10 Tennessee Places Where You Can Make Your Own Knives, Pottery, And Other Handmade Treasures
A rusty railroad spike can turn into a knife, and you can be the one swinging the hammer. I have to admit, that detail grabbed my attention faster than a spark flying off an anvil.
Horseshoes and old nails get the same glowing treatment at a few forges in Tennessee. Elsewhere, studios teach you to shape glass ornaments using nothing more than breath, tools, and fire.
Clay studios across the state happily welcome total beginners, too. Stained glass suncatchers, mosaics, and fused glass round out the list of things you can make.
I love the idea of a souvenir that comes with a story you starred in. So which would you try first: the anvil, the pottery wheel, or the hot, glowing furnace?
1. Iron Mountain Metal Craft
Pigeon Forge got its name from an old forge, so it feels right that you can still swing a hammer here. Iron Mountain Metal Craft sits near where that original forge once stood.
The shop was founded to preserve and pass on the art and skill of metalworking. It’s run by a fan favorite from the History Channel show Forged in Fire, which is a pretty fun bragging right.
Your raw material options sound like a junk drawer from the 1800s. You can forge a knife from a nail, a horseshoe, a pony shoe, or a railroad spike.
The work splits up in a smart way. You hammer the glowing steel to shape the blade, while the staff handle the final shaping and sharpening.
That means you get the sweaty, satisfying part without needing years of practice. The team walks you through the process step by step, so beginners won’t feel lost.
Plan ahead before you show up with big blacksmith dreams. Lessons require an appointment, and some come with age requirements, so call the showroom first.
The shop is open Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday. It makes a nice change of pace from the bigger, flashier attractions around town.
Free parking is available in a lot and along the street. You’ll leave East Tennessee with a custom knife and a story about the day you played blacksmith.
Address: 172 Old Mill Ave, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
2. Wear’s Valley Forge
Rebar usually hides inside concrete, but at this Gatlinburg smithy it can become your new favorite knife. Wear’s Valley Forge offers a hands-on blacksmith and bladesmith experience right on the Parkway.
The idea is simple and pretty thrilling. You forge your own knife while the smiths supervise and keep things on track.
Horseshoes and rebar are among the materials guests have turned into blades. Each one gives a different look, so picking your metal feels a bit like choosing a character in a video game.
Families can get in on the action together. Groups with both kids and adults have each left holding a knife they made themselves.
That kind of souvenir beats a plastic keychain by a mile. It’s also something you’ll actually want to show off at the next family cookout.
Not ready to swing a hammer yet? The shop also sells custom knives and other decorative handmade items.
The forge is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM. It’s closed on Sundays, so plan your Smoky Mountains schedule around that.
Gatlinburg has plenty of ways to fill a vacation day in Tennessee. Few of them end with you holding a blade you shaped with your own two hands.
Address: 449 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
3. Mighty Mud
Getting muddy on purpose is the whole point at this Knoxville studio, and the name says so proudly. Mighty Mud is a pottery studio offering a wide mix of ceramic classes plus supplies.
The supply side matters more than you might expect. Once the clay bug bites, you’ll want a place to grab tools and materials close to home.
Group outings are a strong fit here. The studio hosts private ceramics classes, including group sessions where each person makes a cup and a plate.
Think about what that means for a birthday or team outing. Instead of another dinner out, your crew gets to create handmade pottery that can be picked up once it’s finished.
Sure, your cup might lean a little. Call it character and drink your morning coffee from it anyway.
Planning ahead is a must. Appointments are required, so don’t expect to stroll in and grab a spot on a whim.
Hours run Tuesday through Friday from 11 AM to 6 PM. Saturday goes from 9 AM to 5 PM, and the studio is closed Sunday and Monday.
You’ll find it on Island Home Avenue in South Knoxville. It’s a handy stop when you’re exploring south of the Tennessee River.
Knoxville has its share of museums and trails. This spot lets you leave with something you can actually eat dinner off of.
