CRAFT Magazine: Interviews

Paper Boat Q+A

Thu, 15 May 2008 15:00:45 -0800

Faythe and Kim from Milwaukee's Paper Boat Boutique were recently interviewed on Heart Handmade, and it's great reading for anyone who might be interested in opening their own shop--or for anyone looking to submit their work to an indie boutique.

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CraftSanity Podcast with Jenny Hart

Thu, 01 May 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Catch Jennifer of CraftSanty's latest podcast with embroidery queen Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching. You'll also be able to download a free stitching pattern! Also, now through Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) everything in Jenny's Sublime Stitching store is 10% off.

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Feeling Stitchy Interview with Doe-C-Doe

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:00:05 -0800

Feeling Stitchy has posted a great interview with crafter Gina from Doe-C-Doe. Check it out for some gorgeous eye candy and insights into this clever crafter's inspirations.

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Ariana Marinelli Interview and Staindrop Hedgehog Pattern

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:00:00 -0800

Kristen of Plush You! has an interview with crafter Ariana Marinelli who makes plush goodness like these hedgehogs above. Read the interview and enter the giveaway to win two albino hedgehogs. Ariana also includes a pattern to make the cute little hedgehogs above.

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Plush You! Interview + Giveaway with Jenny Harada

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Kristin of Plush You! has got a great interview with Jenny Harada who makes the most wonderful plush monsters. You can also enter the giveaway for a chance of winning a custom plush just for you made by Jenny!
For those of you in the Seattle, WA area, Plush You! is also looking for an intern.

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Sandi Henderson Interview @ QuiltersBuzz

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:00:14 -0800

QuiltersBuzz recently posted an interview with designer Sandi Henderson, who shares her free PDF pattern for these frilly Ruffle Pillows, which have of course been made with her signature Ginger Blossom fabric.

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Black Apple Podcast & Bookplates

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:00:25 -0800

The latest CraftSanity podcast features a chat with the super-popular Emily Martin of The Black Apple. In addition to sharing her thoughts on creativity, Emily also shares these cute downloadable bookplates she designed. The Black Apple on CraftSanity

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CraftBoom's Q+A with Kristin Link of Sew, Mama, Sew!

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:00:46 -0800

The CraftBoom blog recently interviewed Kristin Link, who owns the fabulous online fabric shop Sew, Mama, Sew! Check it out and find out how she turned a love of fabric into a successful business. Interview with Sew, Mama, Sew!

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My Neighborhood - Steve Lambert

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0800

The neighborhood where I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn has a really high concentration of crafty people and shops. Previously I profiled Victor Osborne. Today I have a profile of artist Steve Lambert.

In addition to his work as CEO of Anti-Advertising Agency and creator of AddArt, Steve makes some pretty cool drawings. I previously posted about the ones he did with Packard Jennings for Wish You Were Here! Postcards from Our Awesome Future. Steve just posted an Instructable explaining the drawing technique he used for the project that he calls Drawing for Non-Majors. Steve developed the technique at Eyebeam where he is a Senior Fellow.

Steve starts with a photograph and then manipulates it through combining it with other images, tracing, rotating, layering and adjusting it using digital tools like Illustrator. The end result is a combination of "flat, comic book style and 'how to evacuate the airplane.'" Steve's background is in photography with a BFA from San Francisco Art Institute and an MFA from UC Davis. He likes that this technique includes photo realism, but that it also allows him to manipulate the image to emphasize specific parts and make the image more engaging for the viewer. His bread and butter tools for drawing are a laser printer, light box, slide projector, slide film, and pigma micron pens.

Steve Lambert
visitsteve.com

• Drawing for Non-Majors on Instructables - Link.
• See my Steve Lambert Flickr photo set - Link
• Steve Lambert's Flickr photos - Link.

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Betz White Interview on CraftSanity

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:00:24 -0800

I just got to meet crafter Betz White for the first time yesterday at CHA. She's an amazing crafter and is so warm in person. It's fun to finally meet someone you've been emailing with for the last year or so. Betz has a new interview up with Jennifer of CraftSanity that you have to listen to where she talks about her new book Warm Fuzzies, 30 Sweet Felted Projects and her past appearance on the Martha Show. Link.

