New Classes Page & Booking System Upgrade!

New Classes Page & Booking System Upgrade!

We’ve upgraded our archaic classes booking system to be easier to browse and find the best class dates that work for you. Take a stroll through our class listings at denvertoollibrary.org/classes and sign up for your favorite class that’s coming up soon. Expand your handy skillset, discover a new creative hobby, and meet other craft and trade oriented people with us. See you in class!

This system is brand new, so if you run into any problems along the way, please let us know!

Brand New Class! Upcycling 101: Pockets & Patches w/ Jackie

Jackie, our amazing Sewing Machine Basics teacher, just released a brand new class! Upcycling 101: Pockets & Patches. The first class is on 5/12 and there are variations of the class including COVID-Cautious on 5/27 and BIPOC Only on 6/24. You can see a complete list of Upcycling 101 classes as well as our other fiber arts classes here.

In this class, you will learn how to add a pocket to a shirt and patch a rip in a pair of pants! Learning the basics of alterations and upcycling can bring so many possibilities into your wardrobe while avoiding purchasing new items or leaving clothes in the landfill. Bring one shirt (can be any type of shirt) and a pair of pants with a rip or hole (all types/fabrics welcome.) You can bring your own additional fabric & patches OR use what we have provided at the Tool Library. 

Skills you’ll learn - review sewing machine anatomy, threading & machine setup, hand-sewing techniques & tacking, vocabulary & tools review, and various stitches: straight, zig-zap, reverse, lock, and box!

Bring:

• One shirt you’d like to add a pocket too

• One pair of pants with a rip or hole 

• Optional - Fabric (new, reused, misc) to use for pockets or patch

What to Avoid:

• Shirts/Pants with fabrics like silk, linen, super thin fabrics because they can be difficult for beginner projects. 

You will leave with a fresh, upcycled fit & prepared to take the next step in your journey to upcycle thrift finds, family hand-me-downs, and more!

About The Teacher: Jackie Drummond (they/she) grew up in Colorado learning to sew from their mother at a young age. While studying Technical Theatre at Fort Lewis College, they learned techniques involving pattern making, alterations, and design and explored the historical and cultural importance of sewing over 500+ hours of learning and experience. Jackie encourages BIPOC, 2SLGTBQIA+, and Neurodiverse creators to join them in class, where they intentionally hold space for marginalized people to reclaim joy! 

Brand New Metalsmithing Classes! Mountain Bangles & Silver Stacking Rings

Our instructor Liz @covertmetals has made two brand new Metalsmithing classes: Mountain Bangles & Silver Stacking Rings. Learn the skills to make your own jewelry and take home a beautiful piece for yourself or a friend.

Mountain Bangles Metalsmithing: 3/19/23 or 4/19/23

Rocky Mountains on your wrist? Yes, please! Copper and brass unite in this eye catching bracelet. We’ll use simple techniques and tools to create a custom piece you’ll be excited to show off. Measuring, sawing, filing, soldering, and basic polishing will be covered in this perfect for beginners class.

Silver Stacking Rings Metalsmithing: 3/27/23 or 4/16/23

This super fun class will teach you the basics of making a custom ring set. We’ll hammer a little, solder some, and create a personalized set of silver rings that will be your new favorites.

We Gave Away $7,000+ Worth Of Memberships in 2022

We did the math and we gave away $7,240 of memberships to individuals and groups in 2022! Thanks to DHS and individual contributions from y’all, we were able to give free Tool Library Memberships to all 45 groups and people who applied in 2022.

We are planning on getting these numbers much higher in 2023! If you’d like to contribute to our Financial Assistance Fund, give our Donate page a visit. If you’re interested in a free or discounted membership for you or your group, you can apply via our updated Tool Library Financial Assistance page.

Check out some quotes from people who received free memberships…

“After much struggle to get here I have finally bought a house! There are some home improvement things I’d like to work on and my yards are blank slates so need to work on those too! I like building things, I’m pretty handy for a single mom, but being such I don’t have much money to spend on tools. I’m also very interested in learning some new skills and having my son do so as well!”

“My spouse and I are both queer and he is trans. We have social work/therapy backgrounds abcs are trying to save money and pay off debt. We really want to preserve the things we have and some of those things need repairs! Having access to the tool library would help us save , reduce waste, and learn new skills in the meantime. We don’t usually feel comfortable going to big box tool stores so having a place we could go where there might Be other people like us would be a relief.”

“We recently bought a a condo that needed A LOT of work done so the tool library has been a dream for helping cut costs on renovations and DIY projects, allowing me to actually make it start to feel like a home. Unfortunately, my job let go of 500 staff two months ago, so I'm unable to afford a renewal this year as I'm currently unemployed.”

“As a disenfranchised elderly person, I could greatly use the tools offered on my house as it needs work done to it.”

“A membership would give me the tools (literally) that I need to finally finish 3 types of projects that I've been putting off for far too long: (1) projects to fix issues that are potentially harmful to my physical health - like repairing the holes that mice have been getting inside through, something I'm mostly capable of doing myself (if I had the tools), but that a professional quoted me almost $4,000 for, (2) projects that will save me money in the long run - like repairing cracks in my walls and sealing windows that I can't reach without a ladder, to make my home more energy efficient, and (3) projects that improve my mental health - like putting up shelves/clothing rods in my closet (which fell almost 2 years ago).”

“Having this opportunity would allow me to finally make my dream a reality and give me something to look forward to doing moving forward.”

Most Adorable Custom Project Built - Community Workshop

Look at this adorable changing table that Frank made for his new granddaughter during Open Shop Hours! That's just the sweetest thing we've ever seen, Frank.

