Lillie Adams works on a page of blackout poetry during Arts & Crafts for Adults at McArthur Public Library in Biddeford on Tuesday, April 16. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald

In 2022, Izzy Zox and Stevie Carey started a weekly fiber arts group at Back Cove Books in Portland. They gave it a name — Work in Progress — and an Instagram account. But they rarely posted and barely promoted the meetup.

And people kept showing up, needles and yarn in hand. Some learned about the group while browsing in the bookstore. Others heard about it from a friend (or from Carey’s grandma, who told her crafting friends to alert their own grandchildren).

“We have total word of mouth,” Carey said. “I’ll have my grandma texting me. We still have new faces.”

Mainers love to craft, apparently. The National Endowment for the Arts published a study last year based on a survey of arts participation across the country in 2022. More than 70 percent of adults in Maine reported personally creating or performing art, well above the national average of 52 percent. And one-quarter said they did some kind of fiber art — weaving, crocheting, quilting, needlepoint, knitting or sewing — the highest rate in the country.

Casey Ryder is the owner of PortFiber in Portland’s East Bayside neighborhood. Their theory about why Mainers love to craft?

“The darkness,” Ryder said. “You need your craft activities in the cold and the darkness.”

In the depth of winter or the peak of summer, you can find plenty of opportunities to practice your craft.

‘The little things in life’

At the McArthur Public Library in Biddeford, patrons can check out more than books.

The library hosts a knitting group for adults from 10 a.m. to noon every Friday. That session was so popular that the library added a crafting night on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. McArthur Public Library also hosts regular arts programs for kids — the children’s room is open for crafting every Saturday morning — but the staff knew that adults needed creative outlets too.

“Especially during these stressful times people have been going through lately in the world, we wanted to have a safe, happy space for people to connect with each other,” said Nicole Clark, adult services supervisor and interim director.

Nicole Ritchey works on fabric hanging art at Arts & Crafts for Adults at McArthur Public Library in Biddeford. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald

Clark said visitors bring all kinds of projects to the drop-in sessions. Some knot or crochet. Some make birthday cards for loved ones. Some collage or color. The library occasionally has DIY kits for all ages to take home, and hosts paint nights and special events. (A recent workshop featured a guest artist who taught patrons how to make a little owl out of book pages. It was free and quickly filled to capacity, so Clark said the library plans to do it again.)

And the public library in Biddeford is not the only one to host a craft circle. Plenty of others offer drop-in hours for makers of all ages to work on their projects at the same time. Multiple branches of the Portland Public Library have recurring knitting or fiber arts meetups, and so does the Lithgow Public Library in Augusta, to name a few.

Some have dedicated classes, which are often free but require registration. At Windham Public Library, reference and technology assistant Reegan Burke has launched a club where she will teach patrons how to crochet a duckling stuffed animal on Wednesday nights. The participants need to bring their own basic materials. Space is limited, so visit the library in person or call 207-892-1908 to reserve a spot.

From left, Caroline Wheeler, Gracelyn Gorman, Usha Yeruva, Matthew Tenczar and Brittany Kashar knit April 16 at Back Cove Books in Portland. Daryn Slover/Portland Press Herald

“People are always talking about how they would like to start, but they don’t know where or how,” Burke said.

Check your local branch or ask a librarian for information about their programs.

“I’m seeing a lot of people being grateful for the little things in life right now,” Clark said. “And they can find those at the library.”

Making a community

Jessica Thomas used to fantasize about what kind of business she wanted to open in the vacant home of Jet Video in Deering Center.

“The thought that kept coming back to me was, I would love it to be the kind of place where, when I get stuck on a creative project, I could just pop up there for advice or maybe take a class or sit around with other people who are trying to teach themselves to sew,” she said. “The idea would not let go of me.”

