The Maker Barn began as a desire to spread the spirit of craftsmanship with the community, former Houston firefighter George Carlson said.

Dedicated to creating a space where crafters can build a community through the collaboration of projects, The Maker Barn was founded by Carlson in 2016.

“I grew up with my father who was a captain maker, so I always had access to a shop and making things was just something that was done, " Carlson said. “ And as a kid I used to make all my toys. So I just thought that's the way it was. We could afford toys, but it was more fun making them.”

Respecting the craft

Made up of 210 members, The Maker Barn is funded through membership fees and is operated by volunteers seven days a week, President Kathy Barbieri said.


With the mission to provide a space for the community to gather and create projects together, The Maker Barn has seen woodworking, welding, laser cutting, ceramic art and stained glass projects created with materials and equipment the nonprofit has acquired over the years.
New members at the Maker Barn can learn to create a variety of projects from other members. (Courtesy The Maker Barn)
New members at The Maker Barn can learn to create a variety of projects from other members. (Courtesy The Maker Barn)
“Some people are really skilled when they come here and some aren’t, so they have a chance to learn and have access to these things that they wouldn't have otherwise,” Carlson said.

At The Maker Barn, members have access to a space to work, supplies and knowledge from other members involved. Some equipment available for projects includes 3D printers, embroidery machines, ceramic molds and laser cutting machines.

What’s special about it?

Barbieri said The Maker Barn is made possible by the community who often donates materials, equipment and their time to help contribute to the nonprofit. Volunteers oversee members working on projects during four-hour shifts.
At the Makers Barn members can create projects such as sewing and quilting projects. (Courtesy The Maker Barn)
At The Maker Barn members can create projects such as sewing and quilting projects. (Courtesy The Maker Barn)
The organization once collaborated with Compassion United, a Conroe-based organization, to build beds with storage for homeless people in the area, a project that took months to complete, Barbieri said.


Most recently, Tenaris, a manufacturer of pipes and related services for the energy industry, collaborated with The Maker Barn to donate 80 laptops to students in need of computers. As part of its next community project, the nonprofit plans to repair the computers by adding hard drives to them and donating them to school districts or students directly, Barbieri said.