Craft Store Near Me: Top Ireland Shops & 2026 Trends

If you’ve been hunting for a craft store near me in Dublin or across Ireland, you probably already know the scene is scattered—big chains alongside tiny specialists, some with roots going back generations. This guide maps out the shops worth knowing about, from Art & Hobby’s 23-store footprint to a handful of family-run gems that have been in the same spot since the 1890s.

Art & Hobby Stores Nationwide: 23 · Top Dublin Craft Shops: 10+ · Specialist Fabric Shops in Dublin: 6+ · Founded Oldest Dublin Shop: 1894

These key facts anchor any comparison between Ireland’s biggest craft chain and its surviving independents.

What craft is trending right now?

The crafting world moves fast, and 2026 is no exception. According to Michaels (a leading US craft retailer), eight distinct crafting trends are shaping the year, ranging from sustainable DIY projects to mixed-media art. The common thread is personal expression—makers want supplies that let them experiment without breaking the bank.

Hottest crafts for adults

Adult coloring has matured beyond its initial wave and now blends into journaling and mixed-media projects. Handmade jewelry using polymer clay and resin remains popular, especially among beginners. Fabric painting and textile arts have seen a resurgence, partly driven by social media tutorials and partly by a broader move toward slow fashion and upcycling.

• Sustainable crafting: reusable materials, zero-waste kits
• Mixed-media art: combining paint, paper, fabric, and digital elements
• Embroidery and hand-stitching for home décor
• Polymer clay jewelry and figurines

Latest craft craze predictions

Industry watchers reportedly point to “slow craft” as the defining movement—projects that take weeks rather than hours, emphasizing process over product. According to craft marketplace data, DIY home organization (custom storage, labeled containers) and personal archiving (scrapbooking, memory boxes) are gaining traction among 25–45-year-olds. For those in Dublin, these trends align with what Art & Hobby stocks: the chain carries brands like Winsor & Newton and Daler-Rowney for painters, plus Lego, Warhammer, and Airfix for hobbyists looking beyond textile arts (Pavilions Shopping Centre).

What are the 4 types of crafts?

Crafts generally fall into four broad categories, though many projects span multiple types. GoSharpener outlines a classification that helps beginners identify where to start:

Different types of crafts overview

• Textile crafts: sewing, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, weaving, fabric painting. Dublin’s specialist shops—Murphy Sheehy on Castlemarket, The Cloth Shop on South King Street, WM. Trimmings on Capel Street—focus entirely on this category (One Fab Day).
• Paper crafts: scrapbooking, card-making, origami, calligraphy, journal decoration. Art & Hobby carries a wide range, and Universal Art Supplies stocks drawing materials and canvases for paper-based art (Universal Art Supplies).
• Three-dimensional crafts: pottery, jewelry-making, sculpture, woodworking, model-building. Art & Hobby’s Warhammer and Airfix sections target model-builders; Inspire has kits and supplies at Blanchardstown Centre.
• Digital and hybrid crafts: laser cutting, vinyl cutting, digital printing, design-and-print merchandise. These require specialist equipment not typically found in retail stores, though Art & Hobby’s online selection may include consumables.

The implication: Dublin has at least one shop in each category—Universal Art Supplies and K.M. Evans for fine art, Art & Hobby for broad 3D and hobby supplies, and the cluster of Capel Street–South King Street shops for textile crafts.

What craft is best for beginners?

The best beginner craft is the one that matches your patience level, budget, and available workspace. Art & Hobby notes that beginners often start with coloring or journaling because the entry cost is low and mistakes are easy to fix. The chain’s 40 years supplying Irish schools suggests it understands starter-level demand.

8 Crafts Perfect for Beginners

• Adult coloring with gel pens and markers
• Basic cross-stitch or counted embroidery
• Polymer clay earring or pendant making
• Simple card-making with stamps and washi tape
• Macramé plant hangers
• Paint-by-numbers on canvas
• Beginner knitting or crocheting with chunky yarn
• Resin art with pre-measured kits

The catch: independents like Universal Art Supplies or Murphy Sheehy don’t offer online ordering or delivery, so the trade-off between minimums and expertise matters most for first-timers.

What are craft hobbies for 60 year old woman?

Crafting in later life isn’t about trend-following—it’s about fine motor skills, social connection, and creative satisfaction. Hobby lists for older adults typically emphasize low-impact, seated-friendly activities that don’t require expensive equipment or large storage spaces.

Hobbies for elderly women

• Embroidery and hand-stitching: Low cost, portable, endlessly customizable. WM. Trimmings on Capel Street stocks embroidery threads in hundreds of colors; Sew in Rathmines offers classes alongside its fabric inventory (One Fab Day).
• Watercolor painting: Gentle on joints, forgiving of mistakes. Universal Art Supplies carries Winsor & Newton watercolors and offers advice for beginners.
• Baking and cake decoration: Combines craft and function. Irish Yeast Co. on College Street has been a baking supplier since 1894; Decobake offers demonstrations at its Dublin locations.
• Quilting and patchwork: Social activity with a practical outcome. Hickeys Fabrics has Dublin stores and stocks patterns and batting alongside dressmaking fabrics.
• Card-making and paper arts: Minimal tools, high sentiment value. Art & Hobby carries paper, stamps, and embellishments at multiple Dublin locations.

The implication: Dublin’s independent craft shops—unlike the big chains—often offer classes and personal advice. For an older crafter, that human interaction may matter as much as the product range.

What is the most popular hobby?

Crafting ranks high in hobby surveys, but the category is broad. Art & Hobby has built its 40-year business supplying Irish schools, which suggests educational and beginner-friendly crafts dominate in Ireland. Across English-speaking markets, reading, walking, and cooking typically outrank crafting in pure participation numbers—but “craft” encompasses everything from knitting to model-building, which blurs the comparison.

Ranked America’s Favorite Hobbies

US hobby-ranking data consistently places gardening, cooking, and reading at the top, with crafting (specifically fiber arts and DIY) usually ranking in the top ten. In Ireland, the market is smaller but comparable: Art & Hobby’s expansion from 19 to 23 stores over recent years suggests growing demand, not saturation.

The pattern: Art & Hobby leads on scale, but the independents lead on heritage and specialization. For a Dublin crafter, “where do I go?” depends entirely on what you’re making. The chain handles broad needs; the independents handle specific ones.