10 Pennsylvania Creative Reuse And Craft Thrift Shops Where Craft Supplies Cost Next To Nothing
One Pittsburgh shop lets you stuff a whole bag with odd craft materials for a few bucks.
Half-used glue bottles, board game pieces, and old maps can all end up in the same sack.
That shop opened in 2011, growing out of a 2007 project. Since then, creative reuse stores have popped up across Pennsylvania.
Some offer free crafting tables. One sells yarn by the ounce. I love the whole idea. Somebody’s abandoned scrapbook stash becomes your next birthday card.
Somebody’s extra yarn becomes your next scarf. Nobody tosses anything in a landfill, and your wallet stays happy.
The best part is the surprise. Shelves change as fast as donations arrive, so no two trips look alike.
I can’t think of a better excuse to clean out your own craft closet, then refill it for pocket change. So which shop will you raid first?
1. Pittsburgh Center For Creative Reuse
Bag pricing turns shopping here into a fun little puzzle. The Bulk Section lets you fill a bag with interesting materials at set sizes.
How much can you cram in? That part is up to you and your packing skills.
This nonprofit runs a non-traditional art supply shop in Pittsburgh. People donate used art and craft supplies, and other people buy them in the same spot.
The mix gets wonderfully random. Shelves can hold opened glue bottles, plastic and wood board game pieces, and old maps with a vintage look.
The story goes back to 2007. A project called Creative Reuse Pittsburgh jumpstarted creative reuse in Pennsylvania, and it became this center in 2011.
Hours are generous, from 11 AM to 5 PM seven days a week. Masks are required from 11 AM to noon, which helps immunocompromised shoppers, then become optional.
Can’t make it in person? The online store runs around the clock with curbside pickup, local delivery, and shipping across the U.S.
Got your own extras to share? Walk-in donations of one box per household are welcome daily from 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Bigger loads need an appointment first. The center also hosts hands-on creative programs, so you can learn something while you browse.
Address: 214 N Lexington St, Pittsburgh, PA 15208
2. The Resource Exchange
Lumber and lampshades share the floor with markers and fabric here. It’s the kind of place where your project list suddenly gets longer.
The Resource Exchange is a Philadelphia nonprofit that started in the summer of 2009. Since then, it has diverted hundreds of tons of material from landfills.
Shoppers can find used fabric, lumber, furnishings, craft items, office supplies, and more. Tables often hold tile, tools, paints, paper, and jewelry pieces.
Fabric fans, pay attention. Rolls of fabric sell by the yard, often at a fraction of retail prices.
The mix also includes vintage and thrifty finds like toys and spare kitchen tools. Teachers, artists, and makers all get a place to stock up for sustainable projects.
Plan your trip around the schedule. The shop and gallery open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM, plus Sunday from noon to 4 PM.
Online shopping with curbside pickup works 24/7. That’s handy when inspiration hits at midnight.
Donations are accepted, but only certain items. Check the donation page before you haul over your stash.
Workshops and gallery nights add another reason to stop by. A free on-site parking lot makes loading up that lumber a little easier.
Address: 1800 N American St, Philadelphia, PA 19122
3. Lancaster Creative Reuse
Before you pay full price for a picture frame, swing by this Oregon Pike shop. A gently used one might be waiting for a fraction of the cost.
Lancaster Creative Reuse is a nonprofit art, craft, and sewing supply store built on donations. The idea started in fall 2009, and the doors opened in August 2010.
Stock shifts with what the community drops off. Expect scrapbook paper, fabric, empty frames, holiday items, and plenty of surprises.
The donation list reads like a crafter’s dream. Yarn, fine art supplies, candle-making gear, embroidery, pottery tools, and printmaking supplies are all welcome.
Some things stay out, though. Clothing, glass jars, coffee cans, sewing patterns, and tiny fabric scraps are on the no list for now.
Small donations of up to two boxes or bags can be dropped off Tuesday through Friday, at least one hour before closing. Saturday donations require an appointment.
Larger donations normally need advance arrangements, but appointments for large drop-offs are temporarily paused. Check the current donation guidelines before bringing a big load.
Hours vary by day, so check before you go. Thursday is the late night, running until 6 PM.
