You don’t need annual leave for an adventure. Try these beginner-friendly workshops across Malaysia for a little weekday escape. (Image by @tjufybyzocraft)
A week at work goes by pretty fast. Stack week on top of week, and the days can start to blur into one long routine. But sometimes, all it takes to shake things up is a small detour from the usual.
Instead of going straight home or waiting for the weekend to do something different, why not turn an ordinary weekday into a little adventure? From weaving pandan leaves in Penang to making a silver ring in Kuala Lumpur or painting sourdough in Selangor, these workshops offer a chance to explore a new skill, make something with your hands, and be a complete beginner for a few hours.
I’ve rounded up five unique workshops around Malaysia that are worth making a little after-work detour for — whether you’re looking for a solo activity, a date with a friend, or simply an excuse to see your own city differently.
1. Weave a piece of Penang heritage at a pandan workshop
Some people might go for a run after work. If breaking a sweat after wrangling your mind isn’t your thing, you could try a nature-themed workshop – such as this pandan weaving workshop at TIMURA in Penang, which combines the serenity of working with natural materials with a fine-motor-skills workout.
Pandan weaving is a traditional craft with roots in Malaysian heritage. Many might recall older relatives weaving pandan knots or rose bouquets from early childhood days in an elder’s home. Working with leaves after a long day can cultivate a sense of peace and offer a welcome change from the many hours spent in front of a screen.
As you unwind at a pandan weaving workshop, a local artisan will teach you to fold and twist screw pine leaves into solid shapes, from intricate roses and bookmarks to coasters and dragonflies.
2. Make your own plushie in Kuala Lumpur or Penang
To combat the midweek blues, might I suggest joining a plushie-making workshop and making your own emotional-support plushie to accompany you through the week?
The plushie-making process is surprisingly soothing and ritualistic. You start by picking your own unique plushie from the options available, then decorating it with your chosen clothes and accessories. You’ll sew the parts together following step-by-step instructions, stuff your plushie with filling, and finally sew a heart onto it before receiving a birth certificate to mark its birthday.
The ‘make your own plushie’ model was first popularised by large-scale pioneers such as Build-A-Bear, and it’s now increasingly available in Malaysia. Children and adults alike love to craft plushies, which can tap into feelings of comfort and nostalgia. There’s a reason why blind boxes and Jellycat plushies remain popular, too.
Plushie-making workshops are available across major cities in Malaysia. OLO STUDIO in Penang offers simple plushie-making packages for a fun after-work pick-me-up. In Kuala Lumpur, Happy Hour Club cranks up the creativity, where you can build a plushie almost entirely from scratch.
When it comes to ways to indulge your inner child, this one ranks pretty high on the list.
3. Make a 925 silver ring from scratch
Be it with a bestie, a significant other, or on a solo date, forge something cool and tangible after work at a silver ring-making workshop.
Jewellery making is a fine art that is a tad more technical than other taster programmes. At zocraft’s studios in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Penang, you can learn basic jewellery-making techniques while creating your own piece. zocraft offers handmade wedding ring classes for couples, silver ring-making workshops for friends, and the option to make a ring, pendant, or bracelet.
You can disconnect after work while crafting in their tastefully decorated studios, which are filled with a sense of heritage, romance, calmness, and quiet intimacy – perfect for grounded moments and unwinding.
Friendly instructors will provide all the crafting tools and teach basic metalworking techniques. All you need to do is show up and bring home a one-of-a-kind ring made by you. In the spirit of being a complete beginner, you don’t need to have any silversmithing experience to craft your own 925 silver ring from scratch.
4. Paint your breakfast at a sourdough workshop
You’ve painted on paper and canvas, but have you ever tried painting on unbaked bread?
In the spirit of unfamiliarity and shaking things up, The Weekend Workshop in KL runs a sourdough painting class where you use edible colours to paint directly onto fresh sourdough. Your creation is baked in the oven and, once done, you have yourself a delectable and beautiful treat.
Unlike a traditional canvas, bread is meant to be eaten, so there’s no room for perfectionism to take over an impermanent creation. Use your creativity to run wild as you paint with bread as your canvas. And, if you’re wondering what to do with it afterwards, sourdough makes for a good work breakfast, too.
The Weekend Workshop also offers other dessert-decorating workshops, such as the batik tiramisu cake-decorating class, bento cake-decorating workshop, and Picasso cake-decorating workshop.
5. Build a mosaic candle lamp in Johor Bahru
Combine creativity and fire. What do you get? A sparkling, dainty light.
This newly offered vintage Tiffany Mosaic Candle Lamp class at Sands Art Gallere in Johor Bahru is great if you’re looking for an innovative and functional end piece to bring home. By arranging colourful mosaic glass pieces together, using wires to piece together the surface, and assembling the inner candle, you’re left with a dainty and functional décor piece to illuminate a cosy corner at home or in the office.
Make a little detour from the usual
Adventure doesn’t always require a plane ticket, a big budget, or a chunk of annual leave. Sometimes, it’s simply about taking a little detour from your usual routine, trying something you’ve never done before, and seeing a familiar place with fresh eyes. So, when the workweek starts feeling a little too predictable, make your own little after-work adventure, wherever you are in Malaysia.
