perennial

Member Cookbook Swap
2025-11-16 10:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Perennial members are invited to join us for a cookbook swap as we celebrate the season. We know the holidays can feel stressful so let’s take a moment to gather in community and share our favorite recipes, traditions, and sustainable tips.
Meet other wonderful Perennial members, learn how to host your own swaps with friends and family, and take home a new to you cookbook (or two). Plus our friends from Anchovy Book Co will be on-site to sell some of their favorite finds if you’re looking to shop local for your gifts this year.
Please bring at least one cookbook in good condition (personal notes in the margin are perfectly acceptable!) to swap.
This event is free for active Perennial members. To become a member check out all of our options and benefits here.

Open Studio
2025-11-15 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-11-01 13:00 - 17:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Have you learned a skill at Perennial and are ready to put it into action? Get to work in the shop and make your DIY dreams a reality! Come with your own ideas, designs, and materials (or purchase some here) and craft alongside other sustainable makers.
In order to use Perennial tools, you must be trained on safety and proper usage from taking a Perennial class. For example, to use the Chop Saw in the woodshop you should have taken Tools 101 Power Saws, to use a soldering iron in the ReUse Studio you should have taken a soldering class.
For more information about Open Studio, check out our FAQ page.
Each 2 hour session is $15.
Tools available in the Woodshop include: table saw, chop saw, jig saw, drill press, power drills, belt sander, planer, lathe, and traditional hand woodworking tools.
Tools available in the ReUse Studio include: sewing machines and sewing/quilting tools, soldering irons, upholstery tools, leather working tools, mosaic supplies, blenders, dye pots, pans and bowls, hot plates, measuring spoons, cutting mats, tapestry looms, paper-making supplies, wine bottle cutters, mark-making tools, and more!

Sewing Machines: Level 2
2025-11-15 10:00 - 12:30 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Skills you’ll learn:
zippers, pattern reading, choosing fabrics, stitches
Feel confident stitching on your sewing machine, but want to take your skills to the next level? Join this Level 2 sewing class to learn all the unique features of the sewing machine that can help you tackle your next big project! We’ll cover topics ranging from sewing specialty fabrics, to following basic patterns, to getting wacky and having fun with the machine as a craft or sculpting tool. You’ll leave with knowledge about specialty sewing machine feet and how to use them, selecting the right stitch for different projects, and how to use your machine to tackle zippers, buttonholes, and more.
Please note: participants should have basic knowledge of how to use a sewing machine or have taken Perennial’s Sewing Machine Basics workshop.

Tools 101: Drills + Sander + Planer
2025-11-15 10:00 - 11:30 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Skills you’ll learn:
power drill, drill press, belt sander, planer
Learn how to safely and effectively cut your reclaimed wood with the tools in Perennial’s wood shop. In this hour and a half demo, you’ll learn how to safely use hand-held power drills and the drill press to create joinery and attach hardware to your projects. We will also learn how to smooth and shape your wood projects with the belt sander and thickness planer. By completing this crash course, you will be trained to properly and safely use the power drill, drill press, belt sander, and planer for future projects at Perennial.

Hand Carved Scoops + Spoons, 11/13+11/20
2025-11-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
wood
Skills you’ll learn:
carving, shaping, sanding wood
Please note, this two-day workshop takes place on Thursdays, November 13 + 20 from 6pm – 8pm each night.
Handmade wooden scoops and spoons make beautiful heirloom pieces and wonderful host gifts. The class will lead you through basic hand carving skills to create a wood spoon or scoop from reclaimed hardwood. Participants will use a carving knife, spoon gouge, and sand paper to shape and refine their piece. The class will also cover proper care for wooden utensils using Perennial’s homemade wood wax.

Upcycled Candles
2025-11-13 18:00 - 19:30 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
wax, glass
Skills you’ll learn:
techniques for turning leftover candle wax into new candles, including dipped candles + jar candles
Learn how to turn the leftover wax from old candles into new ones! Your instructor Amy will show you different techniques for using up that leftover wax from your candle jar, so you can repurpose the jar and the wax. Participants may bring used candles jars from home that are 8 ounces or smaller or can use ones we have stocked up. With candle leftovers combining in multiple melting pots, this class truly harnesses the power of community + reuse.

Woven Wall Hanging
2025-11-12 18:00 - 21:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
t-shirts, bed sheets, reclaimed yarn, picture frames
Skills you’ll learn:
warping a loom, create fringe, weave stripes and shapes
Embellish your walls with your very own woven wall hanging! This introductory class will cover everything you need to know from setting up the loom to taking off your finished weaving and so many fun things in between. You’ll learn how to warp a loom, create fringe, weave stripes and shapes, and once you’ve created a masterpiece, how to take it from the loom to the wall. Class fee includes a handmade tapestry needle and frame loom to keep.