There’s more than shopping here too. An open craft space, educational programs, and community outreach keep the creativity flowing past the checkout counter.
Address: 1766 Oregon Pike, Lancaster, PA 17601
4. Art of Recycle
Free crafting, free books, and an undersea theme? Ephrata clearly didn’t get the memo that bargains should be boring.
Art of Recycle is a nonprofit craft store and bookstore that opened on March 5, 2012. Its mission is to spark creativity, make art affordable, and encourage reuse.
The shelves hold a wild range of goods. Think paper, paint, ribbon, frames, yarn, knitting needles, cross stitch, stencils, beads, wood, and ink.
Then comes the Undersea Crafting Area. It’s open to the public during store hours, with small craft kits and supplies and no purchase required.
Bookworms win too. Visitors to the free crafting area can take up to five free books per visit.
Saturdays bring the Craft Castle Challenge. You make art based on a daily theme using Craft Castle materials, and participants get a discount card.
Store money and donations fund a Free Resource Center, free events, and job training. Free and low-cost classes are offered for kids and adults.
The schedule is friendly for busy folks, open weekdays from 9 AM to 6 PM. Saturdays run 9 AM to 3 PM, and Sundays are closed.
Address: 27 Cloister Ave, Ephrata, PA 17522
5. Scraps & Skeins
Knitters with overflowing yarn bins finally have a noble excuse to let go. This State College shop gives that extra wool a fresh home.
Scraps & Skeins is a creative reuse store focused on sewing, knitting, quilting, and similar materials. It rescues donated supplies and resells them at friendly secondhand prices.
The mission goes deeper than yarn, though. Through those sales, the shop provides employment opportunities for people who face barriers to traditional employment.
Volunteers and staff run the place together. For the employees, these jobs carry real meaning, which makes your purchase feel extra good.
The store aims to give knitters and quilters an outlet for overflow materials. It also wants the community to have affordable creative supplies.
Since everything arrives as a donation, the stock keeps changing. You might find skeins one week and quilting fabric the next.
Timing matters here, so check your calendar before heading out. The shop opens Tuesday through Thursday from 9 AM to 3 PM.
Saturday shopping is available only on the third Saturday of each month, also from 9 AM to 3 PM. On the first Wednesday of each month, the store extends its hours until 5 PM.
Mondays, Fridays, Sundays, and other Saturdays are closed. Morning visits usually fit the schedule best, so grab your coffee and go.
Fiber fans in central Pennsylvania should keep this one on their radar. Your next sweater might start here.
Address: 3042 Enterprise Dr Ste 102, State College, PA 16801
6. Cut the Scrap!
Yarn sold by weight sounds like a deli counter for knitters. In Allentown, that’s just how this shop rolls.
Cut the Scrap! opened in June 2024 as a secondhand arts and crafts supply store. It recently moved to a larger space on Washington Street.
The supplies are donated, which helps keep prices low. Fabric sells by cut size, and scrapbook paper goes by the sheet.
Shelves hold paper, stamps, ribbons, fabric, yarn, paints, beads, and books. Sewing notions show up in the mix too.
Vintage supplies are a big draw here. Older materials can sometimes be difficult to find in regular craft stores, so keep your eyes peeled.
Interested in learning how to use a Cricut? The shop offers classes and workshops involving crafting equipment, giving beginners a chance to build skills without having to figure everything out alone.
Stitching classes also help you learn new techniques and meet other makers. It’s part store, part community hangout.
Donating pays off as well. You’ll get store credit for accepted supplies, which you can use on a later visit.
The shop opens Wednesday through Saturday, while Sundays through Tuesdays are closed. Free parking makes a quick stop easy.
Address: 1145 Washington St, Allentown, PA 18102
7. ReCrafted LLC
Huntingdon keeps things simple with this one. ReCrafted calls itself a secondhand arts and crafts supply store, and it sticks to that job.
That focus is a plus. You’re not digging through racks of old shirts to find a paintbrush.
Fabric and art supplies are steady stars here. Sewing items show up regularly too, so quilters and stitchers have reasons to stop in.
The selection leans wide and eclectic. That’s a fancy way of saying you never quite know what’s next to the yarn.
