DIY

Make your own leggings, wallets, medicine and more ways to get your indoors on

And on the 7th day God said, 'leather be light.' Just kidding, he actually said, take these Coursehorse classes.
On the 7th day God said, ‘leather be light.’ Kidding, he actually said ‘take these Coursehorse classes.’ via BK Shoe Space

Okay, guys, it’s almost November. This is the big leagues; late fall isn’t for sissies. This is the time where you either nut up and lean into the season, or crawl into your bed and try to hibernate until May. Spoiler alert: the second one doesn’t work. In order to help you survive the madness, we’re bringing you a roundup of fall-core activities that are sure to raise you up as the crafty, autumn-savvy demigod you are.

Besides learning a new skill, signing up for classes through Brokelyn helps us keep the lights on. Lucky for you, we have good taste. This week, we’ve got crafts, crafts and more crafts. 

Soap yrself clean. via Crafstman Ave
Soap yrself clean. via Crafstman Ave

First up, you can’. The folks of Craftsman Ave in Gowanus will teach you how to make your own soap! As long as you’re not the kind of crazy person who uses one bottle of soap for everything, this is a great introduction to exploring the various textures, aromas and chemistry of bar soap. For a flat $100, you’ll learn everything you need to know about soap-making and walk out with 4 bars of your very own, sweet-smelling stuff. Pair ’em with a nice loufa, and you’ll never have to buy dumb body wash again!

Fall is unofficially legging season. Now I don’t know about you, but I go through cheaply-made leggings like hotcakes. It starts to feel pointless buying pair after pair. But now you can be your own legging maker with this awesome legging-sewing class at the Brooklyn Craft Company! They describe leggings as “feeling like you’re wearing pajamas but looking like you’re wearing clothes,” which is basically everything. $125 gets you a 5-hour hands-on class where you learn to pattern, lay and cut, and wield stretchy fabric in a sewing machine. You’ll leave your with your very own pair of pajama-clothes.

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If you dream it, they will catch. via flickr user Alexandra Ventura
If you dream it, they will catch. via flickr user Alexandra Ventura

Unleash your inner basic flower child with a dream catcher making class at LAB Brooklyn in Greenpoint. It’s led by a professional holistic healer, but you don’t have to believe to weave. This $40 class includes all the materials and guidance you need to whip up and decorate your very own dream-catcher. Hang it on your bedroom wall, and the boogeymen will know you mean business.

Nothing kills an autumn boner like Seasonal Affective Disorder, or S.A.D. In order to help you combat the fall melancholy that’s sure to hit soon if it hasn’t already, take a happy medicine-making class with Remedies Herb Shop! It’ll only run you $30 to blend and bottle your very own mood-boosting herbal remedy. Sure beats crying in bed.

Last but certainly not least, leather. You love it, you wear it all the time, and now’s your chance to learn how to make stuff with it, courtesy of this nifty leather techniques class with Brooklyn Shoe Space. For $135, this class gives you 2.5 hours of hands-on experimentation with cutting, hole-punching, hand-stitching and lacing. You’ll come out of class with more leather pouches, keychains, card cases and bracelets than you know what to do with!

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