Entry No. 6 — the Baltimore file — filed under: witchy
Aunt Hazel's Whichcraft Project
A quirky, queer-friendly community craft store and maker space focused on reuse, repurposing, and 'letting the magic out' through hands-on crafting.
The story
The story goes that in late summer 2023, the family of Bella Smith—a Baltimore School for the Arts graduate trained in studio art and art conservation—received an unpostaged package. Inside sat crafted art objects and an unsigned letter from an off-the-grid relative named Aunt Hazel, declaring: "If you go to 4708 Harford Road, Baltimore MD you will find 'my project.' Magic is in everyone, craft is how you let the magic out." The address happened to be a vacant storefront in Northeast Baltimore's Hamilton-Lauraville area, and the family took the hint.
What opened there is a community craft store and makerspace operating almost entirely on repurposed goods. Instead of buying new plastic materials, the shop gathers unused yarn, fabric, and art gear through community donations, yard sales, and auctions, trading store coupons to locals who drop off their excess stash. Inside, visitors work out of a hands-on workroom known as Paco's Workspace, using the collective supply inventory to build projects without paying retail craft-store markups.
The programming favors low-pressure social crafting over formal lecture formats. Regular gatherings include Queer Stitch and Bezitch, open community sessions, and the monthly CraftSlam competition. At 12:00 PM on the first Saturday of every month, participants pay a $5 entry fee to pick up a prompt and a box of mystery scrap materials. Entries are turned in, displayed in the shop for the rest of the month, and put to a public vote by visitors and online followers.
What it's like
Inside 4708 Harford Road, chests, drawers, and shelves are packed with sorted scrap fabrics, yarn, and salvaged art materials. You can drop in during weekend open community hours on a pay-what-you-think-is-fair basis, or sign up for a monthly membership to access Paco's Workspace whenever doors are unlocked. Don't bother relying on phone calls—the listed shop line isn't regularly monitored, so check their Instagram or Facebook stories for sudden closures or schedule updates before heading over.
The move: Drop in during their weekend 'Open Community Hours' to participate in a 'Queer Stitch and Bezitch' session or enter their monthly 'Craft Slam' competition.
- 📍 Northeast Baltimore
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 4708 Harford Rd, Baltimore, MD 21214
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Bazaar Baltimore — Pair Aunt Hazel's repurposed scrap hunts with Bazaar Baltimore's oddities inventory and hands-on taxidermy workshops for a full day of tactile, offbeat crafting.
- Station North Tool Library — Trade scrap yarn and collage paper for heavy machinery and woodworking classes at another community-driven resource sharing space in the city.
- 228 Grant Street Candle Co. — Keep your hands-on Baltimore itinerary going by moving from scrap crafting in Northeast Baltimore to artisanal soy candle pouring on the east side.
Good to know
How do material donations work?
You can drop off clean, unwanted craft supplies directly at the store during business hours or contact them for larger pick-ups. In return, the shop provides a coupon you can use toward repurposed craft materials in the store.
What is CraftSlam and how do I participate?
It is a monthly upcycled craft contest. Show up on the first Saturday of the month at 12:00 PM, pay the $5 entry fee, and receive that month's prompt and secret material stash. You construct your piece and submit it to be displayed in the store for community voting through the end of the month.
Do I need a membership to use the workspace?
No. You can pay what you consider fair and equitable during weekend Open Community Hours, or purchase a monthly Project Club Membership for unlimited drop-in access to Paco's Workspace and staff-led classes.
Is the venue beginner- and LGBTQ+-friendly?
Yes. The shop explicitly frames itself as a queer-friendly community space designed for all experience levels, featuring regular casual drop-ins like Queer Stitch and Bezitch.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · bmoreart.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21