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Mahar Drygoods Artist Profiles

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:00:09 -0800

If you haven't checked out the Mahar Drygoods blog lately, you really ought to pay them a visit. They've been running fabulous profile pieces on the various artists who create the offbeat kiddy crafts sold on the incomparable Mahar Drygoods website. Profiles include Cathy of California, Kim Baxter of Kissycake, Elizabeth Soule and many more. Click through for the full archive. Link.

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Blogs We Love: Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:00:00 -0800

This week we Craft bloggers are sharing with you our favorite blogs (besides Craft and Make, of course!). I caught up with Lenore Edman from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories to talk about her philosophies on creativity and what she does at EMSL. She runs her blog and small business with her husband, Windell Oskay, where together they post new and fun DIY projects ranging from racing toothbrush robots to edible googly eyes.

Lenore is an inspiring creator. She writes:

Most people who make things tend to specialize in a certain area, whether it be electronics, yarn, paper or food. Whether you call something shop or home ec. doesn't really change that at the root, you're learning a set of skills for creating things. I'm a liberal arts kind of Jane-of-all-trades: I can do a little of everything, and I apply it all everywhere, but I don't have any specifically marketable skills. I'm not afraid of fitting a fabric cover to a plywood frame or of putting electronics in a plush toy. I think translation stages are cute, and I love vintage packaging materials. I adore bearings and am not afraid to pack them with grease. The most important thing for me is to have someone to brainstorm with and to not be afraid of any ideas, no matter how far fetched or ridiculous they may seem.

Lenore and Windell publish online how-to guides for their projects, and believe very strongly in sharing what they love:

What I do is mash up a bunch of different making techniques to implement ideas. I'm incredibly lucky in that my techniques mesh well with and complement my partner's techniques. We get to combine more methods than most makers. And what we do that sets us aside from most people who make things is to write up what we do and share it with everyone else. It takes more time to make [projects] when you're dedicated to documenting the process; so why do it? What I really love is finding out that someone else benefited from the information I've put out there. It is incredibly satisfying to find out that a project I wrote up inspired someone to try something new. Because that is what it is all about: not being afraid to try something new, whether it be with food, sewing, electronics, or whatever it is that makes you happy.

Lenore comes from a family with a strong do-it-yourself tradition, and was always encouraged to experiment throughout her childhood. Innovation comes from necessity -- Lenore learned to maintain her bike for when she couldn't afford a car. She and Windell want to propagate the confidence to experiment with new techniques to get your ideas out there. Their projects and kits available at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories are an inspiration to anyone skirting the maker/crafter line. - Link.

Related:

Blogs We Love: A Ervilha cor de Rosa - Link.
Blogs We Love: Oh Joy! - Link.
Blogs We Love: Knick Knacks & Ric Rac - Link.

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My Neighborhood - Victor Osborne

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:00:00 -0800

The neighborhood where I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn has a really high concentration of crafty people and shops. I started visiting these people so I can share their stories and work with the readers of the Craft blog. Last time was Lisa Levine from Lisa Levine Jewelry. This week we are going inside Victor Osborne's amazing hat store.

Victor opened his store and design atelier in Williamsburg in August of 2006. Victor Osborne's hats are made on location and the store is a place for neighborhood locals to drop in on weekends to buy a hat or watch the design process. During the week, Victor sells his hats to stores and designers for fashion shows.

Victor got interested in hats from an aunt he describes as "very Breakfast at Tiffany's." He attended FIT for women's wear and majored in knitwear, but found that he kept gravitating towards accessories and hats. His favorite hats to work on are blocked hats because they are very sculptural. Blocked hats are made by using steam to mold felt to wooden hat blocks. According to Victor, only one major hat manufacturer in the US still uses this traditional technique.

Inside the store is a mix of Victor Osborne's current designs, unique vintage hats and tools of the trade like wooden hat blocks and books. It would be hard to walk around without trying on a few hats. I have to admit that I bought 2 hats before I left.

Victor Osborne
364 Leonard St
Brooklyn, NY
victorosborne.com

• See all my Flickr photos from Victor Osborne - Link.
• Victor Osborne's Flickr - Link
• How to Block a Felt Body on a One-Piece Block - Link

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Etsy's Featured Buyer: Faythe Levine of Handmade Nation

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:39:30 -0800

Etsy's featured buyer this week is our friend, Faythe Levine, documentary filmmaker of Handmade Nation. Handmade Nation is a documentary about us -- about the rise of DIY and the new wave of art, craft and design. Also, take a visit to her Etsy shop where you can get this super cute Handmade Nation T-shirt or other craft goodies to help support the documentary. Read more about Faythe and Handmade Nation in her interview here. Link.

