Here’s how to host a craft swap party and why you should plan one before the holidays to declutter and refresh your craft supply and material stash. Sponsored by Cricut
As soon as the air starts getting cooler and the stores start stocking garland and glitter on almost every aisle, my mind goes into crafting idea overload. There’s something about the holiday season that makes me want to make things in my craft room all day every day. But the problem is, my craft room is stashed with a ton of supplies already, so when I bring home three bags full of new materials, the room ends up piling up with clutter. And a lot of that clutter are things I’ll probably never use and just keep pushing to the back of the shelf.
So this year, I decided to host a craft swap party before the holiday season begins to weed out the stuff I don’t want without having to put them in the trash. A lot of my friends and family are crafty ladies too, so a craft swap party is perfect for us. We can get rid of stuff we don’t want while getting new supplies for free! The party was a huge success and we agreed we’ll make it an annual event. Here’s how I planned and pulled off my pre-holiday craft swap party and all my tips for you to host one yourself.
What Is A Craft Swap Party?
A craft swap party is when you and a group of friends gather up all the craft supplies, materials, tools, and accessories that have been hanging out in your craft room collecting dust for a while and give them away to someone who will actually use them. You know that phrase “one person’s trash is another’s treasure?” That definitely applies to crafting. You may have been hanging onto the same scrapbook paper and ribbons for three years, but your friend might be able to use it this weekend.
All party guests bring the craft supplies that have been hogging up precious storage space, add them to a table, and go “shopping” for things other guests brought. You’re basically getting new materials for free while decluttering your own space.
When To Host A Craft Swap Party
The day after Trick-or-Treaters come and go, I’m immediately ready to start crafting my heart out until December 24, so if you’re like me, you’ll want to host your craft swap party pretty early. Late September to mid-October is your best bet. That gives you enough time to go through all your supplies and give your craft room a good cleaning session before you bring home new stuff.
How I Hosted My Pre-Holiday Craft Swap Party
I decided to make my craft swap party a combo of supply swapping and project-making. To start, I set up three crafting zones in my house so guests would have a lot of workspaces without feeling like they’re in each other’s way. The dining room was the Cricut Maker 3 and Easy Press 2 area to cut out all our designs. The living room was where guests would use the Cricut Mug Press and Cricut Joy. And the kitchen held the supply swap table and some yummy finger foods.
I had three projects planned for us to make. First, we made tote bags with Cricut Infusible Ink, and these bags were used for guests to load up on goodies from the swap table. If you’re doing this at home and you don’t have Infusible Ink supplies, you can always give guests big paper bags and let them decorate them with markers or paint.
I knew I wanted to serve hot apple cider with the food to get everyone in the mood for fall, so I thought it would be fun for us to make personalized mugs to put the cider in. I pre-made a mug design for each guest with their name on it in Cricut Design Space and let them cut, weed, apply, and press their mug themselves. They loved getting to choose their Infusible Ink pattern and make the mugs with the Mug Press, and it saved so much time by having the designs pre-made and ready to cut.
And the crowd favorite craft was the Cricut Joy Insert Cards. I had my coffee table stashed with all kinds of cards, inserts, pens, and embellishments. I gave the guests a quick lesson on how to make a card with my Cricut Joy machine, and within minutes they were cranking out fun cards on their own.
Craft Swap Party Hosting Tips
If your guests will be making any projects during the party, make sure you cover your tables to protect them. I covered mine with a protective mat, then added a layer of this kraft paper. This helps prevent your table from accidental burns, stains, or cuts.
Provide bags for the supply swap. Your guests may not think to bring their own, so make sure you have some on hand. You can be as elaborate as I was with the Infusible Ink tote bags, or keep it as simple as a recycled grocery bag.
Serve easy-to-hold finger foods. Your tables are likely filled up with supplies to trade and projects to make, so you probably won’t have anywhere for guests to eat a full meal. Instead, opt for finger foods that can be eaten while standing or sitting on a sofa. I served mini sandwiches, chips, cookies, and fruit. It was such a simple meal but everyone loved it.
Don’t host the party in your craft room. I know it seems like the optimal place since that’s where all your crafting tools are, but I highly encourage you to host your guests in another room of the house. The reason is because it’s very easy for items you don’t intend to swap to accidentally end up on the wrong table. Being surrounded by all your craft supplies can cause a lot of confusion and you’ll risk losing things you didn’t want to.
Craft Swap Party Supply List
- Kraft Paper To Cover Tables
- Large Table To Hold Materials For Swapping
- Large Table(s) For Project Making
- Bags For Guests To Take Home Supplies
- Supplies For Pre-Planned Projects
- Finger Foods And Easy-To-Hold Plates
- Fun Music (nostalgic throwbacks are the best!)
- Extra Task Lighting if needed
- Cleaning Supplies & First Aid in case of accident
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