WHAT: City of Craft
WHO: 60+ craft vendors, community groups, installation artists & workshop leaders
WHEN: Saturday December 1, 2007, 11am-8pm
WHERE: Theatre Centre, located at 1087 Queen Street West at Dovercourt.
WEB: http://cityofcraft.com
In not-so-brief:
Come dive into Toronto's crafty cultural landscape at City of Craft, a day long opportunity to buy, observe, experience, chat about, share and reimagine all things handmade. Not your run-of-the mill craft show, this dynamic happening will feature craft-based installations, demos, and free workshops, alongside a curated craft fair filled with contemporary, stylish, and offbeat handmade goodies.
You'll also have the chance to learn about great local classes, studios, resources, and craft based projects, getting you in the mood to make stuff and make stuff happen. Eager beavers will be rewarded with swag bags designed and screenprinted for City of Craft by local label Schoolyard (Katie Chan and Hilary Dennis ) & chockful of indie craft goodness from multiple vendors and sponsors.
Event highlights include:
* 60+ craft vendors and exhibitors from Toronto and Montreal selling awesome handmade art, craft & fashion and promoting their craft-based initiatives
* Soft City, a plush cityscape that invites Torontonians to reconsider their relationship to the place they live
* StreetKnit's hand-knit house, an inventive endeavor to bring awareness to issues of homelessness in the city (Donations of hand knit garments will be accepted at the event).
* Perusal of Toronto Zine Library's entire collection of zines in the cozy reading lounge.
* Ample opportunities to make stuff:
-a crochet workshop taught by Shannon Gerrard (let's just say it's connected to her latest project) 1-2pm
-a craft materials swap run by the workroom & Sew Be It Studio - 2:30-4pm***
-a make-you-own gift wrap session hosted by Toronto Church of Craft 4:30-7pm
*** To participate in the swap bring fabric or yarn to swap and canned goods to donate the Daily Food Bank. Leftover materials will be donated to charity.
Please share this invite with craft-inclined friends & family, or anyone you know who might enjoy finding unique handmade gifts in a decidedly un-mall-like atmosphere.
Posted by stella on 2007-07-13 19:27:33
Post Subject:
i'd avoid leather from India or Mexico. it can be really badly tanned and bleed the dye or smell like urine when it gets wet. unfortunately, it is highly relevant where some craft materials are made.
Posted by wonderwoman on 2007-09-06 21:29:42
Post Subject: answer
1. What types of crafts fo you enjoy?
I enjoy knitting, decoupage collage work, making soaps, candles, cards, a little jewelry making...
2. Where do you usually find the materials for these crafts?
I have to drive all the way to queens to get to Michael''s-it''s the cheapest
3. What materials do you have the most difficulty finding?
Well Yarn and beads (jewelry supplies). Those I purchase online, mostly. It''s hard to get any craft materials at all in NYC at a descent price
4. Are you a member of any craft groups - if so, where does it usually meet?
no, Id like to join some tho...
5. If you aren''t a member of a group, would you like to join one in the future?
yeah, sure!
6. Have you taken any crafting classes in the city, if so, where?
no, I''m self taught.
7. What borough do you live in? Would you travel out of borough to buy materials, or participate in a class or crafting group?
I live in brooklyn. I travel out of my borough all the time for supplies.
8. Do you have children? Is crafting something you do together?
I have a baby girl, but she''s too young for crafts yet.
9. Do you find it difficult to do the projects you''d like to because your apartment is too small?
well, it''s hard to store my craft supplies mostly...
Posted by Astrid on 2008-06-29 18:45:37
Post Subject:
I find everything I need (except food, although there are people - Freegans - who do even that) in the waste of other people. From craft materials to clothing and furniture, I don't even go to the thrift shop anymore. Though I'm proud to 'Not Buy' and not support the corporate world, it sadly proves how overdeveloped we are indeed (and how many people still don't give a s***) as long as I find all this stuff. Other than that I recycle what I can, of course I bring paper, glass, textiles and batteries to the collection points, plastic bags from bread are used 10 times for something else before they end up as tiny cat litter waste bags, I don't flush the toilet for every tiny *** (I live alone), I water my plants with rain water, I ship my Etsy sales in reused packaging and most items in my shop are made from reused material anyway. There's more, but this is what comes to mind right now. It's not hard to do really, it's just a matter of deciding to and getting used to it.
Oh yeah, I don't drive either. Bicycle and public transport get me anywhere I want.
Posted by pudding on 2006-07-25 23:29:05
Post Subject:
It's heartening to see so many of us live in tiny, cramped spaces! :-) I lust after a dedicated space to craft too. I'd love to have a whole wall covered by an elpha storage system, filled with craft materials. And a massive, rectangular, solid wood table right in the centre of the room. And a separate table just for my sewing machine. Having all my stuff laid out and available like that would mean more crafting, now that having a baby means that my free time occurs in small "grabs" rather than long blocks.
Posted by deborahthecraft on 2004-05-28 13:58:39
Post Subject:
I am in an on going anti-consumerism project that really helps keep me from getting into debt.
Eating in/making meals that can be ameal and then part of another meal or left overs for lunch.
Watching sales in the Sunday ads but only for things I NEED.
No sodas,coffees or candy/gum unless it is accounted for and pre-planned.
No new craft materials unless they are to compleate an already begun project and I intend to work on it at time of purchase.
Library-no magazines/books(except for ones I already have subscriptions to,friends in my circle also trade around so we all get to see different stuff)
Clothes;no new ones,re-vamp old or make new ones with on hand patterns and fabric.
No Blockbuster=share a NetFlix subscription with a neighbor or roomate.
Water filter on the tap instead of buying a million bottles per month at $1+ each(that REALLY adds up)
Passes instead of one trip tickets always saves.
Shop for airplane tickets 30 days in advance,minumum 15 days.
This month I have gotten rid of two 20 gallon containers of fabric,shoes and clothes to GoodWill and gave the old VCR (have had a VCR/DVD since Christmas) to the Childrens Center...It feels good to get my space back and give to others.
Posted by Dawn on 2005-04-24 10:42:04
Post Subject:
Old crafts and sewing books rock! As you all have mentioned, these books contain clearly written, easy-to-follow instructions. My favorite thing about them is that they usually feature practical projects and are driven by a frugal, self-reliance philosophy. Most current craft books are written from the perspective that making things is a hobby rather than an integral part of daily life. Some of my favorite old-school books:
Anything by Rusty Bensussen - with wonderful illustrations and detailed instructions, she shows you how to make your own patterns from your measurements or from clothes you love, adjust storebought patterns, and create new designs from your patterns.
Recipes for Art and Craft Materials - everything from glue to rubber stamp ink
the Creative Hands Series
Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing (of course!)
Sew a Beautiful Gift - I love this book!
Better Homes & Gardens Patchwork Quilts - dozens of fun designs and projects
The Total Tote Bag Book
Posted by alterego on 2004-07-12 19:09:32
Post Subject:
The woman who puts together the tips on that Web site (her name is Annie Berthold-Bond)also has a really excellent book called, I think, Better Basics for the Home. It's got great natural cleaning info, plus info about materials like house paint, carpet, etc.; craft materials; and skin/hair care. It's really handy and makes you feel oh-so-inspired (and virtuous).