Prices are the big headline. Crafters on a tight budget can stretch their dollars much further than at a regular big-box store.
Want a tip? Bring a loose project idea instead of a strict shopping list.
Secondhand shelves reward flexible thinking. A random bundle of trim might become the best part of your design.
Hours give weekend folks some love. The shop opens Wednesday through Friday from noon to 6 PM.
Saturdays run 10 AM to 6 PM, and Sundays go from 10 AM to 3 PM. Mondays and Tuesdays are closed.
For central Pennsylvania makers, this is a handy stop. Your craft closet will thank you.
Address: 729 Washington St, Huntingdon, PA 16652
8. Rewind Reuse Center & Workshop
Puppet making and dish gardens on the same class list? Export’s little reuse center clearly likes to keep things interesting.
Rewind-Reuse Center and Workshop sits in the heart of Export. Its green mission is to keep discarded materials out of landfills and put them to creative use.
The Scrap Shop is where bargain hunters head first. Supplies cover many hobbies, plus fun found items, decor, and unexpected trinkets.
Prices stay low, which makes trying a new craft less risky. Messing up a project hurts less when the supplies were cheap.
Classes add a big dose of fun. Options include basic sewing, collage, glass painting, mosaics, nature printing, paper making, and wreath making.
A spacious work area welcomes kids and adults at different skill levels. Crafting groups can gather and create together.
Book lovers get a bonus too. The Export Free Library is a bookcase where you can take and give books, including craft how-to titles.
Donating your unused supplies here is welcome. It’s a neat way to clear space at home.
The center’s official website lists Wednesday through Friday from 11 AM to 5 PM as its regular shop hours.
Export’s local business directory also advertises hours on the second and third Saturdays of each month, from 11 AM to 3 PM.
Because the schedules differ, call ahead before planning a Saturday visit. Address: 5853 Washington Ave, Export, PA 15632
9. Gemma Fabrics, PA
A thrift store just for fabric, yarn, and sewing supplies? That’s the kind of place that can make a quilter forget what time it is.
Gemma Fabrics is a creative reuse shop in Lahaska, Bucks County. Instead of focusing on brand-new merchandise, it gives secondhand fiber arts materials a chance to become something beautiful.
The selection includes fabric, yarn, thread, ribbons, lace, buttons, zippers, and sewing notions. Knitters and crocheters can also hunt for needles, hooks, and other useful tools.
Quilters should keep an eye out for interesting fabric pieces. Since inventory comes from donated materials, unusual colors and prints can turn up when you least expect them.
The shop also carries supplies for embroidery, weaving, and other fiber arts. That makes it a handy stop for anyone whose craft closet already holds three unfinished projects.
There’s a community side to the store, too. Wednesday evenings bring WIP Wednesdays, a free gathering where makers can bring a work-in-progress and enjoy some creative company.
Need a little extra inspiration? The shop also organizes workshops and open studio activities.
Hours run Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6 PM. Wednesday hours extend until at least 8 PM, while Sundays and Mondays are closed.
Address: 5820 Lower York Rd, Lahaska, PA 18931
10. Artful Treasures
Some craft shops just sell you supplies. This little Langhorne spot invites you to sit down and make something before you even leave.
Artful Treasures is a creative reuse center and art studio in historic Langhorne Borough. It mixes affordable art and craft materials with hands-on activities for kids and adults.
The shop was founded by longtime crafter and artist Karen Floyd.
Her goal was to give forgotten and repurposed materials new possibilities while making creativity accessible to the community.
Expect a changing selection of papers, stickers, paints, beads, yarn, and other crafty odds and ends. The supplies depend on what’s available, so every visit can bring a new surprise.
Junk journal fans have a reason to linger. Decorative papers and stickers can become the starting point for handmade journals, cards, or scrapbook pages.
Here’s the part that sets it apart. Make-and-take projects let visitors try a craft right at the shop or pick up a project to finish at home.
Classes and workshops offer even more choices. Painting, drawing, and general crafting activities give beginners a chance to learn without committing to a big collection of supplies.
Current business listings show Saturday hours from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday hours from 9 AM to 3 PM. Check the shop’s calendar before visiting, especially if you want to join a class.
Address: 105A E Maple Ave, Langhorne, PA 19047