Related:
Watch the Handmade Nation Trailer - Link.

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CraftSanity Interview with Hilary Seabolt + Felt Fortune Cookies Tutorial

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:00:37 -0800

This week, Jennifer of CraftSanity talks with Hilary Seabolt the creative force behind Lily Bean Market, a place where you can buy toy felt food for your children or bring home the cuteness for yourself. As an added bonus, find out how to make Hilary's felt fortune cookies! Listen to the CraftSanity podcast with Hilary Seabolt of Lily Bean Market here. Link.

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Plush You Interview with Shawnimals

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:00:47 -0800

Kristen of Plush You talks with Shawnimals the maker of such cute toys that I adore when I go work at those craft fairs. Read the full interview here on Plush You. Link.

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My Neighborhood - Lisa Levine Jewelry

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 06:00:00 -0800

The neighborhood where I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn has a really high concentration of crafty people and shops. I started visiting these people so I can share their stories and work with the readers of the Craft blog. Last week was Wendy Yang of Maiden Hong Kong. This week... I talked to Lisa Levine from Lisa Levine Jewelry.

Lisa Levine (rhymes with wine) makes really beautiful dangle earrings. She has been making jewelry for a long time. She made her first jewelry in the 4th grade for a church bazaar. She and a friend made friendship bracelets and earned $60. Later, she got her first job at a bead store. For college, Lisa got her BFA in painting and sculpture at California College of Art. After she finished school, she started making earrings and taking them around to stores to get orders. In 2006, she opened her jewelry store on Metropolitan Ave in Williamsburg.

Everything in Lisa's store is handmade in the back of the store. She draws her inspiration from materials and lets the design evolve out of that constraint. She also uses a lot of found objects and chains.

Lisa Levine Jewelry
536 Metropolitan Ave
Brooklyn, NY
lisalevinejewelry.com

• See all my Flickr photos at Lisa Levine Jewelry - Link.
• Lisa Levine Catch the Sun Jewelry on Cool Hunting - Link

Lisa showed me her studio in the back of the store and walked through the steps to making earrings. Before I could tell her that my ears aren't pierced, she had made an earring and put it in my ear. Okay my ears are pierced, but I haven't worn earrings in a really long time. Pictures of Lisa's steps follow.

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Jenny Hart Interviewed on CraftBoom

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:00:31 -0800

CraftBoom has posted a new "Crafting Heroes" interview with Sublime Stitching's Jenny Hart, where she tells us all about starting her super-popular D.I.Y. business. Link.

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My Neighborhood - Maiden Hong Kong

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:00:00 -0800

Maiden Hong Kong is a really cute store on Lorimer Street. Wendy Yang opened the store in August 2005. The store carries a mix of vintage clothes mostly from Hong Kong, China, and Japan. There are several sewing machines in the corner because every piece of vintage clothing gets altered, restored and repaired before it gets put out in the store. When she has time, Wendy makes clothing to sell in the store. In fact, every time I go by the store someone is working at a sewing machine.

I really like that Maiden Hong Kong feels rooted in the neighborhood and community. They are even starting to offer sewing classes next week with the first class on January 15th. The class is for absolute beginners and will cover both hand and machine sewing. Over 5 weeks, students will learn to make the project of their choice.

Maiden Hong Kong
502 Lorimer Street (on the corner of Powers)
Brooklyn, NY
maidenhongkong.com

• See all my Flickr photos at Maiden Hong Kong - Link.
• Maiden Hong Kong User Reviews on Citysearch. (The first review is sweet!) - Link.

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Jeaneology Book Giveaway

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:00:28 -0800

Head on over to Adorn's blog where our craft friends Susan Beal does a mini-interview with Nancy Flynn, author of the new book, Jeaneology: Crafty Ways to Reinvent Your Old Blues. Learn how to take your old denim jeans and refashion them into something new from a belt to a handbag, and more. If you comment to Adorn's post (click on the link) before next Tuesday, Dec 18th you'll be entered in to win one of five books that will be given away. Link.

