Storque articles: Craftivism

Handmade for Haiti: Threadbanger's Corinne Leigh Teams Up With Planting Peace

2010-02-09T10:38:00-05:00

We've known Corinne, our friend over at Threadbanger, for some time now, but we didn't know that before Threadbanger, she helped start a charity in Haiti about six years ago. She has joined back up with her friend and founder of Planting Peace, Aaron Jackson, to help Haiti in the wake of the earthquake.

They've put out this call to crafters. Specifically, they are asking you to donate handmade blankets, washcloths, and plushies for kids. If you have other ideas for useful items, contact Corinne at tips@threadbanger.com.

More Haiti Posts | More Craftivism Posts

Mardi Gras: Made in China

2010-02-01T10:17:00-05:00

During Mardi Gras in 2007, I was standing on a balcony with Shelly, a fifty-year-old woman from Oklahoma City who described herself as a housewife and a grandmother. About every three minutes Shelly performed a typical routine that many women perform during Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street. “Hey you, up there! Show your tits!” one man yelled to Shelly. “Give me some beads! Big beads!” Shelly responded, emphasizing the word "big" and "beads" as she negotiated with anonymous members of the crowd, while they bargained with Shelly on which part of her body they wanted to see. “I want those beads,” Shelly declared, while pointing to a man wearing heart-shaped beads around his neck. “You want these? Then you gotta show me those,” the anonymous man playfully yelled, pointing to her breasts. “You like these?” Shelly exclaimed, pointing to her breasts as she slowly and playfully raised her shirt and then lifted her skirt for the crowd to see. Immediately hundreds of male revelers below let out a thunderous roar as they showered Shelly with Mardi Gras beads.

Every year revelers exchange millions of plastic beads for sex and nudity on Bourbon Street, but what happens when we follow those beads from the hands that exchange them to the hands that make them? Where does the actual manufacturing of these beads that provide so much pleasure to celebrants come from? While participants are using beads to get down and dirty for transgressive thrills, the majority of the world’s plastic bead production occurs in Chinese free-trade zones that were established in the late 1970s. I had an opportunity to stay for two months inside the largest bead factory in the world: The Tai Kuen Bead Factory in Fuzhou, China, owned by Roger Wong. Those two months form the basis for my film titled MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA — an exploration in a commodity chain.

MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA follows the story of four teenage workers who sew plastic beads together with needles and thread and also pull them from a machine. Each story provides insight into their economic realities, self-sacrifice, dreams of a better life, and the severe discipline imposed by living and working in a factory compound. I was eventually kicked out of China under the premise of not having a journalist visa, so I continued following the bead trail to New Orleans in an effort to visually personalize globalization. What I found, and presented in the documentary, is that Mardi Gras beads were hand-crafted and made from cut glass in Czechoslovakia up until the late 1960s. Glass beads were the most popular throws at that time, but a rise in costs, political conditions overseas, and a safety ordinance that cautioned against items that might cause eye injuries all contributed to the decline and ultimate elimination of glass beads and the rise in popularity of plastic ones.

The proliferation of plastic marks the emergence of a disposable culture. Following the plastic bead from China to the U.S. illustrates how the commodity chain is connected to different people along the alienated and seemingly disconnected route.

The raw material for the beads comes from polyethylene and polystyrene — oil based liquids supplied by Chevron (and coming out of Iraq). Here, the film comes full circle. After Mardi Gras ends in New Orleans, the beads are left on the ground where some people collect them and send them as care packages to U.S. soldiers in Iraq where they celebrate Mardi Gras by tossing beads into the streets! Hence, disposable culture is exported overseas as a cultural ritual. In other words, the beads go full circle from a liquid material in Iraq, to China, to New Orleans, and back to the streets of Baghdad where soldiers exchange them in a material form.
The DIY spirit of asking questions, making art, distributing the art, and then making a new film is, for me, exactly why Etsy exists. When I look through the growing membership of Etsy, it inspires me to keep producing socially and environmentally conscious work while listening to the community members who make this possible because of their love for handmade items. Etsy connects the producer and consumer — as people — directly in a very personal way. And that is the intent of MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA. If we connect the makers and buyers maybe a new economy based on fair wages and accountability is possible.

Carnivalesque Films was founded by Ashley Sabin (a.k.a. ashleysabi) and David Redmon and is currently located in Brooklyn, NY. The team brings together stories united by a raw, startling sensibility of disruption and celebration, where excess and transgression percolate in everyday life. For more information on MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA and other titles from Carnivalesque Films, please visit Carnivalesque Films or check them out right here on Etsy.

Hearts for Haiti: Etsy Sellers Do Their Part

2010-01-29T13:00:00-05:00

Haiti's horrifying earthquake has left near-apocalyptic devastation in its wake. It's hard not to feel helpless while reading about the endless loss, the dire situation and the scale of reconstruction efforts to come. Many Etsy sellers have graciously opened their hearts by sharing their their skills and earnings for charity. One of the more ambitious collective shops is HeartsforHaiti. More than twenty sellers are running the operation and countless others have donated their work to the shop.

