America's Most Generous Cities Revealed

DENVER, Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- 'Tis the season for giving, and the holiday spirit is in full force across America according to the results of a recent survey conducted by Craftsy, the preeminent online destination to learn, create and share. The nationwide survey of 10,000 passionate makers revealed the most generous cities in America: Manchester, NH captured the top spot with Port St. Lucie, FL; Spokane, WA; Worcester, MA; and Virginia Beach, VA rounding out the top five.

Craftsy, which offers more than 270 online classes in quilting, sewing, knitting, cake decorating, cooking, photography, art, and more, tracked responses from over 700 cities and rated the generosity of each city based on the frequency of and propensity for gift giving. The survey revealed that crafters in the Manchester area ranked the highest for overall generosity. In addition to being very generous, 75% of Manchester residents reported that they appreciate receiving handmade gifts more than store-bought gifts. According to Craftsy, this sentiment is reflected in the overall survey results.

"Makers are giving and benevolent people. They're patient with their time and open-hearted with their projects," said John Levisay, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Craftsy. "This first-of-its-kind ranking measures generosity based on the time makers across the country spend on creating thoughtful gifts, along with their commitment to gifting their creations. I'm thrilled to see the way the people of Manchester are tapping into their creative expertise to delight others this holiday season—there's nothing like a heartfelt handmade gift!

Diane Morgan, cooking instructor of the forthcoming Sweet & Savory Food Gifts, which launches later this month, understands why makers are so inclined to give. "I'm a chef, so food is my craft of choice, but makers of all types take great pride in their creations. For me, the best gift is seeing a happy smile on someone's face after enjoying one of my dishes. Many makers pour their hearts and souls into their projects and love to make others happy in the process."

Other notable mentions from the survey results:

• Makers in Bakersfield, California spend the most time per week – 12 hours – on handmade projects. But makers in San Juan, Puerto Rico create the most handmade projects – 7 per month!
• In Birmingham, Alabama, makers tend to spend the most on creating handmade gifts: an average of $132 per month.
• When it comes to the percentage of projects gifted, makers in Worcester, Massachusetts take the top prize with 70% of handmade projects given away as gifts.

"Over the past year, we've seen more and more makers across the country want to learn how to create meaningful gifts for their loved ones," said Emily Lawrence, Vice President of Production at Craftsy. "We often underestimate the time it takes to create a gift from the heart, but this survey emphasizes the value of handmade gifts this holiday season and all year long."

With the convenience of the Craftsy platform, students can enjoy classes anytime and anywhere, across desktop and mobile platforms (computer, tablet or phone). Each lesson is carefully designed, planned and curated to provide an interactive classroom experience. With lifetime access to all purchased classes, students can share projects with fellow makers and ask expert instructors one-on-one questions.

The top 25 most generous metro areas are:       

1. Manchester, New Hampshire
2. Port St. Lucie, Florida
3. Spokane, Washington
4. Worcester, Massachusetts
5. Virginia Beach, Virginia
6. Bakersfield, California
7. Little Rock, Arkansas
8. Lincoln, Nebraska
9. Bradenton, Florida
10. Colorado Springs, Colorado
11. Nashville, Tennessee
12. New York, New York
13. Memphis, Tennessee
14. Tulsa, Oklahoma
15. Boise City, Idaho
16. Miami, Florida
17. Portland, Maine
18. Asheville, North Carolina
19. Salem, Oregon
20. Grand Rapids, Michigan
21. Norwalk, Connecticut
22. Albany, New York
23. Sacramento, California
24. Seattle, Washington
25. Portland, Oregon

For the full results of the survey, visit craftsy.com/blog
 

About Craftsy
Craftsy is the preeminent online destination for passionate makers to learn, create and share. With classes in quilting, sewing, knitting, cake decorating, art, photography, cooking and many more categories, over two million makers are taking their skills to new heights alongside the world's best instructors. Craftsy's online classes combine top-quality content, anytime convenience and the intimacy of an in-person experience. Members of the Craftsy community – whether neighbors or makers across the globe – inspire and support each other with ideas, tips and positive feedback along the way. For more information, visit www.craftsy.com.

Contact:
Sonie Guseh | 212.784.5698| [email protected]
Elana Rueven | 212.784.5723| [email protected]

Related Links:
Craftsy
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Image with caption: "Craftsy's survey of passionate makers across the country reveals the most generous cities in America." Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131112/MM14541-INFO-b

SOURCE Craftsy