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DEPART-ment Interview

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:00:22 -0800

As craft fairs are popping up around the country this holiday season, for the last 4 years in Chicago, there's a different way handmade goods are being sold. DEPART-ment is like one big store you can shop -- where things are organized in groups by product, much like how a store is. You also pay for everything at 1 checkout area. I got a chance to talk with the organizers of the event Sarah Bortt, Laurie Freivogel, and Ariel Samara before their next big DEPART-ment event coming up this weekend November 30 - December 2.

DEPART-ment
AV-aerie (formerly Open-End)
2000 W. Fulton *310, Chicago
Friday, Nov 30: 7pm - 11pm
Saturday, December 1: 11am - 5pm
Sunday, December 2: 11am - 5pm

Nat: Please tell me about DEPART-ment and a little bit about yourselves.

DEPART-ment: DEPART-ment started in Chicago in December of 2003 as a twist on the traditional craft fair. Imagine it more like the indie store of your dreams. Instead of vendor booths, we group items into departments (get it?), with a central checkout area and helpful volunteer "staff" ready to assist you. We've hosted four shows a year since the beginning, to provide as many handmade alternatives for consumers as possible, including one show a year at the Pitchfork Music Festival.

Our focus is providing ethical, handmade alternatives to consumers by offering as wide a variety of goods as possible, to reconnect buyer and seller - an experience that's lost in the modern economic model. Buyers can form relationships with the creators, learn their process, collaborate with them and order custom work - making us all "together for new economy" (our tagline). We also aim to nurture relationships between makers. Instead of having our participants trapped behind a table all weekend, we ask that they volunteer for a shift during the show, working alongside their fellow participants. This allows us to get to know each other and to better foster community.

We have seven organizers, all makers, five who sell their goods through DEPART-ment. We share a lot of common philosophies, but we're also all very different, which makes DEPART-ment pretty well-rounded. The three of us talking here are:

Sarah Bortt: Sarah is an all around organizer, educator, and maker of many things. She has been participating as a maker in DEPART-ment from it's inception. Shortly after the first show, she realized how fabulous the organizers were and decided that she should join in their efforts. Fond of repurposing and trash-into-treasure philosophies, she often creates from items that might otherwise end up in the dump. She currently makes soap, plays the banjo, etches drinking glasses, and makes jewelry, purses, wallets out of things like used truck tire inner tubes & old game pieces.
(Sarah is pictured left on Halloween in her Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders string band (her band) outfit that she made for ALL of her bandmates.)

Ariel Samara: After creating and selling at DEPART-ment since December of 2004, Ariel liked DEPART-ment so much that she became an organizer in 2006. She keeps the website pretty and informative, designs promotional materials, handles PR related tasks, and still finds time to come up with fancy ideas for lovely objects. When she's not working at her day job doing freelance web design, she creates elegant jewelry from translucent vinyl, designs under clothes + over clothes (and soon, travel clothes), as well as purses from fabrics picked up on her travels.
(Ariel is pictured center.)

Laurie Freivogel: Laurie has made things for fun since childhood (remember latch hook rugs?), but didn't consider turning it into a business until she went to her first DEPART-ment in March of 2004. She was so inspired that she went and bought a kiln and taught herself how to fuse glass, and her business Kiku Handmade was born. In July of 2005, she became an organizer. It's often joked that Laurie is DEPART-ment's poster child. She makes fused glass jewelry, belt buckles, and when that gets old she knits, sews, makes knitting needles and crafts with her kids.
(Laurie is pictured right.)

Nat: How did the idea come about to create this? How much work goes into getting DEPART-ment together, since most of you are also running your own crafty businesses or working full time?

DEPART-ment: In the beginning, Marshall Preheim and a few others brainstormed the idea of a craft collective in a store setup that allowed for maximum participation, and that provided as many handmade goods as possible to provide for every need - from fetish to function. DEPART-ment is designed to be very low-risk to foster future makers participation. We have low barriers of entry to encourage more people to create things and try to make a living working with their hands. There is an emphasis on participating at any level -- whether it's someone just starting out with only a few pieces, or an experienced maker with a wide variety of items. We also wanted to offer up the opportunity for shoppers to buy as wide a variety of goods as possible directly from the person that made it (ok, not a car, for instance, but custom car seat covers? maybe!) instead of shopping at the local mega-chain.