Here's our interview with Victoria, a.k.a. exlibrishandmade, the organizer behind HeartsforHaiti.

How did HeartsforHaiti come to be?
On Wednesday night, so completely saddened and defeated by the tragic earthquake in Haiti, I was trawling the internet and reading horrific accounts of the devastation. Having no money to donate, I was feeling helpless and desperate to do my part. I thought about how I might be able to use my craft to help but realized quickly that I couldn’t make much of an impact on my own.

I remembered hearing of charitable Etsy shops and headed over to the Forums to see if there was anything starting up. Though lots of people were talking about ways to help I didn’t see anything about a dedicated shop, so I started a new Forum thread. The response was immediate and incredibly inspiring. So many amazing people stepped up to help in all of the many ways that were needed and throngs of Etsy sellers offered up amazing items. I got swept up in all of the camaraderie and the amazing spirit of charity, and before I knew it I was well on my way to opening a shop!

[Our Hearts are With You Haiti Poster by JackandJenn]

How does HeartsforHaiti work?
It may sound corny, but Hearts for Haiti is truly run on 100% volunteer love. Donations are sent to a central email account where one of our four inbox volunteers are always available to field them. From our inbox, donations are sent to our many listing volunteers, who in turn add them to the shop. The secret to the success of this system is that we have volunteers all over the world and in very different time zones. We’re able to cover things pretty much around the clock without anyone losing too much sleep.

We generally have at least two people in the shop throughout the day to handle a constant stream of Convos. One of our volunteers handles all of the shipping notifications for sold items and others work on leaving feedback for buyers. We keep it all together by communicating regularly via Skype, email and Forum threads. It’s really been a remarkable act of community, with all of us learning the ropes together and achieving something truly amazing.

How can Etsy sellers get involved?
I want to stress that, though I wrote that first Forum post and am ostensibly “in charge,” Hearts for Haiti is really a collective of many Etsy sellers. There are currently 20 sellers who are working together to run the shop, many more who are lined up to help and who are doing an amazing job promoting the project, and countless sellers who have donated so generously.

[Drawing for a Cure by prettylittlethieves]

We will continue to accept donations indefinitely and Etsy sellers can go to our Shop Policies for guidelines on how to donate. We are featuring heart items until Valentine’s Day but will accept donations of any sort. We’re also looking for more sellers to help with listing, answering Convos, writing on our blog, leaving feedback for buyers, and many of the other day-to-day tasks of any Etsy shop.

What charities does the money go toward?
100% of proceeds, after Etsy and PayPal fees, are sent to Doctors Without Borders (Medecins sans Frontieres). To date we have raised over $21,000 for this amazing organization!

Who are the sellers donating items? Are they from all over the world or just specific Etsy teams?
Over 2,500 items have been donated by generous Etsy sellers from more than thirty countries around the world. We include the donating shop’s name and location at the top of each listing and we always have fun seeing which items come from where. Any Etsy seller is welcome to join in. 

[Felted heart by SandhraLee]

At what point does the project end?
We have not boxed ourselves in with a specific date. The need in Haiti will be ongoing. We will ride the waves of this adventure and reevaluate our effectiveness periodically.

How would you sum up the project?
Hearts for Haiti is about community. It's about using what we’ve got to help our neighbors in need. It's a way to give back. It is an opportunity for someone who doesn't have the funds for a monetary donation to use their skills to knit a cowl, piece together a quilt, hammer out a bit of copper into a bangle, or to buy a lovely bit of handmade or vintage, and open their hearts for Haiti.

Any final thoughts?
None of this would be possible without the amazing and unique global community that was already in place at Etsy. Thank you!

Once an aspiring librarian, Victoria has combined her love of books with her love of fabric and stitching to create cloth books, quilts and appliqued art for children and adults in her Etsy shop, exlibrishandmade. She lives and works in downtown Albany, New York with her partner and two kids.

More Craftivism Posts | More Haiti Posts | Etsy International | Search for Items Tagged "Haiti Relief"

Special Delivery: Share Your Love 2010

2010-01-25T16:13:00-05:00

The day of hearts is almost upon us, and here is an opportunity to open your heart to a large circle of people. You may recall our Special Delivery project from last year. It was so heart-warming that we've decided to make it an Etsy tradition. Once again, we'll be working with Citymeals-on-Wheels to bring nutritious meals, handmade greeting cards and companionship to elderly New Yorkers. A few of the details have changed, so please read on.

Sounds great? How do I get involved?

Easy! We need your help to supply the cards. Citymeals-on-Wheels serves over 18,000 people, so we need as many as we can get. There are two ways to do this. The first is (you guessed it) to make your own card or send in a vintage card from your shop and fill it out with a nice message. Please craft as many valentines as you would like and send them to us. Before you send them, you can also post photos of your cards in our Special Delivery Flickr group.

