August Sewing Machine Basics Dates Added!

To those patiently waiting for more Sewing Machine Basics dates - we just added a bunch more dates for August! Sign up now to reserve your spots.

Are you this close to throwing away something that just needs a button or hem or hole fixed? Need a special gift but just can't find anything special enough? Looking for clothes that make you feel excited about getting dressed every day? Learn sewing machine basics in this perfect-for-beginners class. We provide the machines!

What you’ll make:

  • A reversible tote bag with a flat bottom that you can use for groceries, books, anything at all. Never pay for a shopping bag again, or it’s perfect as a bonus gift.

Foundational sewing skills you’ll learn:

  • Fabric handling (choosing, cutting, pinning)

  • Machine operation (threading, tension, potential troubleshooting)

  • Seam construction (sewing, seam allowance)

  • Component creation & attachment (lining, straps)

  • Special techniques (flat-bottom, hand sewing)

15% Off July Class Packs! Gift It or Keep It

Get 15% off class packs throuugh july 2025

From now until the end of July, 2025 get 15% off of DTL Class Bucks when you buy $200 or more with code “CLASSPACKSUMMER2025”! Create your own custom discount class packs for yourself or a gift. Gift Bucks don’t expire, so redeem them anytime.

How do I make my own custom discount class pack?

  1. Go to our DTL Class Bucks Page and add to your cart however much you want to buy for yourself or a friend. If you want to buy a certain set of class, just total the amount the classes are worth and buy that much in DTL Class Bucks.

  2. On checkout, enter the code “CLASSPACKSUMMER2025” and you’ll get a 15% discount.

DISCOUNT CLASS PACK IDEAS to gift or keep

These are just some ideas for class packs. As long as you buy over $200 in class gift bucks, you will get the 15% discount good toward any of our classes.

🪚The Woodworker Pack

🪵The Woodturner Pack

🛠️The Woodworker Project Pack

⚡The Welder Pack

🏠The Contractor Pack

🌈The Ladies & Gentlethems Pack

🎨The Block Printer Pack

💍The Metalsmith Pack

*Code expires July 31st, 2025 at midnight. You must buy Class Pack denominations of $200+ (you aren’t able to buy multiple $100 gift bucks with the discount, for example).

Tools You Can Borrow: Portable Orbital Sander

Tools You Can Borrow: @craftsman portable orbital sander, available for checkout to Denver Tool Library Members.

Why an orbital sander? This sander uses a sanding pad that moves in tiny circles (aka orbits), which helps you smooth wood, remove old finishes, or prep surfaces for painting without leaving swirl marks or gouges. Compared to a belt sander (which is great for rapid material removal but can be too aggressive) or a palm sander (which can be slow and less versatile), an orbital sander might be the perfect goldilocks tool for your project.

So if you’ve got a coffee table that needs a facelift, some rough edges to smooth, or you’re tired of sanding by hand until your arm falls off, give this tool a spin.

You could spend $80+ at a big box store to use this thing a few times per year (booo), OR you could spend $150 per year on a Tool Library Membership and get access to this tool and like 6,000 others for no additional fee.

Member Project! Teapot Shelves by Heidi

Check out this Tool Library Member Project by Heidi!

“I have a lot of teacups. And teapots. They needed a storage space that fit how cool they were. So I knocked out some drywall, framed shelves, did way more drywalling then I thought possible, fished electric wire for the first time in my life, tiled, cut boards and routed and sanded them and then finished them.

Let me describe myself at the beginning of this year: we had some doors in our house that did not have handles on them. This status persisted for ten years because I did not think I was good at doing things myself, and people kept ghosting on us when we tried to hire someone to do it.

Finally in January, I fixed it, because I couldn’t really fix anything else going on in the world, but I could fix this. The experience was addictive, and I wanted to learn more. I found the Denver Tool Library.

I have taken so many classes. I learned so much from the woodworking fundamentals classes (I’ve taken all of them). Huge shout out to David Cooke, whose electricity, tiling, and drywall classes were incredibly useful for this project, even though he had to ban me and my partner from using the wet saw during tiling classes because we kept going back to add things.