Organizing roles vary from financial tasks (paying out participants, year end taxes, paying sales tax) to entering vendors and prices into our cash register database, to design (both print and website), to coordinating volunteers, to decorating. We each have a main task, and we meet together regularly to collaborate. In the months that lead up to the show, we do tend to put in a lot of hours, but still manage to find time to craft.

Nat: Do you think there is a growing market for these kinds of craft "stores" and fairs that seem to be popping up around the country? Why do you think people are flocking to buy handmade?

DEPART-ment: We talk about this a lot, and are thrilled that the crafting community has grown exponentially over the last few years. For the most part, the community is totally supportive, both online and locally, allowing people empower themselves through craft, either as a hobby or a full blown business. We feel that, in order to continue to grow, it needs to evolve to keep it interesting to makers and shoppers alike, and keep a step ahead of the chain stores, who glom onto and exploit trends like these. We have to find ways to expand the market and get people away from buying mass made items from overseas. Buying locally and buying handmade allows shoppers to have something truly unique and special, and to have a connection with the maker and the product.

Nat: Can you tell us what kind of fun products will be at DEPART-ment?

DEPART-ment: For the holiday show, we'll have goods from over 120 local and national makers. Some of the specific things that we'll have that we think are extra cool are coasters made from sliced and polished rocks, lighting made from delicate curls of wood, etched glasses from recycled bottles, one-of-a-kind freeform crocheted hats, every kind of jewelry ranging from cute, shrinky-dink necklaces to elegant, one-of-a-kind stones set in sterling, new + recycled fashion, amazing cloth + repurposed truck tire inner tube handbags, paintings, prints + photography, stationary, cat + dog toys (can't forget the pets!), amazing sewn and crocheted plush and cool, vintage-inspired baby gifts and much more.

How should interested crafters who want to participate in your event for next year contact you?

DEPART-ment: Email info[at]depart-ment[dot]com and ask to be put on the makers email list -- you'll get updates about upcoming shows. We have all kinds of information on how to participate on our website, at www.depart-ment.com.

Nat: Are there any special plans for DEPART-ment in 2008?

DEPART-ment: Since the last three shows have happened so fast (July at the Pitchfork Music Festival, October at AV-aerie, and now December at AV-aerie), we haven't had as much time as we'd like to talk about the future. We'll meet in January to start planning for the year. Some ideas we've been considering include perhaps doing special themed shows, and reviving workshops on things that interest crafters (tax + business issues, how to photograph your work, etc.) during our Sunday morning participants brunch. We also plan on making the website more informative, adding a blog and links to our flickr account.

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CraftSanity Podcast with Kristin Roach of Craft Leftovers

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 21:00:58 -0800

Jennifer at CraftSanity talks with Kristin of Craft Leftovers in this CraftSanity Podcast. I got the chance to hang out with both of these ladies this summer in Chicago at BlogHer so it was fun to hear them both on this podcast. Kristin's also giving a free PDF pattern for her crochet shower scrub (pictured right) which you can download off the site. Link.

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CraftyPod: Turn Your Blog into a Book

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:00:23 -0800

Diane at CraftyPod talks with Hanna Andersson who turned her blog into a book through self-publishing. Link.

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Vickie Howell CRL Podcast with SNL's Will Forte

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:44:35 -0800

Vickie Howell talks to one of Saturday Night Live's funny man Wil Forte in her CRL podcast. I've been a fan of SNL since high school in the 80's and it's great to hear how this comedian learned to knit from Vickie back in 2005, as well some background on SNL and the writers strike. You have to subscribe to this podcast because I love listening to it as I work. Pictured above is Will and Vickie as featured in Knit.1 in 2005. Link.

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SuperNaturale Interview with Ravelry

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 06:00:00 -0800

SuperNaturale writer Marie Rounsavell posted an interview with Jess and Casey from Ravelry. As a member for less than 2 weeks, I am already hooked on the Ravelry goodness. Link.

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Crafting Heroes Interview with Amanda Soule

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:00:03 -0800

I'm loving this interview with Amanda Soule (author of the upcoming book The Creative Family) that was recently posted on CraftBoom. It's great that so many people are taking an interest in exploring the business end of the craft world these days, and that so many business owners are willing to share their thoughts on the topic. Link.

