Upcoming Events

WHAT: Crafting from the Collection
WHEN: Thursday, June 3; 6-8pm
WHERE: Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX

WHAT: CRAFTINISTA Trunk Show & Benefit
WHEN: Thursday, June 3; 5-7:30pm
WHERE: Picking Daisies, 570 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, CA

WHAT: Historic Mansfield Arts Festival
WHEN: Friday, June 4, 7-11pm and Saturday, June 5; 10am-11pm
WHERE: Mansfield, TX

WHAT: Wholly Craft! Show
WHEN: Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5
WHERE: Moxie Cinema, 431 S. Jefferson, #108, Springfield, MO
ETC: Screening of Handmade Nation at 4pm on Saturday

WHAT: BrisStyle Indie Designers Market
WHEN: Saturday, June 5; 9am-2pm
WHERE: St Augustine's Church, Racecourse Rd., Hamilton, QLD

WHAT: Handmade Market
WHEN: Saturday, June 5; 10am-4pm
WHERE: Kamberra Wine Co., Cnr. Northbourne Ave. & Flemington Rd., Lyneham, ACT

WHAT: Providence Open Market
WHEN: Saturday, June 5; 10am-4pm
WHERE: Lippitt Park, Providence, RI

WHAT: bijou market
WHEN: Saturday, June 5; 10am-4pm
WHERE: 202 E. 1800 S., Orem, UT

WHAT: Green With Indie
WHEN: Saturday, June 5; 10am-6pm
WHERE: Webster University's Grant Gym, 175 Edgar Rd., Webster Groves, MO

WHAT: The Freret Market
WHEN: Saturday, June 5; Noon-5pm
WHERE: 5030 S Liberty St., New Orleans, LA

WHAT: The Farm Chicks Show
WHEN: Saturday, June 5, 10am-6pm and Sunday, June 6, 10am-4pm
WHERE: Spokane, WA

WHAT: Renegade Craft Fair - Brooklyn
WHEN: Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6; 11am-7pm
WHERE: McCarren Park, Brooklyn, NY

WHAT: The Talent Show
WHEN: Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6; 10am-6pm
WHERE: Rau+Barber, 4244 Nicollet Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN

WHAT: SoWa Open Market
WHEN: Sunday, June 6; 10am-4pm
WHERE: 460 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA

WHAT: Crafty By Nature
WHEN: Sunday, June 6; 9am-4pm
WHERE: Shupp’s Grove, Adamstown, PA

WHAT: Constructor Craft Fair
WHEN: Sunday, June 6; 10am-6pm
WHERE: FitzGerald's, 6615 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn, IL

WHAT: Indie Mart - 3 year Anniversary Bash
WHEN: Sunday, June 6; Noon-6pm
WHERE: Thee Parkside, 1600 17th St., San Francisco, CA

WHAT: De-Stash Bash & Pot Luck
WHEN: Tuesday, June 8; 7-9pm
WHERE: Rhody Craft 100 at Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI

Handmade Nation

Saturday Joe and I attended a screening of Handmade Nation at the Philadelphia Convention Center. The documentary, created by Faythe Levine, delves into what motivates crafters (or makers) to create and sell their wares. We met Faythe at Stitch Austin in 2007 when she was beginning her journey around the country and it was exciting to see how it all came together in the end. The comment within the documentary that resonated the most with me was, "If you don't like the culture you are living in, you have to create your own." Many of the makers interviewed commented on the DIY movement as one that is fed up with mass-produced goods and poorly made items from third world countries. I think that is something most crafters can associate with, as well as the desire to create upcycled, eco-friendly items. So many makers pride themselves on using recycled materials, as well as soy-based inks and other Earth-friendly supplies. And, as buyers, many of us tend to look for that when deciding on a purchase. I believe that the basis for the DIY movement in this day & age is the desire to express one's self creatively & to create unique, one-of-a-kind items that aren't mass-produced and allows you to be your true self instead of a cookie cutter image. Handmade Nation showed many of the interviewees working in the home studios and offices. It was especially interesting to hear how these crafters aren't just doing their own crafting, but also their own marketing, shipping, and bookkeeping. In truth, their entire business from top to bottom is DIY! When it all boils down to it, the best part of the documentary was seeing so many like-minded people doing what they love for all the right reasons. Check out the Handmade Nation blog for a schedule of screenings around the world.

Handmade Nation Products:

- Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design (Paperback) by Faythe Levine

- Handmade Nation Embroidery Patterns by Sublime Stitching