French Link Bookbinding, 11/12+11/19
2025-11-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
paper, thread
Skills you’ll learn:
French link stitch, folding signatures
Please note, this two-day workshop takes place on Wednesdays, November 12 + 19 from 6pm – 8pm each night.
Join us for this workshop on the beautiful + functional bookbinding technique – the French Link Stitch. This stitch creates its iconic “X” on the exposed spine and allows for the book to be laid flat when open. You’ll learn the anatomy of a book, how to fold signatures, how to measure for your stitches, and how to sew the French Link stitch using the awl, bone folder, needle + thread. Walk away with your own journal to use for drawing, writing, or gifting!

Stained Glass Incense Burner
2025-11-11 18:00 - 21:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
reclaimed glass
Skills you’ll learn:
cutting and soldering stained glass
Create your own stained glass incense burner using reclaimed glass! In this workshop, you’ll learn the basics of working with stained glass: cutting pieces to size, foiling, and soldering them together into a functional, artful design. It’s a great introduction to stained glass techniques and a beautiful way to give new life to salvaged materials. No experience necessary.

Intro to Mosaics, 11/11+11/18
2025-11-11 18:00 - 20:30 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
siMaterials saved from the landfill:
Chipped plates, broken windows, and more!
Skills you’ll learn:
tile cutting, adhering tile and glass, grouting
Please note that this two-day class meets on Tuesday, November 11 from 6pm – 8:30pm and on Tuesday, November 18 from 6pm – 7:30pm.
Learn the basics of mosaics while making a custom design! Using reclaimed glass and ceramic-ware, learn how to create your own mosaic from beginning to end in this two-day workshop. In the first session, Perennial staff will teach you how to cut scraps of glass and tile to create a custom colorful design. The class will cover mortars, grouts, and how to prep surfaces to hold a mosaic. After giving your designs time to dry, the class will meet again for the second session and participants will learn how to complete their mosaic by applying a grout finish.

Thrift Flip: Button Downs
2025-11-08 10:00 - 13:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
textiles
Give secondhand shirts a fresh start! In this workshop, you’ll learn how to tailor and rework thrifted button-downs into new, wearable garments that reflect your personal style. Using basic sewing techniques and creative design choices, you’ll transform everyday finds into something completely your own — and keep perfectly good clothes out of the landfill.
We’ll provide shirts for you to work with, but if you have one in your size that could use a refresh, you’re encouraged to bring it along!

Tools 101: Power Saws
2025-11-08 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Skills you’ll learn:
chop saw/miter saw, band saw, jig saw, circular saw
Learn how to safely and effectively cut reclaimed wood with the power tools in Perennial’s woodshop. In this hour and a half hands-on demo, you’ll learn how to safely use the chop saw (miter saw) to make square and angled cuts. By learning the band saw and jig saw, you’ll be able to make unique cuts of virtually any shape. By completing this crash course, you will be trained to properly and safely use any of the power saws listed above for future projects at Perennial.

Toothbrush Rag Rug
2025-11-06 18:00 - 20:30 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
bedsheets, fabric
Skills you’ll learn:
buttonhole stitch, starting + finishing a circular rug, cutting fabric strips from bedsheets
Also referred to as “Amish knot” rugs, toothbrush rugs get their name from the tool used to make them. Toothbrushes, which were once wooden, had a hole in the handle giving early rag ruggers the idea to sharpen a used handle to a point creating the perfect tool for weaving scraps of fabric into a rug. In this class, you’ll learn how to begin a circular toothbrush rug, how to make the Amish knot or buttonhole stitch with a Perennial-made replica of the toothbrush needle, and how to finish off your project. You will leave class with a small rug that you can either use as a trivet or continue to build at home as large as you want it to be! We will also show you how to make fabric strips out of repurposed fabric or bedsheets for your project.

Home Repair: Wood Windows
2025-11-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
windows with wooden frames
Skills you’ll learn:
window anatomy, removing + replacing glazing, removing + replacing paint
Learn from our instructor Kelsey Moss of Moss Restoration how to spot damage in those classic St. Louis wood windows. In this class, you’ll learn how to repair your old wood windows yourself to maintain energy efficiency + beautiful character in your home. You’ll focus on removing and replacing cracked + crumbling window glazing, the sealant that keeps the glass in and the wind out. You’ll also learn how to remove chipping paint using eco-friendly SoyGel + other techniques. Any other questions you have about your old windows will be great discussion topics for class. Next time the wind’s howling, rest assured that it’s just a friend from beyond and not a call to a repair company!