If you don't have time to make cards, you can buy them and have them delivered to us. The deadline for us to receive the cards is Tuesday, February 9, 2010. There are a few other important guidelines for this, so please carefully read the FAQs below.

"Ok, then what happens?"

Special delivery! We will collect all the cards and bring them to Citymeals-on-Wheels, where each will be delivered with a meal in time for Valentine's Day. Several of the Etsy Admin will be volunteering at the Citymeals-on-Wheels' Senior Center's Valentine's Day party. We're going help to decorate, serve meals, and spend quality time with our neighbors.

"Is that all?"

No, there's more. Please post photos of your valentines in our Special Delivery Flickr group. Then, post a link to your photos (or to an Etsy item, if you bought or sold one) in this Forum thread. Once we've received them all, we'll post a list of all the participants in this article.

"Is there anything else?"

Yes! Here is a badge that you can download and put in your item listings or on blogs. This is a great way to help spread the word. Here's the embed code:

You can also help by donating to Citymeals-on-Wheels, or by volunteering or donating to your local organization.

Now stop asking questions, read the FAQs and get crafting! February 9 is closer than you think. Oh, and thank you very much for helping to spread the love.

FAQ

1. How do I participate in Special Delivery?

There are two ways. Either make or purchase a handmade Valentine's Day greeting card (or several). Please mail them to:

Etsy
Attn: Adam Brown
55 Washington St.
Suite 512
Brooklyn, NY 11201

2. When do the cards have to arrive at Etsy?

The deadline is Tuesday, February 9, 2010. This is important!

3. Are there any rules about what the cards should look like?

Yes. Please follow these guidelines, otherwise we can't use your card(s):

No glitter! This creates food safety issues.
Please make your cards cheerful by using bright colors. You can decorate cards using paint, crayons, markers, pastels, collage or anything else you can think of.
Please avoid dark backgrounds and religious symbols.
Please write clearly and in large print, and avoid using the abbreviation “V-day." Please say, “Valentine's Day."
You should not give out your address or suggest that the recipients write back to you. Initiating an ongoing correspondence is not appropriate.
Please make sure that the cards are appropriate for the intended audience. That is to say, pretend it's for your sweet sweet grandma, not your snarky, angst-ridden teenage brother.

4. How many cards should I send?

As many as you want!

5. Is this open only to Etsy sellers?

Nope. This is open to anyone who wants to help brighten someone's day.

6. Can I send vintage cards?

Sure! The more, the merrier.

7. What's that deadline again?

We need to have all of the cards in our hot little hands by Tuesday, February 9, 2009. Thanks!

Get started with supplies tagged "valentine"!

Search in Paper Goods | Search for Valentine in the Holiday Category | Vintage Valentines

"This Is Not a Black Holiday; It Is a People's Holiday."

2010-01-18T10:15:00-05:00

Those are the words that Coretta Scott King, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s widow, said after President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law on Nov. 2, 1983. Fifteen years earlier on April 4, 1968 the man many now refer to simply as MLK was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee.

In lots of ways, America has come a long way from the height of the civil rights movement when Dr. King drew huge crowds to peacefully fight for equality for every human being. Sadly, however, the fight for civil rights and justice for all people regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other characteristics still rages for many groups.

Despite being the foremost civil rights leader of his time and winning the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35, at his funeral, Dr. King's famous "Drum Major" sermon (from Feb. 4, 1968) was played. In it, he requested that no mention of his awards and honors be made at his funeral, but that it be said he tried to "feed the hungry," clothe the naked," "be right on the (Vietnam) war question," and "love and serve humanity" (quote from History.com).

His spirit of helping others and striving for justice lives on today in a very poignant and concrete way in the world's response to the recent devastation in Haiti. Americans, along with people from every corner of the globe, are doing whatever they can to help a people whom they don't know, may not be like them in race or religion, and from whom they have no personal gain from assisting. This is the legacy that Dr. Martin Luther King would cherish far more than the hard-earned national recognition bestowed on him through the holiday commemorating his birth each January in the United States.

More Posts Tagged "Martin Luther King"

Earthquake in Haiti

2010-01-14T16:05:00-05:00

UPDATE UPDATE: Etsy and the Etsy Admin combined raised $13,270!

UPDATE: Etsy Admin decided to donate our personal money, and Etsy (the company) will be matching what we Admin raise. Our donations will be going to Partners in Health.

Our blogger friend Jen over at IndieFixx told us about a fundraiser she is putting together where artists have already donated work. Here are the details:

Haiti Relief Fundriaser: I am coordinating a silent auction, which just started today, with 100% of the proceeds to go to the Red Cross International Response Fund. Lots of Etsy shops have lined up to donate items and I'd like to raise as much money as possible. Here's a list of the Estians who have pledged an item for the auction.

artkitten.etsy.com
sherrytruitt.etsy.com
papermenagerie.etsy.com
PixelandHank .etsy.com
phydeaux.etsy.com
theflashbulb.etsy.com
BlackStar.etsy.com
papercutsbyjoe.etsy.com
yummyandcompany.etsy.com
Doodlage.Etsy.com
blockpartypress.etsy.com
fringe.etsy.com
and more to come!