Make your own project during Open Shop Hours. Sign up for a Shop Safety & Certification Class - once you take the class you can work on your project with helpful tips from our super smart shop monitors.

A Miracle? Our Very First Tool is Still With Us! DTL1

Enjoy this emotionally charged photo of DTL1 - the very first tool we ever inventoried - a Makita circular saw. DTL1 has been checked out to 159 different people and has collected $265.75 worth of late fees in the almost 8 years it has been with us. I don't know whose terrible sharpied handwriting is on it, but it's good to see that a heavy finger on a teal spray can has marked our tools with careless abandon ever since day one.

Slim doesn't come close to measuring the chance that this tool should still be with us. At this point in every other timeline this saw's motor is seized, its plastic cracked, or metal shards from its own organs fill its casing. By now it should have been lent to a neighbor and never returned, bounced out of the back of a pickup truck on i-25, or thrown into a fire out of frustration during a project. But as fate would have it, DTL1 is still with us today, and it works pretty dang good.

Be Kind Bench Workshop - Building Recycled Bus Benches for Denver

James Warren builds bus benches out of recycled materials for the Denver Metro Area, and he just hosted his first Bench Bulling Workshop in our Community Workshop on 1/31! His group completed two benches that will allow people to take a load off while waiting for the bus.

“He saw a woman sitting in the dirt at a bus stop. So he began making benches.” -The Washington Post

James Warren is a mobility advocate in Denver who recognized one of the big issues with the transit system in the city: lack of bus stop amenities. Whether it be cover, trash disposal, or seating, bus stop amenities are crucial to the health and wellbeing of those who ride, as well as to making public transit a dignified experience. To that end, he's created benches for bus stops around the city, made from recycled materials, and is hosting the Be Kind Bench workshop to both teach the basics of woodworking as well as create new public amenities. Outfitting bus stops with benches will create a better public transit experience and shines a spotlight on where the city is failing, making this both a practical workshop and an act of advocacy. 

James has been featured in the Washington Post and the Drew Barrymore Show. You can follow him on Instagram @J_M_Warren

Unfortunately, there are no Be Kind Bench Workshop scheduled at the moment, but if you’re interested in potential future workshops, you can reach out to James.

Brand New Class! Intro to Knitting // 3.8.23

Our First Intro to Knitting Class is Wednesday, March 8th // 5:30pm - 8pm

We’ve added another brand new class to our Fiber Arts Department: Intro to Knitting with Diana!

Learn the fundamentals of knitting while making a basic scarf that you can start in class and take home to finish. Become familiar with basic techniques including casting on, casting off, and basic knitting stitches. Understand the language of knitting patterns, get yarn and needle recommendations, and gain the confidence to continue your knitting journey. No experience required.

Knitting has become the new go to art for new brain development and relaxation of the 2020’s. These classes are conducted in a friendly and inviting manner and you will come away feeling like you’ve joined a community of artisans.

Teacher Bio: Diana has been knitting for over 50 years off and on. She now calls it her passion and loves teaching beginners through advanced.

Brand New Class! Drywall: Knowing Your Home Renovation Series

Our First Drywall Class will Be: Friday, March 10th // 5:30pm - 8:30pm

We’ve added another class to our Knowing Your Home Renovation Series, and this one is covers the exciting art of drywall! It will be another home improvement class with our hilarious and super knowledgeable resident home guy David Cooke. He will cover installing, repairing, patching, cutting, taping, mudding, and sanding sheetrock, as well as what tools from the Tool Library you’ll need to do it all yourself.

sold out

Drywall: Knowing Your Home Renovation Class // 3.10.23

Five Easy Ways to Help the Denver Tool Library

We don’t all have time to be a regular volunteer and we aren’t all rich beyond our wildest dreams, so here’s five super easy ways to help us out (if you’re rich beyond your wildest dreams, skip this article and click here).

Way One: Amazon Smile

Look, we all know Amazon isn't great. We’re not trying to convince you to use Amazon if you don't already, BUT if you do, they have a program called Amazon Smile where we get a small percent of every one of your purchases. It's easy to sign up.

1. Make THIS your new bookmark for Amazon shopping. It’s Amazon SMILE which is important.

2. Sign in there with your regular account info and select a charity, which might I highly recommend the Denver Tool Library?

3. As long as you start shopping from that new bookmark, anything you buy makes Bezos have to shell out some fraction of some clams to the DTL. Yay.

Way TWO: King Soops

King Soopers has a program similar to Amazon where they kick a non-profit of your choice a small percent of all of your purchases. If you get groceries/ gas/ beer there on the reg, consider putting our name on your account.

1. Create an account at their website. It's quick - you can skip the little setup wizard that comes second if ya want.

2. Go to this Community Rewards page of your Account Dashboard and search for Denver Tool Library.

3. Click enroll. Easy peasy! Now a really mathematically obscure percentage of your spending will be donated to the DTL! Hoorah!

WAY THREE: LEAVE A 5 STAR REVIEW ON GOOGLE

Not into those shoppy choices of how to help? Leave us a Google review. It’s super helpful in convincing people who say “wtf is a tool library” that we are cool and they should take a chance and try us out.

WAY FOUR: TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW THAT WE’RE AWESOME.

Tell your friends how much we’ve helped you! Tag us in stories about your project or just be that annoying "crypto bro" but instead of crypto talk about what a cool concept a tool library is.

WAY FIVE: SEND us a couple buckS.

And who can’t forget the last easy way to help - Venmoing us a few bucks @denvertoollibrary, or kicking a tax-deductible donation our way! For those who have the means, even a little money can go a long way in repairing/buying tools and subsizing memberships for people/orgs.

THANK YOU, YAY, GOOD JOB, WOOHOO!!