Darnestown Presbyterian Women Craft Their Way Through the Calendar Year

The Darnestown Presbyterian Women (DPW) know their Annual Holiday Bazaar and Craft Boutique is unique among church bazaars. The church does not simply rent out space to crafters, but rather, the women of the congregation do the planning, meeting, and crafting themselves.

The idea was to create a congregation of crafters. “We realized that to make this concept work, we had to ‘grow’ our expertise,” said Kathy Kurkjian, who organizes and plans the crafts for the bazaar.

“We teach our crafters how to make things, they become experts, and teach others,” she added.

The work begins right after Christmas when the crafters shop the end of season sales.  “We bulk up on supplies,” said Kurkjian, “and then we are ready to go in January.”

To accumulate other needed supplies, the group publishes lists for the congregation throughout the year of all the things they are collecting, like buttons or recyclables. This year, they collected partially burned candles, vintage sheet music, and old records for some of the projects.

By February, workshops are underway to teach the crafters how to make the many, varied projects for the boutique. Kurkjian dedicates her home to store the supplies and provide workspace for the craft projects.

The meetings, which average 20 or so crafters, take place at least once a month and increase in frequency as the first weekend in November approaches.  

Shoppers are impressed with the scope and diversity of the craft boutique, which has grown over the years to include numerous specialties, including florals, sewing, jewelry, knitting, paper crafts, candles and soap making.

“Kathy does a miraculous job of organizing the crafts,” said Belinda O’Berry, co-chair of the event. But beyond the crafts, Kurkjian is more pleased with the gathering and the fellowship, “the coming together for an objective.” 

Darnestown Presbyterian gives a very large percentage of the proceeds from the Holiday Bazaar and Craft Boutique to local charities, including but not limited to Germantown Help, Children’s Hospital and Stepping Stones.

All women of the congregation are encouraged to give some of their time and talent during the year to this worthwhile charitable outreach. No excuses, even if you have no “crafting talent.”

“We use the gifts that we are given…the gifts that God gives us,” said Kurkjian. “So if you can’t craft but you can cook, then bring food!” 

Darnestown Presbyterian’s Annual Holiday Bazaar and Craft Boutique will be held on Saturday, November 5th from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In addition to crafts, the event includes a silent auction, bake sale, and flea market.