Image by Khristian A. Howell

[The following was originally published on January 13, 2010.]

As I am sure many of you have seen, there was an enormous (7.0 magnitude) earthquake in Haiti last evening that has destroyed much of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area, home to some 1.8 million people. Reports are still coming in but there is no doubt that the Haitians, most of whom live on less than $1000/year according to many UN and relief agency reports, will need all the help they can get for days, weeks, months and years to come.

Our hearts, prayers and best wishes go out to the people of Haiti and to their friends and family around the world. The Huffington Post has a good list of organizations assisting in the rescue efforts and I am sure there are many others as well. Many Etsians will no doubt want to help artists directly as well — with phone lines down and already limited infrastructure in ruins it may take some time to reach or get responses from people or agencies. Let's all be patient and do our best to help.

Resolutions for Reuse

2010-01-05T14:02:00-05:00

Garth Johnson is an artist, writer and educator who lives in Eureka, California and teaches at College of the Redwoods. His book, 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse, was just released by Quarry Publishing. Additionally, he maintains the blog Extreme Craft and a new blog for ReadyMade Magazine about his adventures with his 1905 Victorian home. Garth is also the co-host of Reconstruct: Eco-Friendly Crafts Made Easy, a step-by-step DVD that shows viewers how to make their own projects out of recycled materials.

Quarry recently published my new book, 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse, which gathers 1000 projects from contemporary crafters, artists and makers from across the globe. Every project in the book reuses materials in a clever way, transforming everyday materials into exciting pieces of fashion, art, jewelry and furniture. There are stunning works of craftsmanship in the book by established masters, but also "quick and dirty projects" that may not have taken much time or elaborate equipment to assemble, just a leap of imagination.

I invited many of the contributors to the book personally, asking them to submit projects I had seen or written about previously, but the bulk of the contributors came from an open call for entries that circulated on blogs and message boards. I spent countless hours sifting through Etsy sellers, trying out every variation on "repurposed," "recycled," "upcycled" and "trashion" that I could think of. I also had the good fortune to host a few Etsy Shop Live events where I got to play show-and-tell with some of my finds and chat live with Etsy makers. In fact, the book wouldn’t have been possible without Etsy. I would estimate that nearly half of the contributors have (or have had) shops on Etsy.

I spent a solid year soliciting, then sifting through the more than 7,000 files that were submitted. I had to juggle paperwork and files for each artist, which was almost as challenging as the agonizing decisions about which projects to choose. In the end, though, the monumental amount of work that went into assembling the book was well worth it. My book designer, Sandra Salamony, helped make visual sense out of the material, giving harmony to the wide range of work.

The best part for me was getting to know the people who submitted work to the book. I had met a handful prior to putting the book together, but I was introduced to the plenty of new people in the process.

It’s now 2010. My wife and I just bought an old Victorian house in Eureka, California. We’re doing a lot of decoration and restoration, and we’re trying to fill the house with as much repurposing as possible. One new acquisition is an exquisite chandelier from John Hardin, an artist featured in the book, which is made out of tin cans that have been transformed with a welding torch.

We’ve actually been writing a blog for ReadyMade Magazine called Keeping Up With the Johnsons, which has been a fun 21st century experiment in home renovation. It’s been really helpful to ask advice from ReadyMade’s readers, as well as sharing our tragedies and triumphs. We’re going to be working on other repurposed projects like a souvenir-plate tiled backsplash for our kitchen and shelving made from old wooden soda crates. We’re trying to furnish our entire house in antique, refinished and repurposed furniture.

After all of the work it took to put the book together, it’s amazing to finally hold a finished copy in my hands. Every page is loaded with exciting ideas that inspire me to create my own repurposing projects rather than following step-by-step instructions. In fact, the main part of the book only contains photographs and some information about the maker. My hope is that the reader is constantly guessing what materials were used and flipping to the index in the back of the book for more information.

Response to 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse has been tremendous so far. I owe a huge debt of inspiration and gratitude to the makers who submitted their work. Creative reuse has always been a part of life in the small town in Northern California where I live, and it’s great to see that the concept is opening up new avenues of creativity for people around the world.

In conjunction with the book, I’ve been looking at instances of creative reuse throughout history, and I found that creative reuse has always been the norm. It’s time we catch up to our ancestors. Etsians who contributed to 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse share some repurposing tips and new year's resolutions below.

FrucciDesign: I collect the wrapping paper of all my gifts and I reuse it. I'll make some jewelry out of it, but you know, there are many ways to reuse paper, such as mail envelopes, cards, placeholders, name tags, and collages just to name few.