ReDesign Showcase
2025-11-05 18:00 - 21:00 | Wild Carrot, 3901 Shaw Blvd, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, United States
You’re invited to a truly transformative benefit, the ReDesign Showcase!
November 5, 2025
6-9pm
At Wild Carrot
Grab your tickets to support Perennial at one of the most unique fundraisers of the year! A limited number of discounted Early Bird Tickets are on sale until 9/7 or until sold out.
We’re challenging teams of artists and designers to channel their Perennial spirit and show us what’s possible when you apply a little creativity to the sustainability challenges that surround us. Grab your ticket to this unique un-gala for a chance to get inspired by what’s been left behind.
Perennial’s mission is to build a creative culture of sustainability where discarded objects are transformed into cherished resources. That mission fuels us to host classes and events to empower our community with creative confidence and skills all year long. But it’s not where the transformation ends. Your support helps us transform not only objects, but lives and communities in the process.
Join us Wednesday, November 5th at Wild Carrot to see what’s possible when designers and artists showcase the potential of items that were discarded in real-life St. Louis alleys.
Your ticket includes:
+ Entry to the event and a chance to talk to the artists about their piece and process
+ One vote for fan favorite
+ Heavy appetizers
+ Beverages including cocktails + spirit-free options
+ Hands-on crafts where you can transform your own materials
+ A chance to bid on one-of-a-kind silent auction items created by local artists, woodworkers, and designers
+ Warm fuzzies that your dollars will support Perennial!
VIP Tickets include all the benefits above, plus:

Access to the VIP welcome lounge with a complimentary champagne toast
A special photo to remember the evening (from 6-7pm)
Handcrafted, unique, nametag
A special gift bag

Huge thank you to the community sponsors that have helped make this event possible. For information on sponsoring the ReDesign Showcase please reach out to katie@perennialstl.org.

Haunted House Repair: Creaky Doors + Drawers
2025-11-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
wooden doors, cabinet drawers, hardware
Skills you’ll learn:
paint stripping, refinishing wood surfaces, restoring and reinstalling doors and hardware
Bring new life to old doors and drawers! In this class, you’ll learn techniques for restoring both interior and exterior wooden doors, as well as cabinet fronts and hardware. We’ll cover safe paint stripping methods, refinishing, and reattaching handles and hinges. Perfect for anyone looking to refresh their furniture or give salvaged pieces a second chance.

DIE-ing to Indigo
2025-11-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
cotton textiles (leftover from wrapping your mummy)
Skills you’ll learn:
how to summon rich indigo hues from natural materials
Step into the dye pot… if you dare. In this hauntingly beautiful workshop, you’ll learn the dark art of transforming drab textiles into deep, moody blues. Watch as your fabric emerges from the vat like a spirit from the mist—mysterious, unpredictable, and definitely magical. You’ll leave with your own hand-dyed piece and the skills to keep conjuring color long after the cauldrons cool. If you really want to turn up the creep factor, forgo the gloves and let the indigo give your hands a spooky blue hue too.

Crafts for the Zombie Apocalypse
2025-10-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
plant material (harvested from the ruins of civilization)
Skills you’ll learn:
how to make glue, pens, + ink from natural materials (even after the stores are overrun, looted, and picked over)
The world has ended, the undead are roaming, and yet… your creative spirit lives on. In this hands-on survival craft class, we’ll show you how to make pine pitch glue sticky enough to patch your gear, carve eerie wooden pens for recording your last thoughts, and brew up haunting plant-based ink to mark your maps—or your warnings. Leave with your own handmade pen, ink sample, and the skills to keep crafting even when the world goes dark.

Knots of the Living Dead
2025-10-30 18:00 - 19:30 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Skills you’ll learn:
various knots + their sinister – we mean practical.. uses
This is “knot” your granddad’s survival skills class—it’s Brad’s, and it’s just a little twisted. Learn how to tame tangled cords and master a handful of essential knots that might just save your skin. Leave with a few new tricks up your sleeve and the ability to tie things up nice and tight, should something go bump in the night.

Vintage Spell Bookbinding
2025-10-29 18:00 - 21:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
paper, vintage books (rescued from forgotten shelves and dusty corners)
Skills you’ll learn:
reviving an old hardcover from the dead, frankensteining it anew with fresh pages
Step into the shadows of the library and give new life to forgotten tomes. Katie, a self-taught bookbinder, will guide you through her eerie yet elegant method of upcycling vintage books, preserving their original embossing and character while filling them with recycled pages. Learn to carefully remove a book’s original innards and replace them with new signatures, creating a one-of-a-kind spellbook of your own. Bring your own vintage books (smaller than 8.5” x 5.5” x 1”) or choose from the provided materials to conjure a bound creation that’s both haunting and beautiful. Spell casting not covered in class.

