Gabby Hodges has noticed a trend. A certain craft, like needlepoint, will blow up on social media. Then, people will start looking for a place to do that craft in person. Her Fort Worth craft school, The MixMatch, is that place.
Crochet, sewing, fused glass, basket weaving, pottery — anything that involves your two hands and making something with them, you can probably learn at The MixMatch.
As part of our series about small businesses in North Texas, Mind Your Business, Hodges told NTX Now host Miranda Suarez all about the community she hopes to create.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Deciding to open her own craft studio
When I was looking for a place to hang out with my friends and do crafts and learn, I couldn't find anywhere that wasn't like 10 a.m. on a Tuesday for classes.
After lots of complaining about that, my wife told me, 'well, you just have to build it.' And so I decided, OK.
A lot of people think this concept of a studio is kind of new, but these kinds of studios exist in a lot of places, just not Fort Worth.
I feel like Fort Worth has a really big fine art scene, and I haven't seen a lot of spaces that are dedicated to craft.
Crafting as a reaction to COVID isolation
They say that we're in a craft renaissance. They also say we're a vibe economy. I've seen that a lot.
I think because so much of our world has been digital, especially since the time during the pandemic, that we've kind of shifted away from that and people wanting to grow community and to learn and to experience things in person.
Social media success
I have learned that I just have to put myself out there. I just have to ask the question. I just have to reach out to the business. I just have to post the video.
I wax and wane a lot about posting videos, and it wasn't until I just started throwing things up on social media, that those are the videos that get the most attention. It's just me being normal and regular, opening the store.
At first, I thought people just wanted to know about the business, but people actually enjoy seeing what I'm doing. They actually come in and they're like, "Oh, I saw you on social media," and they want to talk to me, and they want to get to know me and ask me questions.
Creating community
We have some clubs that are free attendance. We had a girl come in to Stitch Club, and she had moved here from a different state, and this was her first time being able to find community. She was just so excited and overjoyed.
Things like that tell me that I'm doing the right thing, that people have been wanting something like this, and that the reception has been really good.
Miranda Suarez is a co-host of KERA's NTX Now. Got a tip? Email Miranda at msuarez@kera.org.
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