How to Host A Craft Supplies Swap

Crafting is a huge business, with online sales of hobby and craft supplies increasing at 4.2% from 2017 to 2022. According to Customcy, the creative industry is predicted to account for up to 10% of GDP by 2030. 

Long-term crafters are aware that maintaining one's hobby can get costly. 

Image by
Jan Kosmowski
from Pixabay

This would be even more apparent if a hobbyist engages in 2 or more types of crafts.  

Hosting A Craft Supplies Swap: A Frugal Way to Get New Supplies and Get Rid of One's Surplus

A craft supplies swap involves exchanging or trading one set of craft items or materials for another. 

To be fair, hobbyists must keep the craft items that they want in mind, and offer to swap only if they have stuff of similar value.

To illustrate, excess sheets of scrapbook paper can be swapped for cardstock or corrugated cardboard. A pack of craft buttons can be exchanged for a pack of beads. 

Choosing to swap with other crafters can prove to be more economical than looking for good bargains or discounted rates from online craft stores. 

Aside from acquiring new supplies without spending a buck, there's a huge possibility of ending up with less clutter.  

Plan the Swap

Decide on the swap's theme. 

There are many different types of crafts as there are crafters. In order to prevent turning your event into a hodgepodge or a dumping ground of assorted craft materials, plan a theme for your swap.

Ideally, I would recommend holding a craft supplies swap for several days (e.g. a 3-day weekend, or every Friday or Saturday for a month). 

And then, devote an entire day to paper crafters mixed with sewing, knitting, and crochet enthusiasts. 

Another day can be set aside for scrapbookers and journalers mixed with calligraphers and diamond painters.

Determine which craft items are swap-worthy. 

Craft materials, in general, fall into 3 categories: 

• unused (if you have stuff like kits, these may be unopened or unwrapped) 
• pre-loved/second-hand in good condition/good as new 
• pre-loved/second-hand but slightly/moderately worn out

Samples of "unused" craft materials may include -- 

• cross stitch or diamond painting kits
• a roll of ribbon 
• a pad of scrapbook paper, or even a bundle of excess scrapbook paper 
• blank scrapbook albums

Swap-worthy "pre-loved" or "second-hand" craft items in good condition can be -- 

• die-cut machines 
• pin cushions 
• cutting mat 
• crochet hooks and knitting needles 

Possible slightly/moderately worn out craft items are --

• embroidery hoops 
• craft knives
• paper punchers and crimpers 
• portable sewing machines 

Set limits to the size and weight.

You can restrict swappers to pack their craft materials into a container that's "no larger than a storage bin," or only allow anything that "doesn't weigh more than 5 kgs."

Look for A Venue That's Spacious Enough to Accommodate Crafters

If your garage or backyard is big enough, you can host the craft supplies swap at home. 

If not, see if you can rent a room at a co-working space or multi-purpose hall. 

Create A Guest List

Who do you invite to a craft supplies swap? 

The short answer: anyone and everyone with excess, or a surplus, of craft supplies! 

Consider the following: 

• Think of your relatives, friends, and colleagues who are crafters like you. 
• A few elderly ladies from your neighborhood or church may be into quilting or knitting. 
• You may know a stay-at-home mom who does needlework during her spare time.
• Dads and single guys can be avid crafters, too.
• Parents who keep their children preoccupied with crafts
• Someone may be offering seasonal services like scrapbooking photos of newly-wed couples or children's birthday parties, or making souvenirs and keepsakes.
• The art teacher who facilitates craft workshops at your local community center 
• Occupational therapists hoping to get craft supplies to improve their patients' gross and fine motor skills in rehabilitation 

Just be reminded that potential swappers may need time to sort through their drawers and storage containers.

Design Invitations for the Craft Supplies Swap

Save on paper by using a free template.

To make your craft supplies swap more cost-effective, look for free templates on the internet and design your own invitations. 

Turn it into an RSVP event and email the invitations to 25-30 guests around 4-6 weeks before the swap. 

Make sure details like the address of the swap venue, theme, time, restrictions on what to bring, and your contact information are spelled out accurately.  

Assign points to craft items.

A point system will help swappers assess the value of each craft item, so they can make a fair trade. 

4-5 points 

• unused rolls of washi tape 
• a bundle of fabric quarters 
• aida cloth

2-3 points

• pre-loved craft books or magazines 
• a yard or meter of ruffle or lace 
• craft buttons 
• beads 
• DMC thread

1 point

• marked cross stitch patterns 
• tapestry needles

How to Set Up Craft Supplies on Swap Day

Serve some refreshments first. It's easy to get caught up once your craft supplies swap is in full swing, so it won't be fun if you and your guest crafters do it on an empty stomach. 

Have something ready to serve to your swappers, like finger sandwiches, crackers, and juice or coffee.

Keep things organized by doing the following: 

Set up tables and chairs. Make sure tables are sturdy enough to hold all craft materials.

Have a friend or 2 assist you. You need to screen all craft items and tools to assess their value.

Save on containers. Use any old cardboard boxes or plastic bins lying around the house. 

For craft materials and tools like washi tapes, ribbons, thread, ephemera, and scrapbook scissors, shoeboxes are just the right size.

During the Swap: Have A Couple of Crafty Activities Prepared for Your Participants

You can ask a friend, a fellow crafter, a craft teacher, or an art therapist to demonstrate a few techniques or hacks, or show different ways to use a tool or equipment. 

You can assign a theme to your craft supplies swap that's timely and relevant, like Upcycle to Declutter, Shabby Chic, or Minimalist, and adhere to that theme when planning crafty activities. 

Another excellent idea would be to think about the occasion. If you held the swap in October, try to come up with Halloween crafts.

Should you plan to host a craft supplies swap early in December before you get caught up with all the busy-ness and festivities of the holiday season, look for a bunch of Christmas crafts. 

After the Swap: What to Do With Leftover Craft Supplies

Leftover supplies can be packed inside boxes and donated to a charity or non-profit organizations, a shelter for children or the homeless to be used for arts and crafts projects, or a home for the elderly.