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Not Martha's Guest Blog Series Archives on Design*Sponge

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:00:16 -0800

If you missed it, you can catch all of Not Martha's guest blog series archives on the design*sponge site. Megan interviewed crafters running their own design-based businesses and has some great interviews with crafters like Susan of West Coast Crafty, Daria of Glamscience, Cinnamon of Poise.cc, Amy of Kingpod, Alicia of Posie, Paola of MirrorMirror, Kristen of Schmancy, and Suzy of the Frock Shop. Read on for all the great interviews as well as craft projects. [ via ] Link.]]> [Read More] [Comments]

SFist Interview with Leslie Yang of Feisty Elle

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 12:04:47 -0800

Christina at SFist has a great interview with Leslie Yang of Feisty Elle. Leslie makes some beautiful handmade accessories like the one she's wearing above. Find out how she runs her crafty business and her favorite local SF crafty spots. Link.

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Craft Biz Q+A: Queen Puff Puff

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:00:55 -0800

This week's interviewee is Nicole Vasbinder of Queen Puff Puff. Nicole's super-colorful booth is a fixture on the craft show circuit, and her gorgeously-crafted bags and accessories straddle the line between retro and modern beautifully. In addition to cranking out a wide variety of hand-sewn goodies, Nicole also finds time to teach others to sew, at a few select venues around the Bay Area. Nicole's love of everything vintage comes through clearly in her work, so it's no surprise that this Mary Tyler Moore lookalike enjoys hitting up estate sales and cocktail parties in her (precious!) spare time. Read on to find out what doing it yourself really entails.

JENNY: Do you run your indie business full time, or do you have a "day job" to help keep you afloat? BONUS: If the latter is the case, how do you balance your time/make time for crafting?

NICOLE: Well, the Queen Puff Puff business is my day job but then I have a part-time gig teaching sewing classes at Stitch Lounge in SF and also at Stonemountain and Daughter Fabrics in Berkeley. To keep on schedule, I put everything on a calendar. This includes classes, shows, order deadlines, dates to order supplies, dates to start projects and dates to ship. Each morning I simply check the calendar to see what needs to be done and where I need to be.

JENNY: How did you make the transition to working for yourself? How do you structure your days when you're the boss?

NICOLE: I used to have a part-time job working at a fabric store. It was great to be surrounded by fabric all day, plus that employee discount sure came in handy when I was starting up my company. As my business grew I went from 4 days to 3 days a week and then eventually down to 2 and then last year I made the break.

Structuring my days has been my biggest struggle. It's very easy to get sucked in to Golden Girls reruns on TV or the rabbit hole of the internet. So self-discipline has been my big challenge. I get up at 6:30 in the morning, have my coffee and surf the net, check email, print out orders. Then around 8 am I start sewing product. Around 1pm I usually stop and take a break for lunch and a shower. After lunch, I sew some more and then around 5pm I pack up any orders that need to go out and drop them off at the PO.

JENNY: How important has the internet been in relation to the growth of your business? Also, would you say the bulk of your business comes from your own website, or from wholesale accounts and/or craft show sales?

NICOLE: It's been huge!!! I've picked up so many wholesale accounts from people who have seen my website! My biggest revenue stream is wholesale, then craft shows, then my website and then a bit of consignment.

JENNY: Is there anything you wish you'd done differently when starting your business, knowing what you know now? BONUS: Any resources for upstart craft businesses that you'd care to recommend?

NICOLE: The Switchboards has been an invaluable resource. I've met SO many other indie business owners on that site and have learned an incredible amount about running a small business. Small Time Operator by Bernard Kamoroff is a great book about starting a business.

JENNY: How would you compare the challenges of working for yourself with working for "The Man"?

NICOLE: The biggest challenge about working for yourself is that when you slack off, you're not making any money! When I worked an office job I could surf the net, take a coffee break and I was still getting paid. But now my most enjoyable hobby has turned into the thing that pays my rent! I don't get depressed on Sunday nights because I'm dreading going to work!

JENNY: Any tips on how to keep your business fresh and thriving/growing?