EyePopArt: Don't be afraid to start with next to nothing! When I discovered that I wanted to paint, I was super poor and couldn't afford to purchase canvases. So I just started painting on whatever was around. The first painting I ever did was on the side of an old hard shell suitcase. If you have a creative impulse, there is no reason to be limited by lack of access to materials. There are materials all around you!

It's been over a year since I've taught an art class to kids, and I really miss that! One of my favorite lesson plans is painting mandalas on recycled vinyl records. In 2010 I resolve to volunteer my time to teach this creative reuse class to kids at a local elementary school. I love talking to kids about upcycling and repurposing, because they totally get it! It's not a hard sell, especially when they see what beautiful creations they are capable of making from scraps, trash, and junk! I think art and recycling go hand in hand, and kids understand that. They just need a little guidance. The more kids we can educate about reusing and recycling, the better the chances are for our planet's future.

thistledownandfinch: The best piece of advice I have for folks looking to creatively reuse is to open their minds. Wide, wiiiiide open. Think outside of the box. Literally anything can be reused — and (nearly as literally) anything can be made from that said-initial-anything. That's what makes Etsy so great. That's what makes art art and craft craft. (And art craft and craft art.) Reuse is as good for your brain as it is for your soul. And in this age of excessive consumption, it's better for the planet than most things I can think of.

My mantra for 2010 is "search for the bigger picture." There's enormous impact hidden behind everything that we consume, and it can be so simple to miss it — but it's so important to pay attention, because, often, I think, our intent can be nullified without our even knowing. People decide to buy organic to protect ecosystems and reduce greenhouse emissions, but their town only carries things flown the width of the country, wrapped in four layers of plastic, or someone wants to support sustainable clothing, but the mother-company is a conglomerate and the proceeds are in the hands of folks with abominable environmental records.

It merits enormous pats on the back for making that initial commitment, for leading by example and trying to effect real environmental change, but marketers are saaaaaaavvy these days. It is (almost) the future, after all, and so it's important to remember look behind things and to collect as many facts as you can to be sure that your resolve isn't in vain and that this happy little planet of ours has us all watching its back as well as we think we are.

woolybaby: Most of my creativity regarding reuse comes from the thrift store, where there are so many treasures just waiting for a new life. I also "reuse" in lots of ways other than in my finished product. Just now I was turning my husband's empty beer boxes into cubbies for my cut leather inventory. This summer I turned a tea box inside out and into a card holder for a craft show. Maybe these are ideas that others could try.

In the new year, I plan to find a source for previously used tissue paper (for stuffing my slippers), perhaps from a local store, and find durable recycled shipping envelopes.

OffTheHooks: Instead of buying brand new yarn, why not try recycling and unraveling a second-hand sweater? This can often be even more earth friendly than buying new "eco" yarn as it takes no new energy to produce. Look for higher quality fibers such as soft wool, cashmere, cotton or even silk — avoid serged seams and sweaters that have been shrunk or felted — these are very difficult to unravel. Once unraveled, you can even dye your yarn!

One of my new year's resolutions to help the environment: To find more sources of local fiber for spinning my yarn. Until I can raise my own sheep for wool, I'd love to be able to meet and support the farmers who do this already!

1byliz: Spend time with children. Notice how they interact with their environment. They see possibilities everywhere and sometimes we need to shift our perspective to foster our own creativity.

Resolution: Bike more, drive less.

margauxlange: An idea for creative re-use that I really like (but, I should be clear, I DID NOT personally come up with) is a "kitty scratcher stump" made out of cardboard boxes. I collected used boxes and other various discarded scraps of cardboard for about a month and a half and cut them into 6" strips. Then I coiled the strips onto themselves, gluing with a hot glue gun as I went, until the circle was about 2 feet in diameter. I then painted the edge of the outside of the stump (colorful circus-like stripes), sprinkled the top with some catnip, and voila! My cat LOVES the thing and scratches on it all the time. I plan to eventually make more at various heights.

westernartglass: When nibbling shapes from sides of beer and wine bottles, have an ample supply of band-aids, and be up-to-date on your tetanus shot! For the noodle year, as always, keep a wary eye for feral mushrooms and pheromone marshmallows.

More Craftivism Posts | Environmentally Friendly Gift Guide | Earth Tones Series

Furoshiki for the Holidays

2009-12-16T17:00:00-05:00

This holiday season, once the gifts under the tree have been ravaged and unearthed, avoid dragging that garbage bag of crumpled wrapping paper and wilted bows down the driveway. Designer and illustrator Jenn Playford offers an environmentally-friendly and irresistibly pretty alternative.

Jenn's interests in colors, graphics, and textile, led her to the traditional Japanese wrapping cloth of furoshiki, and eventually, her own line of reusable fabric gift wrap, called Furochic™. Here on The Storque, Jenn shares some techniques and inspiration from her book, Wrapagami, the Art of Fabric Gift Wrap, along with a fascinating history of this resurrected craft.

