|
My dad is a plumber by trade and some of my favourite memories growing up are from the days when my dad would let me help him with the plumbing for our family holiday home in Hermanus. When we were building the house my dad did all the plumbing work himself and I was so impressed with all the cool stuff he could do. Because it’s frowned upon for children to do hard labour, my assistance in said project really only consisted of me passing him various tools, but that didn’t stop me from being all smug with my brothers about my newly acquired plumbing skills (and the fact that they were wasting their time playing rugby rather than learning all about copper fittings and pvc pipes). Alas it’s been years since I last helped my dad with a DIY project but I’ve always loved the idea of using my hands to make and fix stuff. Which is why when I discovered my latest find, Tool Share Studio, I was completely over the moon!
To put it simply Tool Share Studio is a maker space that provides you with all the inspiration and DIY tools you need to bring your magical ideas to life. The studio in Ferndale offers creative types the space and means to create almost anything they can think of and is fully stocked with working stations, materials and tools. From woodwork and metalwork to sewing, upholstery, and arts and crafts – you can do it all here.
What’s more, if you need a little bit of help there’s always someone on hand to give you advice or teach you how to use a tool. I love that you can rock up at Tool Share with any project (either whole or incomplete) and they’ll help you make it. Something else I adore about the studio is that it’s open to beginners, medium skilled and super skilled people and they welcome men, women and even children into the workshop to get their creative juices flowing.
And, if you don’t have the skills to make your own stuff (and you so badly want to learn) then you can sign up for one of their classes. The courses give you hands-on experience using tools and working with different kinds of materials and they’re the perfect way to learn your way around a tool shed. They offer classes for women, men and children and you can sign up for lessons like Introduction To Woodworking: Making a Bookcase, Ladies Woodworking: Make Your Own Picture Frames and Young Makers: Make Your Own Guitar.
I went through for a beginner’s ladies class and learned how to make my very own wooden shoe rack. We were shown how to measure our wood, how to use power tools (eep!) and even how to paint our creation once it was done. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the class and the sense of empowerment and satisfaction I felt when done is so addictive. Our teachers for the night were also incredibly helpful and encouraging, and not once did I feel like a dunce or useless. If you’re looking for something to do with your son, daughter, husband, girlfriends or mom the classes are the ideal bonding event. Plus, you leave with a super awesome piece of furniture at the end of it all.
The classes are about R450 for 3 hours and include all the tools and materials you will need for the class project. Classes usually take place on weekday evenings. But, if you hurry and book a class before the end of August you can take advantage of the women’s month special of 20 percent off ladies' courses.
(Psst! If making stuff isn’t really your thing but you desperately need someone to make you a lovely pallet table or a bookcase then you’ll be happy to hear they do that too!) You can also say hello to !
By Crystal Espin
Visit my Profile.
 
|