NICOLE: Don't hole up in your studio and get cut off from the rest of the world. Get outside, check things out and talk to people. Working from home can be lonely and the days can run together. Keep your spirit and mind fresh and your work will continue to be inspired.

Related:
• Queen Puff Puff site - Link.
• Stonemountain and Daughters - Link.
• Stitch Lounge - Link.
• The Switchboards - Link.
• Small-Time Operator by Bernard Kamoroff - Link.

From the pages of CRAFT:

CRAFT: 04 - "Business Basics for Crafty Types" by Jenny Ryan pgs. 42-43. Digital Subscribers can read the full article here. - Link.
Don't miss an issue! Subscribe to CRAFT Magazine today and get 4 quarterly issues delivered to your door. - Link.

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Prairie Girl's Guide To Life interview and contest

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:22:59 -0800

My best friend and I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder's books when we were growing up (she now has Wilder's signature tattooed on her ankle, in all its copperplate glory), so I was thrilled to hear about Jennifer Worick's new book, The Prairie Girl's Guide to Life. It just came out, and it's a celebration of the genteel and the thrifty, those wonderful virtues that shine from every page of Wilder' books, from Little House in the Big Woods to The First Four Years. In her book, Jen talks not only about what she learned from Little House on the Prairie, but looked around her for people embodying what she thinks of as the modern prairie spirit. Full of nostalgia for simpler days (pioneer days as well as the fictional ones of the 1970s TV show), each section has a short how-to illustrated by a drawing reminiscent of the ones in the books. Sometimes it's a reminder of something we've probably forgotten how to do, like write a letter, or flirt the old-fashioned way, or make pin-curls, but there are also instructions for ice-fishing and panning for gold. I got a chance to ask Jen a few questions about the craft movement, if the Little House books are still fun to read as an adult, and how Laura was really an eco pioneer.

Also, inspired by Prairie Girl and the upcoming holidays, we thought we'd hold an apron contest! We know there are lots of wonderful homemade aprons out there, and we want to see them. Taunton books has generously offered a copy of Prairie Girl to each of the five winners, and we'll be featuring the aprons in the Curio section of the next issue of CRAFT. Send photographs of the aprons you've been working on to curio@craftzine.com by November 12th. (Be sure to include your website or Etsy shop!)

(Aprons above from Ashley Jayne and Annie's Attic, both at Etsy.)

Arwen: Here at Craft, we see a lot of people making knitted robots and embroidered skulls as well as rediscovering more traditional crafts. What do you think differentiates Prairie Chic from Hipster Chic? Do you think that the embrace of "cozy" crafts is a backlash against modern design?
Jen: Perhaps the basic skills used for Prairie Chic and Hipster Chic are the same; it's what people are doing with the skills. I like to knit traditional shawls in unexpected colors and textures, such as a multicolored bright pink, with an eye toward creating an heirloom. Hipster knitters, on the other hand, might choose to knit more trendy items, like boy shorts or a tote bag with Rick Springfield's face on it (although Rick Springfield is pretty timeless).

I think cozy crafts and prairie skills definitely counter both modern design and the modern world. Not to be a drag, but on 9/11, I walked home from work and knitted for two days. I was on a knitting bender. I find working with my hands and crafting is a way of connecting me to my family and the world. As far as modern design, I love sleek lines and modern conveniences but I love softening my home with quilts, rag rugs, and knitted throws and pillows. I reach for lotions and potions I concoct myself over fancy-pants high-end products. And I love my spendy jeans but I pair them with a skinny knitted scarf wrapped around my neck.

Arwen: I noticed in the book that you talked to a lot of friends and family members about their crafts and skills. Did you know about these beforehand? Or were you surprised that some people had a hidden talent?
Jen: I knew my family had mad skills but even they surprised me. I asked my dad if we had any relatives who knew how to milk a cow and he sarcastically replied, "I grew up on a farm with cows." I realized that I hadn't spent much time talking with my family about our roots. This book allowed me to reach out to my uncle, who's a woodworker; my brother, who likes to pan for gold and poke around in abandoned mines, and my dad, who grew up on a working farm in the forties and fifties. I was also surprised at how many friends came out of the woodwork with random talents. There are more people than you'd think out there, organic gardening, darning socks, canning and making preserves. Some are crafty, some are thrifty, some are trying to go green, and some are a lovely combination of all three.