I love fabric. Walking into a store where the shelves are filled with beautiful fabrics makes my heart race with anticipation, and the gorgeous colors, textures, and patterns are always invigorating and inspiring. I have always enjoyed making things using my vast collection of fabric, ribbon, yarn, trinkets, gems, and odds and ends — and, especially, using these embellishments to decorate gifts. For years, pages from fashion magazines were my gift wrap of choice, as I felt that wrapping paper was wasteful. Eventually, my love for textiles and concerns about the environment prompted me to try wrapping gifts with fabric remnants from my collection.

An interest in Japanese art and design, especially textiles, led me to furoshiki, a cloth wrap used in Japan since the seventeenth century to wrap and carry items.

History of Furoshiki

Nara Period (Eighth Century): Starting in the eight century, a square piece of fabric called hokei-fuhaku was used to wrap special items of value, including clothing for Buddhist priests and elaborate minstrel costumes. The wrapping was called tsutsumi, and its main purpose was to protect and carry garments.

Edo Period (1603-1868): As bathhouses increased in popularity, the square wrap became known as furoshiki: furo meaning "bath" and shiki meaning "to spread." Furoshiki were used to carry toiletries and clothing to the bathhouses and were also placed on the floor to act as bathmats. During this period, wealthy families commissioned bridal furoshiki of different sizes, decroated with their family crests and symbols of good luck.

1800s: When cotton was introduced from overseas, furoshiki began to be produced on a larger scale. At the same time, people of Japan were traveling more for pleasure, often selling goods along the way. Furoshiki were used for not only transporting the travelers' belongings but also their goods for sale.

1900s: At the turn of the twentieth century, the advances in textile production — mainly automated looms from overseas — made furoshiki even more accessible to the public. Furoshiki became mass-produced, and the tradition of using cloth to wrap gifts was established. Gifts wrapped with furoshiki would often be presented in person; the person giving the gift would unwrap and reveal the gift, and then keep the cloth to take home. The bridal furoshiki also became commonplace, and the bride used the large cloths for wrapping her belongings and the small cloths for wrapping gifts.

Post-World War II: After World War II, the Japanese became more highly influenced by American culture, resulting in the decline of furoshiki. The invention of the paper bag, followed by the plastic bag and the emergence of supermarkets across Japan in the 1970s, contirbuted to the disappearance of furoshiki. Plastic boxes and bags replaced furoshiki as a means of storage and for carrying goods. By the 1980s, the custom of using furoshiki to wrap gifts had declined almost to obscurity.

1990s - Present: When Japan's economic boom ended in the early 1990s, people began to reflect upon the disadvantages and waste in a disposable society. In 2006, Japan's then Minister of the Environment, Ms. Yuriko Koike, launched a campaign to encourage the use of furoshiki, instead of paper and plastic, and bring back the cultural tradition of wrapping and carryin gitems in fabric. She designed a furoshiki called the "Mottainai Furoshiki," mottainai, translating to "waste not, want not." The result has been a renewed and widespread interest in the tradition of tsutsumi and a flowering of creativity associated with it. Furoshiki are beginning to be seen outside of Japan as people worldwide embrace greener lifestyles and adapt different cultural solutions to their own ways of living.

The 4-Tie Box Wrap is simple yet elegant. This wrap can hold almost any square box securely, and it works equally well for small or large and light or heavy packages. You can even carry the box from the top, holding it under the knots as a handle. The knots on top of the box give the illusion of a fancy bow.

What You Need
1 square wrap. The size should be large enough to have 5" (12.5cm) left after tying the knots. A 28" x 28" (71 x 71cm) wrap works well for a 6" x 6" x 4" (15 x 15 x 10cm) box.

Fabric Notes
Almost any fabric will work, but if your box is heavy, it is best to avoid stretch fabric. Stay away from fabrics that are too thick, or the double knots will be bulky.

Tips + Variations
This wrap works well with a scarf that has a 5" (12.5cm) border. The wrap to the right has a solid color border, which looks like a separate element sitting on top of the box — a big, complementary bow.

Tuck a note, card, or photo beneath the first (lower) bow for a surprise when the recipient opens the gift.

How to Do It
1. Lay wrap flat on a diagonal and place box in the center.

2. Pull up "b" and "d" and center above the box while arranging gathers evenly. Tie a square knot.

3. Adjust corners of first knot. Turn box and pull "a" and "c" up, arranging gathers evenly. Tie a square knot above the first knot.

4. Adjust bow corners so that there is one flap in each of the four directions.

The Over-the-Shoulder Wrap is simple yet functional. Three knots (two hidden) hold it in place and leave room for the bag to slide over a shoulder. Inside, there is ample room for items of varying sizes. It's a great way to wrap a gift for the crafty person on your list — fill it with yarns and other knitting and crochet supplies. This wrap can be easily reused because it holds its shape even after the gift is "unwrapped."