Address: 1528 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920
4. Scenic City Clay Arts
A shop devoted entirely to mugs tells you a lot about a pottery studio’s priorities. Scenic City Clay Arts runs a Mug Shop stocked with handmade ceramics from its members.
Behind that shop sits a nonprofit community ceramics studio in downtown Chattanooga. It’s located in the basement of the ArtsBuild building on East 11th Street.
Classes cover wheel throwing, handbuilding, and glazing. Beginner pottery classes are a solid starting point if you’ve never touched clay.
First-timers get a helpful mix of instruction, demonstration, and hands-on help. That balance keeps you from feeling tossed onto the wheel without a life jacket.
Kids aren’t left out either. The studio offers youth and family classes, plus summer camps.
Experienced potters can join through studio memberships. Outreach programs also help bring clay and arts education to more people around Chattanooga.
The studio is closed Mondays and open the rest of the week. Tuesday through Thursday hours stretch to 8:30 PM, which helps if you work days.
Active military members can get a discount. Parking includes a free on-site lot, along with paid street parking nearby.
Couples, families, and solo makers can each find a fit here. Not bad for a basement in Tennessee’s Scenic City.
Address: 301 E 11th St #100, Chattanooga, TN 37403
5. Mud Puddle Pottery Studio
Jumping in mud puddles is a childhood rite, and this Pegram studio gives you a grown-up excuse to try again. Mud Puddle Pottery Studio sits right along US-70.
Pegram is a small town in Cheatham County, west of Nashville. That makes the studio an easy detour when you want something quieter and more hands-on than the city.
Expect to learn as you go. Visitors come away with fresh know-how about how pottery actually works, not just a lumpy blob.
The studio also offers an intro class. People who try a shorter experience sometimes find themselves eyeing that class next.
That’s the sneaky thing about clay. One session tends to lead to another, and suddenly you’re shopping for aprons.
Timing matters with this one. The studio is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 AM to 3 PM.
It’s closed on Sundays and Mondays. Those daytime hours make it a good fit for a weekday break or a Saturday morning plan.
Call ahead to ask about current class options before you go. A quick call saves you a wasted drive down Highway 70.
Middle Tennessee has bigger, busier studios in Nashville. This one keeps things simple, and sometimes simple is exactly what your hands need.
Pack clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. The name is a pretty clear warning.
Address: 462 US-70, Pegram, TN 37143
6. Summer Avenue Art and Clay
Bags of clay on the shelves are a good sign you’ve found a serious pottery spot. Summer Avenue Art and Clay works as both a Memphis pottery studio and a clay supply shop.
The supply side carries a wide range of Laguna products and pottery tools. If you already throw at home, this is where you restock without waiting on a delivery truck.
Beginners get plenty to work with too. The studio offers classes, and handbuilding is one way to get your hands into the clay.
Handbuilding skips the spinning wheel. You pinch, roll, and shape pieces by hand, which feels a lot less intimidating on day one.
Patience is part of the deal. After you make your pieces, you’ll wait to see them finished, and that reveal is half the fun.
Serious makers can rent private studio spaces. It’s a handy setup for anyone who has outgrown the kitchen table.
Plan your visit for later in the week. The studio is open Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 AM to 4 PM.
It’s closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. On-site parking makes hauling heavy clay bags a little easier on your back.
Memphis is famous for music, but its maker scene deserves some attention too. Clay, classes, and studio space under one roof make this a strong Tennessee stop.
Address: 3221 Summer Ave, Memphis, TN 38112
7. Ignis Glass Studio
Breath and fire make an unlikely team, yet that pairing produces gorgeous glass in downtown Chattanooga. Ignis Glass Studio is an interactive glassblowing studio on Broad Street.
Workshops here are hands-on. You’ll create personalized glass ornaments and keepsakes, which make great gifts if you can bear to give them away.
Molten glass sounds a little scary, and that’s fair. Instructors keep directions simple and clear so the experience stays safe.
