DESSERT BEFORE DINNER SOCIAL CLUB: BYOC

On a cold and dreary Sunday, dozens of hobby crafters gathered together for a BYOC (bring your own craft), hosted by Dessert Before Dinner Social Club at FaceClock Gallery and Lounge, a zero-proof event space in Northwest Philadelphia. DB4D has been operating in Philadelphia since March of 2025, and despite its relative youth as a community organization, has gained over 16,000 followers on Instagram and regularly sees high attendance at their events. Despite the gloomy weather, participants were excited for one of the first ever indoor iterations of the BYOC event, an expansion of DB4D’s typical outdoor crafting offerings that take place in Washington Square Park here in Philadelphia. A group of predominantly women participants came bearing watercolor paints, jewelry making supplies, and coloring pages, but primarily, attendees came together to work on fiber arts projects.

Hand sewn hems, knitted scarves, and crochet blankets littered tables and couches, and the room buzzed with chatter as attendees spotted familiar faces and introduced themselves to potential new friends. Attendees varied as widely as the projects they brought, from lawyers and veterinarians to professional artists and undergraduates, but they all had one thing in common: their love of crafting. Pai, a lawyer currently clerking for a local judge, says these events have provided her with a great opportunity to not only make time for her hobbies, but also meet other like-minded, cool people. Caroline, a postgraduate student at Penn, explains that her demanding schedule means she needs dedicated time and space for her fiber arts practice now more than ever as a way to unwind and take time for herself. Julia, a recent Philly transplant, shared this was her first DB4D event since moving to the city from Washington, D.C., and that she was excited to have a place to not only facilitate her creativity, but to meet and connect with other creatives in the community. Attendees not only discussed their works in progress, often referred to as “WIPs”, but chatted about their pets, vented about their jobs, and shared recommendations for local coffee spots and restaurants.

When asked what they liked about DB4D and the BYOC events, each participant had their own unique answer. Still, common themes emerged. Many mentioned how much they valued a space to meet “like-minded” people in their area, and multi-time attendees remarked that they’d met nothing but kind and supportive people at the BYOC in the past, making this an event they were happy to return to again and again. Many people also shared they were trying to limit time spent online or using their phones, and attending the BYOC helped them prioritize screen-free activities like fiber arts. Words like “community” and “connection” appeared in almost every answer, showing that one of the main draws for these events isn’t just that it’s a space for crafting, but that it’s a space for friendship and human interaction many feel we’re limiting with the loss of third spaces in our communities.

As the event drew to a close, many attendees exchanged numbers and social media handles, with some even making plans to meet up outside of planned DB4D events. Attendees’ professed desire for community with fellow crafters went beyond just their attendance at FaceClock but spilled over into future plans and new friendships, showing the power fiber arts holds in developing connections and improving the lives of its participants.

Images from the BYOC event, including a solo shot of attendee Sydney Schultze, who was working a crochet project.

PHOTO CREDIT: Talia Pugliese