Have you heard of them already? The latest hit with Brno’s young and old: Do It Yourself (DIY) public workshops – shared places where you can borrow the tools and the space necessary to create your own projects. Photo credit: Pixabay
Brno, May 3 (BD) – Have you ever felt like creating something but were stopped by a lack of necessary tools? Well, now you can’t use that excuse anymore.
Some of these workshops even provide beginner and advanced classes and a helpful community to support you. Most of it is English speaker-friendly, too – they hold courses in English or provide English language websites. Some of them have cafés, too!
Hobbylab
Have you always dreamt of becoming a carpenter? Or do you just need to shorten that IKEA shelf?
Either way, Hobbylab is the place to go. They have all the tools and heavy machinery needed to work with wood (and some other materials, too). You can come in anytime during their opening hours (see their website) and use their equipment (you pay by the hour). However, you need to know how to build whatever you intend to build – you can ask them for advice, but they can’t give you an all-encompassing DIY manual.
If it is a manual you are looking for, you can attend one of their courses. As of now, they are all in Czech, but they recommend attending anyway as it mostly involves observation. They are planning to organise their first English course this summer. Check their website regularly to learn more.
You need to pay for your own materials, but they provide a link on their website through which you can order. You can find Hobbylab in Líšeň, at 7 Holzova Street.
Brno Šije
Brno Šije (“Brno Sews”) is a workplace to practise your sewing skills or learn some new ones. They hold an open workshop twice a week on Mondays (3 – 4 pm) and Fridays (7.15 – 9.15 pm), when you can rent their machines (with white and black thread) for 50 crowns/hour and work on your own projects. The technical descriptions are all in Czech, but if you are skilled you won’t need a translator or instructor.
They will have a class for English speakers scheduled once a week, a class in Italian once a week, and many courses in Czech. The classes in English will start on May 21 and will continue once a week, on Wednesdays from 7 to 9pm. The classes will start out at the beginner level, but if you have an interest in learning more, you can advance up to the higher level classes.
You can find Brno Šije on Veveří Street. More information is available on their website.
Fablab
FabLab is a digital workshop and a place to work on your technological engineering. They provide 3D scanners, 3D printers, CnC routers, laser cutting machines, and more. They are located in Technological Park.
If you would like to join, you first have to attend a special tour of the workshop. These tours are given in English as well. Their entire website is available in English, so go and have a look if you want to find more information.
Industra
Industra is probably known to everyone who has lived in Brno for a while – for their excellent coffee, festivals, performances and shows. What isn’t such a well-known fact is that they also have two public workshops: Fablab and cut&sew.
Does the mention of 3D print excite you? And robotics, microscopy, and electronics? Do you have an idea but lack the technology/energy to make it a reality? Fablab Cowork Accelerator has the technology and a community to support you along your journey.
Industra’s cut&sew is for anyone who “wants to master their crafting skills, make suggestions to others, or promote their own work but doesn’t have the tools or knowledge to do so”. They offer courses and seminars in sewing, knitting, crochet, and embroidery. The community also holds fashion shows to help display your work. They speak English and you can contact them through their Facebook page.
Industra is located a bit further away from the centre, on Masná Street.
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Unfortunately, most of these workshops don’t provide their websites in English just yet. However, if you email them (in English) they are more than happy to help you with any questions you may have for them.
These workshops are here for the community of Brno – to bring people with similar ideas and hobbies together. If you have any desire to learn new techniques or would like to improve your skills in these fields, go check them out.
Brno Expat Centre Clues is a series of practical articles dealing with various aspects of life in Brno. Written in cooperation with Brno Daily by Brno Expat Centre consultants, a new article is published every Thursday.
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