Explore the Craft Center
The Student Union Craft Center (SUCC) has all of the tools, machinery and materials required for each area. Come to the SUCC to read through our membership policies and sign up (bring your UCard ID) to become a member! During our floor hours we offer group or one-on-one assistance in most craft areas. For access to our photo darkroom and screen-printing facilities, please email the SU Craft Center (@email) to schedule a mandatory orientation.
The Craft Center is stocked with many different varieties of beads. We offer an array of cords, threads, wires, clasps, earring findings, and pin backs. These materials can be used through a variety of techniques such as sewing beads onto fabric as an accent, weaving beads into intricate patterns using a loom, and incorporating the metal smithing area such as finer gauges of silver, brass and copper wire. The Craft Center staff is trained to teach the basics as well as intricate designs.
Bookmaking combines precision with creativity to achieve an elegant result. Crafters have the chance to create an eclectic array of books by using different kinds of paper, binding and folding styles. Often, members create planners, sketchbooks, photo albums, notebooks, diaries or a simple book. This area is perfect for creating presents for any age. The Craft Center provides book board, bookmaking paper, decorative colored paper, leather, needles, wax thread, as well as other essential tools.
One of our most popular and least expensive areas, button making is a craft that combines collage and magazine cutouts. Use hand operable machines to make buttons to promote a band, club, or for personal use to embellish your lapels, backpacks, and bags.
Please email us if you plan to make buttons from a design/template so we can make sure your printed designs will work in our button makers. Or download the large and small button maker templates below. Make sure your designs are positioned well within the circle(s) in each template.
The Craft Center has a variety of felt colors and textures to choose from to create any object. By simply using a foam board, felt and two different needles, a member can create objects such as hats, little creatures, shoes, and boxes. Felt is sold by the ounce and is a great project to begin with if new at the Craft Center.
A craft that was popular in the 1960s still thrives at the Craft Center. This area offers a wide variety of leather including belt strips, natural and colored suede, elk skin, deerskin, ostrich skin, and cowhide. The Craft Center is fully equipped with materials and tools to create custom belts, handbags, wristbands, necklace chokers and many other projects. The leather area coordinator is trained to teach techniques such as carving, dyeing, sewing, and stamping.
One of the most popular areas at the Craft Center, the metal smithing area is stocked with sheet metals and wiring in copper, brass, bronze, and silver as well as a large selection of gemstones. Tools for cutting, filing, stamping, bending, texturing and soldering are available to customize any project. This area ranges from a simple bent wire project to a complex soldered creation. The Craft Center is equipped with two soldering torches, a variety of fine-grade sandpaper, and polishing cloths.
For black and white film and print developing, please email the SU Craft Center (@email) to schedule a mandatory orientation. After your orientation, you can schedule a workshop for either negative or print developing ($4.00 workshop fee). After you are “darkroom approved” you can rent time in our darkroom for either negative or print developing ($4.00/hour, $1 each additional 15 minutes). The SUCC equipment and chemistry can accommodate black and white film only.
The Craft Center is equipped with three sewing machines, thread, needles, measuring tapes, fabric scissors, and pins. We offer a small selection of donated (free) fabric, as well as scrap material to practice on or for smaller projects. Thread is available for $0.85 per use. Embroidery hoops, thread, and needles are also available for use.
Silk painting is a fun and easy craft at the Craft Center. The Craft Center sells pre-made plain white silk scarves in a variety of sizes including square and rectangle. Upon purchasing the scarf, members stretch the silk on a frame, pencil in design outlines, draw with liquid resist, and paint dye within the lines. The price of resist is included in the purchase of the silk.
To utilize our screen printing area, you must email us at @email to set up an orientation.
Screen printing is a popular area at the Craft Center in which members learn to screen print onto patches, t-shirts, sweatshirts, bags, and more! It is recommended to bring in pre-purchased items to print on (we do not sell t-shirts, etc.). The Craft Center sells a variety of inks.
The Craft Center has many varieties of colored glass to create anything from a single candle holder to an intricate wall hanging. The stained glass area is equipped with two soldering iron stations, two grinding stations, and all tools and materials needed for cutting, snapping, and attaching glass. For a more advanced crafter, three-dimensional objects are an option as well.