That clear guidance helps nervous first-timers relax. Once you get going, watching glass take shape is pretty mesmerizing.
Personalized pieces also beat store-bought decorations. Your ornament will hang on the tree with a story attached.
So when can you go? The studio keeps weekend-heavy hours, open Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Saturday runs from 11 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday goes from noon to 5 PM. It’s closed Monday through Thursday, so plan accordingly.
The Broad Street location puts you close to plenty of downtown Chattanooga sights. That makes it easy to fold a workshop into a bigger day out.
Families, couples, and friend groups can each find a reason to book. Seeing your own breath turn into art is a memory that sticks.
Tennessee has lots of souvenir shops. Very few let you blow the souvenir yourself.
Address: 401 Broad St #105, Chattanooga, TN 37402
8. Appalachian Center for Craft
A craft school beside a lake sounds like something from a dream, but it’s real and part of a university. The Appalachian Center for Craft belongs to Tennessee Tech University.
The lakeside property in Smithville offers studio space for artists, seasonal workshops, and a gallery. Pieces in the gallery are for sale, so bring some shopping room in your car.
Workshop topics cover an impressive spread. You can study blacksmithing, clay, fibers, glass, metals, or wood.
Skill levels vary widely too. Some workshops suit people learning something brand new, while others help experienced artists sharpen their work.
Classes take place in professionally equipped studios. Instructors include artists from across the country as well as from the university campus.
That mix means you could learn from someone who traveled far just to teach. It’s a rare chance to pick up skills you can’t learn from a quick online video.
Not ready to take a class? The gallery still makes the trip worthwhile with one-of-a-kind crafts.
The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM, while the main office operates Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.
Smithville sits in Middle Tennessee, a pleasant drive for a craft-focused getaway. Check the workshop schedule early, since offerings change with the seasons.
Address: 1560 Craft Center Dr, Smithville, TN 37166
9. Five in One Social Club
Sunlight streaming through a suncatcher you made yourself might be the best kind of window decor. Five in One Social Club in Memphis hosts creative workshops for adults, including a stained glass suncatcher class.
Instructors bring both teaching skill and artistic talent. Students get access to quality materials, which makes a big difference when you’re new.
The classes are fun, and you leave with something beautiful. That’s a pretty great return on a few hours of your time.
Workshops happen regularly, so new options keep popping up. Grab a friend and make it a standing craft date.
The space doubles as a shop for handmade goods by local artists. You can browse before class and maybe find inspiration for your next project.
Fun detail for clay fans: this spot also sits on Summer Avenue. You could pair it with a pottery stop down the street for a full Memphis maker day.
Hours run Tuesday through Friday from 11 AM to 5 PM. Saturday opens at 10 AM, Sunday opens at noon, and both close at 5 PM, with Mondays off.
Memphis gives Tennessee plenty of creative energy. Here, you get to add your own little piece of it.
Address: 2575 Summer Ave, Memphis, TN 38112
10. Glassville TN
Stained glass windows once belonged mostly to grand old churches. In Nashville, Glassville TN lets you build your own piece of that colorful tradition.
The studio offers stained glass, fused glass, and mosaic classes and workshops. Three styles under one roof means you can try a new one each visit.
Expect a truly hands-on approach. Students learn each step of making stained glass and finish their own pieces from start to end.
That full process is the satisfying part. You’ll understand why stained glass costs what it does once you’ve cut and fit those pieces yourself.
Got the bug? The shop sells stained glass supplies, so you can keep creating at home.
Glassville also provides retail space for artists. It serves as a gathering point for Nashville’s glass and art community.
Have a project in mind but no time to make it? The studio creates custom glass art pieces to bring your idea to life.
Hours run Wednesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 5 PM. Saturday hours are 11 AM to 5 PM, and the studio is closed Sunday through Tuesday.
A free on-site parking lot makes the visit easy. Nashville may be Music City, but this spot proves it shines in other colors too.
Address: 276 Broadmoor Dr Bldg B, Suite 109, Nashville, TN 37207