouth Public Media TV Studio (280 Marcy St.) starting in April. They will return to the Zoom format for the winter starting in November. Each month’s showcase is centered around a different theme. The series is free and open to all who want to watch or participate as a storyteller. Pre-registration for attendees is required for Zoom shows but not required for in-person shows. Additionally, True Tales Live hosts free storytelling workshops on the first Tuesday of every month (except November) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. over Zoom. Registration is required for workshops. Visit truetaleslivenh.org to register for a workshop or attend a show, and email info@truetaleslive.org if you’re interested in being a storyteller.

The New Hampshire Storytelling Alliance is a nonprofit organization that promotes the tradition and art of storytelling throughout the state. For more storytelling resources, including upcoming storytelling events, storytelling groups and a directory of professional storytellers, visit the NHSA website, nhstorytelling.org.

Upcycled fashion

Sixteen-year-old Amelia Bickford of Wolfeboro said she has always enjoyed “making and inventing things” from found materials, including recyclables like cardboard and plastic, so when her dad told her he had heard about an all-ages upcycled fashion show happening in Wolfeboro this spring, she jumped at the opportunity.

“Before now, my costumes and art haven’t really been seen by anyone other than my friends and family,” Bickford said. “I thought it would be a good challenge and would also be a cool way to meet others like me.”

Bickford is participating in the Upcycled Fashion Show as a member of a group of designers that is creating fashion pieces inspired by the characters and aesthetic of Alice in Wonderland.

Her favorite pieces that she has made so far include a chainmail necklace made of soda can tabs and a pair of fingerless gloves made from disposable plastic grocery bags.

“Upcycled fashion is … a great way to experiment artistically and … experiment with style,” she said. “There is always a way to make something look or be the way you want it to be; you only have to find out how, then do it.”

Lynn Willscher of Wolfeboro, another designer in the show, said she learned to sew in her high school home economics class in the 1960s and has been sewing her own home goods and clothing ever since. Her pieces for the show include four shop aprons in different styles made from old pairs of jeans.

“I was interested in using something that just about everyone owns,” Willscher said.

Upcycling, as a craft, she said, is “about transforming the old into the new and, in the process, increasing its value,” but it also has a larger purpose.

“[It’s] a great opportunity to draw further attention to the tremendous need the world has for recycling and reducing waste,” she said.

The Upcycled Fashion Show, presented by Makers Mill and the Governor Wentworth Arts Council, will be held on Saturday, April 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Makers Mill (23 Bay St., Wolfeboro). The event invites designers of all ages to create wearable art with at least 75 percent of the materials being recycled, reused or repurposed. Registration for designers is free and open now through the end of March or until participation is full. Groups and individuals are welcome. Tickets for spectators cost $5 purchased in advance and $7 purchased at the door. Additionally, a workshop, “Attachments & Embellishments,” will be offered on Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Brewster Academy (80 Academy Drive, Wolfeboro) in Room 103 of the Rogers Building Student Center. Participants will learn skills such as ancient lashing techniques, traditional zippers, basic buttons and hand and machine techniques; and about how to embellish a garment with dye, paint, hand sewing, hot glue and machine techniques. The workshop is open to registered designers for free and to the general public for a cost of $15. Visit makersmill.org/blog or call 569-1500.

Featured photo: Fused glass pieces made by Aimee Whittemore. Courtesy photo.