Crafts and Collecting
Our libraries have a range of resources to improve your craft skills and give you creative ideas. If you enjoy collecting, we have guidebooks, catalogues and online resources to help you identify and look after your collectibles, whether they be Star War figurines or Royal Albert china.
Featured
Exhibition - 新年 新期望 - New Year | New Wishes, part of a series
Discover the vibrant history of Chinese folk art through the traditions of shadow puppetry, pictures and clay sculptures. Closing soon.
Crafty Sundays at Tūranga, part of a series
Bring your latest craft project and connect with other enthusiasts.
Craft Club at New Brighton Library, part of a series
Feb 25th | 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Bring your own craft project and meet up with others in the community when you drop in. Free, no bookings.
Crafty Connections Crew at Fendalton Library, part of a series
Feb 27th | 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Do you feel like chatting and crafting on a Thursday evening? Create in a fun and relaxed environment (fortnightly).
Crafty Sundays at Tūranga, part of a series
Bring your latest craft project and connect with other enthusiasts.
Craft Club at New Brighton Library, part of a series
Feb 25th | 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Bring your own craft project and meet up with others in the community when you drop in. Free, no bookings.
Crafty Connections Crew at Fendalton Library, part of a series
Feb 27th | 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Do you feel like chatting and crafting on a Thursday evening? Create in a fun and relaxed environment (fortnightly).
Creativebug
Get making with Creativebug. Access thousands of online art and craft video classes for free.
Knitting
We have knitting and crocheting books and resources for beginners and experts.
Carter's Price Guide to Antiques
Prices of antiquities, antiques, collectables, retro, vintage and 20th century design.
Sewing
Whether you're making clothes, creating an amazing costume for Armageddon, or mending you'll find useful resources at the Library.
Creativebug
Get making with Creativebug. Access thousands of online art and craft video classes for free.
Knitting
We have knitting and crocheting books and resources for beginners and experts.
Carter's Price Guide to Antiques
Prices of antiquities, antiques, collectables, retro, vintage and 20th century design.
Sewing
Whether you're making clothes, creating an amazing costume for Armageddon, or mending you'll find useful resources at the Library.
CINCH Community Information Christchurch
Browse the handicraft and the collectors and collecting categories in CINCH (Community INformation CHristchurch) for Christchurch craft and collecting groups and organisations.
Crafts in the catalogue
Crafting
Knitting
Fabric crafts
Paper craft
Arts and crafts for kids
Māori weaving for kids
Find out the different steps in weaving harakeke and different types of weaving (raranga).
Making a putiputi
Step by step instructions on how to make a simple putiputi harakeke (flax flower).
The stars of Matariki / Ngā whetu o Matariki
Instructions and video on how to make a woven star from harakeke.
Join us for school holiday fun and learning
Join in our bookable programmes and free activities in the school holidays.
Māori weaving for kids
Find out the different steps in weaving harakeke and different types of weaving (raranga).
Making a putiputi
Step by step instructions on how to make a simple putiputi harakeke (flax flower).
The stars of Matariki / Ngā whetu o Matariki
Instructions and video on how to make a woven star from harakeke.
Join us for school holiday fun and learning
Join in our bookable programmes and free activities in the school holidays.
Arts and crafts for kids in the catalogue
Arts and crafts for kids in the catalogue
Websites
There are lots of websites that can help you with arts and crafts. Here are some we think you might like.
- Crayola
- Craft ideas and colouring sheets to print off or colour online.
- Creative Junk
- Rethink, re-use and recycle to make wearable arts and all sorts of other fun projects.
- Enchanted Learning
- Themed crafts for kids. Learn how to make things for Mother’s Day, Halloween, Christmas and school projects about Dinosaurs, Animals and Space
Collecting
Collecting in the catalogue
Carter's Price Guide to Antiques
Prices of antiquities, antiques, collectables, retro, vintage and 20th century design.
Magazines and catalogues
Find print craft magazines by searching for the name of the specific craft and the word periodicals e.g. pottery periodicals. Locate print collectors' magazines by searching for the name of the item collected and the words collectibles periodicals e.g. dolls collectibles periodicals. For catalogues, including price guides and handbooks, do a search for the item collected and the words collectibles catalogues, e.eg. porcelain collectibles catalogues.
New
Craft snippets - Textiles with Amy Rickman
Sally reports back from a talk by Amy Rickman, maker of Memory Bears and other sewn treasures.
Small but perfectly formed: The world of miniatures
Moata holds a magnifying glass to the world of miniatures and suggests library titles and equipment to help you make dainty models.
Discover Canterbury: For the Love of Arts and Crafts!
Some examples of the numerous photographs depicting people’s love for arts and crafts that we have received for Christchurch Photo Hunt.
Historical braiding in June's Crafting for Wellbeing session
Pop along to Tūranga on Saturday 15 June and participate in some historical cord-making using a braiding wheel.