What You Need
1 square wrap. The wrap has to be at least 36" x 36" (91.5 x 91.5cm) to sit over the shoulder; otherwise, it will be more of a handbag.

Fabric Notes
A strong, durable fabric such as a thick cotton or denim is best. If the fabric is too flimsy, it won't hold its shape and may tear when carrying heavier items. Try a thick embroidered Chinese silk for a more formal look.

How to Do It

1. Lay wrap flat on a diagonal and fold "c" up toward "a" to form a triangle.

2. Gather corner "d" and measure approximately 1/2 the length of the side of the triangle. Tie into a single knot. Repeat the same for "b."

3. Flip the wrap inside out so that the two knots are sitting inside of the bag. Hold "a and "c" up.

4. Tie "a" and "c" into a square knot. Adjust fabric and gathers and place your gift inside the bag.

Thanks to Jenn Playford and the good folks at St. Martin's Griffin for sharing these projects with us. If you're looking for more reusable wrapping inspiration, check out Wrapagami and Jenn's Furochic website.

More Craftivism Posts | Environmentally Friendly Gift Guide | How-Tuesday Series

Accessorize This: The Uniform Project

2009-12-15T14:15:00-05:00

Wearing the same dress every day for a year is unimaginable for most of us. But Sheena, along with her collaborator Eliza, of the Uniform Project took up that self-imposed challenge and made a "little black dress" — the launching pad for a full year of fashion improvisation. What resulted is an inspiring collection of creative reuse and outside-the-box accessorizing. It's not just about clothing and consumption — the Uniform Project raises our expectations for fashion ingenuity and in creating this spectacle, raises money and awareness for underserved kids who need funds for school uniforms.

Read on for the interview we did with Sheena Matheiken and Eliza Starbuck. Please join us on December 21, 2009 from 4 - 8 p.m. at Etsy Labs and the Virtual Labs for a special Craft Night and used clothing swap. The Uniform Project will be there, and Megan Nicolay, author of Generation T, will demo a quick and easy project for transforming your old T-shirts into fresh accessories.

How did you get the original idea for the project? What cause are you supporting?
SHEENA: The notion of wearing the same dress for a year isn't necessarily a new concept, many artists have done this before. The works of Andrea Zittel and Alex Martin come to mind. For me, it was about giving myself a fun creative challenge, and also making something of consequence, something that people could engage and participate in. When I discovered Akanksha and the wonderful work they are doing for children living in Indian slums who cannot afford an education, it just made sense to make it a fundraiser. Every year Akanksha spends $360 on the education of each child in the slums that they can support. The number correlated so well to my 365 day model that I decided to set aside a dollar every day as I post the daily picture of me in uniform. This way I would have just enough to sponsor one child by the end of the project. With this as an example, we hoped that people will follow suit and make donations to the cause through our website. That's how it all began.

Sheena has seven copies of the dress, does she have the days of the week sewn into them?
ELIZA: That would have been a cute feature. I spent 4 months making the dress, and we just barely made our May 1 kick-off deadline. We were running to the tailor the night before to get the button holes put into the first dress for her to wear. By the time we got all the buttons sewn on, we were pretty much through with the sewing. Plus, my embroidery is a bit rusty.

How does this project fit in with handmade movement and reuse we associate with vintage?
ELIZA: When Sheena first approached me with the Uniform Project idea, I was hesitant because I had sort of vowed to not make “new” items ever again. I was recovering from working in the fashion industry. But after she explained her idea I got really excited at the prospect of promoting the wearing and reusing of vintage (a personal love for both of us) and how it would encourage people to refashion and hand craft things to wear. The stigma attached to the reuse and handmade culture is that it is frumpy or uninteresting, so we really wanted to challenge that notion and prove that sustainability is not only stylish but if done with some care and creativity, can even reach couture caliber. The overwhelming response and support we've received from the reuse and handmade community via accessory donations and blog shout-outs, I think, is a testament to this.

Have you seen other people interpreting the project and doing their own spin on it?
ELIZA: There have been a couple folks that were inspired to take on the UP Challenge and blog or write about it. There were a couple news reporters in the UK and Canada that took it on to see if they could do it for a week in the office. One of our favorite supporters, a blogger named CAG Reinvented, went so far as to challenge us to a LBD duel! It was all a win-win for us as she helped us raise more funds for Akanksha through her blog.

How is the project going global?
SHEENA: The blogs and social networks picked up our project within days after our site launch, and we've had incredible followership from all over the globe. Seven months into the project, we've received over 1.5 million site hits and we've raised over $40,000 in donations (that's over 100 children in school). We're also bombarded with emails from people who want to donate accessories to the project, and the comments section of the daily posts are thriving with colorful debates around sustainability, fashion and philanthropy. The best part is that the site is now becoming a great global platform for sustainable designers and hand-crafters to showcase their work by donating accessories to the project. It's a win-win for everyone!