So she made it happen. Thomas opened Handiwork five years ago, although the COVID-19 pandemic initially quashed her plans for classes and social circles. Today, the studio and market sells creative supplies and locally made designs. It also hosts free groups and paid classes for people who are crafting and learning. This winter, class enrollment has been down, and Thomas paused those offerings to survey people about their interests. But participation in free craft circles is strong, and when Handiwork hosts a “postcard party” to write mail to be sent to elected officials, people show up.

Evening sunlight falls on Usha Yeruva of South Portland as she knits at Back Cove Books in Portland. Daryn Slover/Portland Press Herald

Thomas said she thinks general uncertainty in the world has made people less likely to sign up for things in advance, but they are still looking for creativity and community.

“It’s affirming to sit with a group of people who are also practicing a skill and making mistakes and having to double back and fix them,” she said. “There’s a particular kind of connection that develops in a creative circle, especially in our environment, which is extremely supportive and encouraging.”

Handiwork hosts a free craft circle from 2 to 4:30 p.m. every Sunday. The first Saturday of every month is a Mending Meetup from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. where people can patch their jeans or replace a zipper. And the last Friday of every month is Crafty Hour — happy hour meets crafting. That event is BYOB and costs $10.

A group works on fiber art projects April 16 at Back Cove Books in Portland. A craft group has been meeting on Wednesday evenings at the shop since November 2022. Daryn Slover/Portland Press Herald

PortSpinners started at PortFiber even before Ryder took over ownership of the business 11 years ago. They teach classes as well, but this free group gathers two Fridays a month from noon to 4:30 p.m. Many people bring a drop spindle to spin yarn (“It’s one step further into obsession,” Ryder said with a laugh). Some bring their knitting or crocheting. Ryder said any craft circle can appreciate the work over a long period of time and celebrate together when a member finishes a project.

“Fiber arts is kind of slow,” Ryder said. “Everybody is excited for you and gets why it’s exciting.”

Plenty of craft stores across the state host both free and paid programs. Pop into a business such as KnitWit in Portland or Past and Future Craft Exchange in Westbrook to ask about their specific offerings. It’s a good rule of thumb (thimble?) to make sure you know what kind of group you are joining. If you are a true beginner, you might want to seek out a class with a dedicated instructor or at least watch some YouTube videos. A craft circle is a good place to share tips, but you shouldn’t expect another member to teach you a totally new skill.

Oak Blaisdell of Portland displays April 16 the miniature sweaters that Blaisdell knitted during Wednesday evening craft nights at Back Cove Books in Portland. Daryn Slover/Portland Press Herald

Stitching to a budget

Looking to sip while you sew? Your favorite brewery or coffee shop might have a craft night, or you could start one. In Portland, options include Rising Tide on Thursdays and Freedom’s Edge Cider on Mondays. A regular brought the idea to Jenna Guiggey at Blue Jay Coffee in Lewiston. The business is usually closed at night, but Guiggey opens one evening every month for the crafters. She usually sets up a door prize, such as a gift card to Wicked Illustrations Studio and Gallery. Some people knit or weave, while others journal or draw.

The business was a boost during the slow winter months, but guests seem to be glad for an activity that doesn’t cost a lot of money.

“It’s nice to just have something to go and do that is lower cost,” Guiggey said. “You’re not going out and spending $30. Maybe you’re buying a drink and a cupcake. We’re all budgeting a little differently lately.”

That idea was important to Zox and Carey as well.

“That was also a goal for this group, that there was no barrier to entry,” Carey said. “No one has to spend any money. We’re all just hanging out.”

Work in Progress usually meets Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., but the best place to find the schedule is their still-sparse Instagram (@wipmaine). On a recent Wednesday, Zox embroidered a baby blanket for a friend. Carey started a scarf based on a pattern that others in the group have made.

Ryder encouraged people who are craft curious to check out PortFiber or their local yarn shop.

“You don’t have to buy anything,” they said. “Just come be around the fibers. Touch some things and ask some questions.”