Mostly, though, I want to thank every one of the instructors for helping me change my mindset from “I’m not the kind of person who does things” to “I can figure this out.”

I’ve discovered that I can do more than I thought.”

Be like Heidi! Become a member for just $150/year.

Already a member? Show Us Your Project and get $5 free DTL Bucks!

15% Off Summer Class Packs! Gift It or Keep It

Get 15% off class packs throuugh july 2025

From now until the end of July, 2025 get 15% off of DTL Class Bucks when you buy $200 or more with code “CLASSPACKSUMMER2025”! Create your own custom discount class packs for yourself or a gift. Gift Bucks don’t expire, so redeem them anytime.

How do I make my own custom discount class pack?

  1. Go to our DTL Class Bucks Page and add to your cart however much you want to buy for yourself or a friend. If you want to buy a certain set of class, just total the amount the classes are worth and buy that much in DTL Class Bucks.

  2. On checkout, enter the code “CLASSPACKSUMMER2025” and you’ll get a 15% discount.

DISCOUNT CLASS PACK IDEAS to gift or keep

These are just some ideas for class packs. As long as you buy over $200 in class gift bucks, you will get the 15% discount good toward any of our classes.

🪚The Woodworker Pack

  • Woodworking I: Shop Safety Certification

  • Woodworking II: Practical Joinery

  • Woodworking III: Box Joinery

  • Normally $275, Now $234

🪵The Woodturner Pack

  • Woodturning I: Lathes, Spindles & Vases

  • Woodturning II: Bowl Turning

  • Woodturning III: Lidded Boxes

  • Normally $595, Now $506

⚡The Welder Pack

  • Welding I: Essentials, Safety & MIG

  • Welding II: Steel TIG

  • Normally $225, Now $192

🏠The Contractor Pack

  • Knowing Your Home

  • Tiling

  • Electricity

  • Plumbing

  • Drywall

  • Normally $475, Now $404

*Code expires July 31st, 2025 at midnight. You must buy Class Pack denominations of $200+ (you aren’t able to buy multiple $100 gift bucks with the discount, for example).

New Sewing Machine Basics Dates Added!

Please note: there has been a slight registration increase of $10. This accounts for an extended length of class, less students for more individualized attention, and increased material cost. As a non-profit, we do our best to keep prices feasible for our students, teachers, and the organization. If any of our programs are ever cost prohibitive for you, we highly encourage you to apply for financial assistance.

Closed 4th of July Weekend

Tool Library Lending & Open Shop Hours will be closed Saturday, July 5th & Sunday, July 6th for Fourth of July weekend.

Classes will still run as scheduled. Checkout times will be extended until the July 8th so you can keep your tools a few extra days (though we highly recommend wandering the mountains or taking a tube down a river instead of working.)

DTL's First Repair Fair! Sunday, August 17th

We’re throwing our first Repair Fair y’all! Free registration is open now for Sunday, August 17th from 2pm - 6pm.

Repair Fairs are free events where community members can bring broken everyday items, such as toasters, bicycles, pants, and more, for free repairs by local volunteer fixers. These fairs offer a chance to learn valuable repair skills, reduce waste, and connect with your neighbors. No repair experience is required as our volunteers will guide you through fixing the items you bring in (limit two items per person please!).

To register to attend or volunteer, go to denvertoollibrary.org/repair-fair

Member Project! Van Camper Table

Check out this DTL member project by Zach (@zachguyoverthayer)

“I used a handful of DTL Tools (Electric Nail Gun and Jigsaw) to make a platform for my Astro Van that I can cook on. I used the partnership with Rockler to get a discount on the wood over there and then got to work. I used the plywood and some old hinges as the main piece. I then used some old garden stakes to become make shift legs. This simple design allowed me to break it down and put it up very quickly on a recent camping trip. This is just V1 of the process but it worked fantastic on a trip to Buena Vista. I am very grateful to be part of the DTL Community and get easy access to tools.”

Be like Zach! Become a member for just $150/year.

Already a member? Show Us Your Project and get $5 free DTL Bucks!