Nightcrawler Compost Bin
2025-10-29 18:00 - 19:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
plastic bins, food waste, paper + cardboard (rescued from the crypt of household clutter)
Skills you’ll learn:
vermicomposting, how to use worm casting for plants
Summon the squirm in this delightfully creepy composting class! If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to keep a colony of wriggling little helpers, now’s your chance. Ro of Ro’s Wigglers will guide you through building your own DIY worm bin using common household scraps—no potions required. You’ll leave with a finished bin crawling with your new wiggly minions, ready to decompose your kitchen scraps into rich, dark soil fit for reviving even the most lifeless houseplants.
All materials will be provided, but if you have a plastic bin lurking around your home (opaque and wider than it is tall), bring it along to start your own haunted compost haven.

Eco-Friendly Scream Printing
2025-10-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
tights, embroidery hoops, textiles (rescued from the graveyard of forgotten clothes)
Skills you’ll learn:
conjuring an image on a screen, haunting your textiles with prints, and caring for your creepy creations
Unleash your inner mad artist in this delightfully eerie printmaking class. Using only reclaimed materials, you’ll learn how to craft your own reusable “scream” screen and press your phantom designs onto tote bags, t-shirts, jeans, + more. Bring in your own weary, worn textiles to resurrect with bold new life—because nothing says sustainable like breathing new spirit into the dead… fabrics.

Haunted House Repair: Bloody Knife Sharpening
2025-10-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
dull knives, knives with loose handles
Skills you’ll learn:
basic care + sharpening of kitchen knives
Get ready for when the call is coming from inside the house. Shape up your dull blades + loose handles without fancy power tools + jigs. In this hands-on class, you’ll learn basic concepts of sharpening + maintaining your kitchen knives. If you’ve got a knife or two that need a new life, bring them to class so you can be ready to protect yours. Please leave blood + Michael Myers or Ghostface masks at home! You’ll leave class with the knowledge and confidence to sharpen knives for cooking + self defense for years to come!

DIY Body Butter
2025-10-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
plastic packaging
Skills you’ll learn:
making body butters with natural materials
Create your very own set of healing body butters with natural + accessible materials! In this workshop, Tara will demonstrate how to create a soothing and nourishing body butter. You’ll leave this workshop with sample-sized body butters.

Tools 101: Lathe
2025-10-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Skills you’ll learn:
lathe woodturning
Learn how to safely and effectively shape reclaimed wood with the lathe in Perennial’s woodshop. In this hour and a half hands-on demo, you’ll learn how to safely use the lathe to turn wood to make bowls, spindles, vessels, and more (with lots of practice!). You’ll discuss the different tools used on the lathe, including different gouges and the parting tool. By completing this crash course, you will be trained to properly and safely use the lathe for future projects at Perennial.
With any woodworking project, it takes practice to master the skills necessary, but this course will introduce you to the tools and safe practices.

Hand Sewing 101
2025-10-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
fabrics, garments
Skills you’ll learn:
fabric identification, variety of stitches, button + patch attachment

Gone are the days of getting rid of a shirt because a button fell off, or having to run to a tailor because a seam ripped. In this class you’ll learn practical hand sewing skills that will allow you to mend your own clothes. You’ll learn how to thread a needle and knot the thread (that’s always the first step), sew a backstitch and a ladder stitch (for mending ripped seams), a blind hem stitch (for hemming pants), and how to reattach a button.

Upcycled Lighting + Wiring
2025-10-22 18:00 - 19:30 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Materials saved from the landfill:
electrical parts
Skills you’ll learn:
electrical work, upcycling
Searching for a new way to brighten up a room? Join this workshop and be inspired to create unique lighting for your home! Instructor Jenny Murphy will share a presentation bursting with creative ways to upcycle items into new light fixtures and lamps. Once you’ve taken in these new ideas, you’ll learn the step-by-step process of wiring a lamp so you can transform your favorite objects into new lighting features!

Tools 101: Table Saw
2025-10-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Perennial, 3762 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63118, United States
Skills you’ll learn:
table saw, circular saw
Learn how to safely and effectively cut your reclaimed wood with the tools in Perennial’s woodshop. In this hour and a half demo, you’ll learn how to safely use Perennial’s Saw Stop table saw to rip long boards and make cross cuts. You’ll learn how to identify when a circular saw would be a better fit for your cutting needs and how to safely clamp your wood and utilize this tool to make your projects come to life. By completing this crash course, you will be trained to safely and properly use the table saw and circular saw for future projects at Perennial.
