Made by Hand

From chunky blankets to kids’ camps, AR Workshop makes hands-on creativity approachable, social and fun.

TThere were endless ways I could have spent my free afternoon: reading a book, shopping, staying home and rotting in bed on my phone. But I stopped into AR Workshop in Ocean Isle Beach instead.

Upon walking into the spacious workshop, I was greeted in the beachy boutique area by a hello from Joanne Mayopoulos, the owner of the Ocean Isle Beach franchise — one out of 125 national locations. The OIB AR Workshop is the only location in coastal North Carolina.

AR Workshop began in 2016 under Charlotte-based designers Maureen Anders and Adria Ruff, stemming from their design company Anders Ruff. According to the AR Workshop website, Anders Ruff specialized in graphic design and party styling. A DIY blog and an online shop accompanied the business.

Mayopoulos used to attend their early workshops when she lived in Charlotte. Four years ago, when she moved to Calabash, she found that there “wasn’t a whole lot to do.” She contacted Anders and Ruff to look into opening an AR Workshop franchise in Ocean Isle Beach.

“I’d never opened my own business, let alone a franchise, you know?” she says. “It’s a long process. It takes a lot of research, but it was certainly worth it.”

To participate in a class, I had to go to AR Workshop’s website and pick a class I was interested in. Every day offers a different class, from watercolor painting to woodworking and more. Mayopoulos recommended that I try the Chunky Knit Blanket Class, so I signed up, paying $99 to cover the materials and the labor behind teaching the class.

I had zero experience in this field. Knitting needles freak me out, and crochet hooks are foreign to me. I felt skeptical that I could ever own a blanket that didn’t come from a TJ Maxx. This was going to be an interesting three hours.

The Chunky Knit Blanket Class is the most popular class at the Ocean Isle Beach location, so popular that they offer it year-round (unlike most other locations). Surprisingly, I was the only participant on the day I decided to do it; however, that made for a relaxing and intimate experience.

Susan Sickinger, lead instructor at AR Workshop Ocean Isle Beach, was my teacher. Before joining AR Workshop, Sickinger was a senior center director for more than 25 years for Brunswick Senior Resources, where she led arts and crafts classes and events for local seniors.

Crafting has always been an important hobby in her life. She jokes that she “became an old person early.”

“I was the only child, so I had to find ways to keep myself busy,” she says.

After I picked out my yarn colors — white, red, green and brown — I sat down at the U-shaped table behind the boutique. Sickinger stood opposite me as she showed me how to tie a slipknot to begin my blanket. I didn’t need hooks or needles, just my ten fingers. And that was the case for the entire blanket.

It took me a little over an hour to complete my first few colors, and during that time, Sickinger and I talked about our lives, current events and our relationship with art. When it was time to begin a new row, she showed me how to do it. Eventually, I got the hang of it, and for the second half of the class, I made progress on my blanket quietly, with the hum of smooth jazz in the background.

Sickinger says this is how she teaches most of the classes: a mix of chatting and letting customers craft on their own.

“My favorite thing about teaching the workshops, of course, is meeting the people and hearing their stories,” she says. “But I like just seeing them go through and execute and have that wonderful project.”

What distinguishes AR Workshop from other crafting classes, such as a Paint ‘n Sip, is that it’s a structured, step-by-step process. In some cases, such as in the woodworking classes, customers choose their own stencil to use. This means classes are beginner-friendly, so the customer can relax.

“Not everyone’s doing the same project, so you can’t compare how yours looks to the guy next to you because you’re not doing the same thing and you’re not doing the same design,” Mayopoulos says.

AR Workshop is designed to be a communal space, from the U-shaped table encouraging conversation amongst participants to allowing participants to bring their own snacks and drinks, including wine and beer. Sickinger says many people take classes with a group of friends. In addition, AR Workshop has regulars who pop in frequently just to say hi.

Even though they have cultivated a creative community already, Mayopoulos says they are hoping to attract new customers, both visitors and locals.

This summer, AR Workshop will host kids’ camps, and Sickinger will be teaching the camps for the first time. Each camp lasts one week, and each day lasts two and a half hours. There are different themes for the camps, like candle pouring for teenagers or decorating microphones for young kids. Additionally, AR Workshop plans to expand some existing classes for the spring season, such as seaglass trees, metal jewelry stamping and crafts for porches and patios.

Before I knew it, my three hours were up, and Sickinger came over to tie the very last knot for me. My new chunky knit blanket is soft, has a beautiful color scheme, fits perfectly over my lap and looks great on the tub chair in my bedroom.

I thank AR Workshop for showing me how capable I can be on a free afternoon!

GET CRAFTY
AR Workshop Ocean Isle Beach
925 Seaside Road SW, Ocean Isle Beach
(910) 236-3035
To sign up for a workshop, visit arworkshop.com/oceanislebeach