Arwen: Which of the projects or skills do you find yourself doing or using most often?
Jen: Knitting, for sure. I like to knit in my downtime and I have to knit when I'm a stress-bomb. It's therapeutic. I also mix up lotions and potions quite a bit (I make a decadent Crème Brulee Body Souffle). But I really incorporate more genteel skills like spinning a yarn or writing a heartfelt letter into my everyday life. Writing a note or presenting someone with a customized handmade gift is self-serving, since I feed off their surprise and appreciation. I get positively weepy when I nail a gift. Is that so wrong?

Arwen: I love that some of your how-tos are for life skills, like waltzing or flirting or predicting the weather. Did you put those in with the hope that something like letter writing will make a comeback? Which is the front-runner?
Jen: Etiquette and old-fashioned manners are very important to me and there's nothing more I'd like than to see a return to civility. I don't get the appeal of thongs peeking out of waistbands (or, gasp!, letting the world know you're going commando). I'd rather have a more select viewing audience, if you get my drift. Cell phones and text messages in restaurants are rude no matter the circumstances, and they don't allow you to be fully present. I like to retain a bit of mystery; people don't always have to know where you are or what you're wearing underneath your petticoats.

I don't know what the front-runner is but I love letter writing. And I love getting notes. I squirrel them away in whatever book I happen to be reading at the time, using them as bookmarks. I've noticed over the years that I leave them in the books even after I've finished them and I find random thank you notes or birthday cards tucked between the pages. It's a nice way to capture a moment in time and it's a lovely surprise when I happen upon a card and get to reread it. My grandma loved getting cards and she would cut the card at the fold, reusing the front of the card as a postcard or gift tag. Thrifty and ingenious!

Arwen: There's also a strong undercurrent of thriftiness throughout the LIW books (and of course, your own). That seems very timely, given the current awareness of global warming. Has embracing your prairie girl self also made you a better global citizen?
Jen: It certainly has. While it wasn't a conscious decision to go green when I worked on the book, it was a natural byproduct. After all, those prairie girls were using what they had at hand, which were natural items, not chemical-based solvents and unguents. And more and more, I enjoy making my own natural products and caring for my belongings. Sewing up a torn shirt or darning a sock makes me feel worthy of my thrifty grandmother. Rather than donating a box of clothes to Goodwill, consider making a rag rug out of the fabric. And there's a lot of pleasure to be had in cutting up those pants that don't fit anymore!

Arwen: Which is your favorite scene from the books? (I loved the sugaring off from Little House in the Big Woods and the scene in On the Banks of Plum Creek where the runaway ox puts its foot through the sod roof in Plum Creek :-)
Jen: I dug that sugaring party too! Food, family, and festivities are a wonderful combination. I also remember another scene pretty vividly: After they married, Almanzo brought Laura to their new home that he tricked out with custom cabinets in the pantry and a very snug root cellar. He placed the contents of her hope chest around the house to make it feel more like her home, spreading a quilt over their new bed. I suspect that took the edge off the wedding night.

And gosh, all the courting between Almanzo and Laura formed my early impressions of romance. I think on some level I'm still waiting to hear the jingle of sleighbells, indicating my own Almanzo is coming to take me away. When Nellie elbowed her way into the buggy on Sunday afternoon rides, Laura figured out how to stake her ground and point out to Almanzo (as if he needed any direction) how unsuitable Nellie was for him. There's a lot to be learned from Laura Ingalls Wilder, and I'm not talking about sewing!

I went to Walnut Grove in early October and saw a reconstructed sod house. It was 10 x 10 with maybe a six-foot ceiling. This is what the five members of the Ingalls family lived in. Are you kidding me? I love the romance of the prairie but I also like personal space. In a sod house, there was no such thing. But it's beautiful country and the prairie winds were in full force.

Arwen: How many times have you read them now?
Jen: Gosh, I don't know. I do still have the battered paperbacks from my youth. It's been fun rereading them as an adult, but my opinion of the books is much different. Instead of sharing Laura's sense of adventure, I got mildly annoyed with Pa for continuing to pick up and move a family of five (including a blind daughter!), rather than staying put. I could now sense Ma's quiet resignation when as a kid, all I could think was, "Yay, they're loading up the wagon. A new story is in the making!"

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