In addition, we've also had supporters throw us fundraiser parties in their own hometowns. One such event happened in Galway, Ireland, which we were lucky enough to attend. This year the Uniform Project has also been to Austria, England, Scotland, and our most exciting trip is coming up in January when Sheena will be traveling to India to visit the Akanksha centers.

Any tips for folks who have an inventive project that supports a good cause? How did you initially get the word out?
SHEENA: If you feel you have an inventive idea, the initial thing is to think good and hard about what you really want to do and say. Put some serious effort into it, be skeptical of your own ideas and force yourself to refine and refine, so they can be as strong as possible. You really need to play devil’s advocate against yourself. Because, trust us, the web world will be itching to do that for you later. Also, the success of an idea depends on the strength of your execution. And if it’s for a good cause, you have to believe in the cause 100%, and then you owe it to that cause to do the absolute best job possible. And lastly, (and this is perhaps the most important element): follow through. Every day.

And put your heart into it, work really really hard — all those cliches are true. Personally, I feel like I'm always a bit naive about the magnitude and potential of something when I conceive it. I just get carried away because I'm having so much fun coming up with it. So that's the key element, having fun. If you're having fun, you won't feel so daunted and you won't let skepticism creep in, and you'll take that leap.

As for getting the word out, embrace the web. If you're not web savvy, the first step is to not be intimidated by it, and recognize its unprecedented ability to build loyal networks and communities that can spread a message faster than any traditional media. And then get the right people to help you.

After the 365 days, what is up next?
ELIZA: Sheena will probably wake up with the question, "What on earth am I going to wear today?!" We've actually got some great ideas in the works for next year, starting with putting our dress into market.

Any plans to make the dress for others or licensing the pattern?
ELIZA: Absolutely. We've gotten such an overwhelming wave of requests for the 365 day dress, that we couldn't walk away from the opportunity to encourage others to take on the UP model and mission. We’re currently looking into manufacturing the dress, finding the right organic fabric and an affordable manufacturer who aligns with our sustainability mission. There are so many variables involved in creating something responsibly, and we are taking our time to ask the right questions and do the necessary research. We like the idea of sharing the pattern too, which has also repeatedly been requested by the home sewing set. We tend to agree, the most sustainable method is making it at home.

Where does Sheena get her fashion inspiration?
SHEENA: Inspiration comes from everywhere — the web, a song in my head, the streets of New York. I like to keep things spontaneous and try not to plan ahead. The waking hours will usually inspire something depending on my state of mind and the typically unpredictable New York weather. I also have collected vintage and pre-owned one-off items for years now. Having them at my disposal allows me to improvise and randomly throw things together. My best ensembles have been a product of spontaneity and serendipity. But there's also been some great thematic days that were pre-planned and labor intensive. I handmade the costume for the Mermaid Parade on June 20, which was very much a Gareth Pugh inspiration. A lot of sketching and research went into that. And then there was the wedding attire, on June 14, for which Eliza custom crafted a dramatic, tiered silk collar. Then there was Halloween, for which we used all the packaging material lying around from all our accessory donors and hand-crafted the flowers that turned me into the evil sea sprite in the garden.

Which blogs, magazines, etc. serve as inspiration?
SHEENA: My day job is in the interactive field, so I practically live on the web. There is a lot that seeps into me subconsciously from the web. I used to tune in to see what some of my favorite fashionistas are up to — Susie Bubble, Style Rookie and blogs like Lookbook, Sartorialist, etc. But lately, juggling two full-time jobs has taken its toll on all the cyber slacking.

What clothing does Sheena miss the most?
SHEENA: There's really nothing in my wardrobe that I haven't been able to wear with the uniform if I get creative with it. Pants, blouses, sweaters, skirts, even other dresses have all come into play despite my wearing my uniform dress. I think this is a great testament to the versatility of Eliza's brilliant LBD.

Are you thinking about any New Year's resolutions? Have you ever done a 365 day challenge? Tell us in the comments below!

Don't forget to join Sheena, Eliza and Megan for Craft Night December 21. Look for details on Thursday's Craft Night post. If you want to donate to the Uniform Project's cause or donate eco-friendly handmade or vintage accessories, please see their website.

New Rules: Support Your Local Economy

2009-11-20T15:00:00-05:00

Stacy Mitchell is a senior researcher with the New Rules Project at the Institute for Local Self Reliance (ISLR), an organization started in 1974 to work with citizens, activists, policy makers and entrepreneurs to help communities improve their economies, reduce waste, manage local infrastructure and provide better overall living environments.

The New Rules Project “challenges the wisdom and inevitability of economic consolidation and works to advance policies that support strong local economies and vibrant communities.” In a nutshell, she works to advance many of the same things that Etsy stands for — handmade, local, independent production, and a connection to communities and producers.

I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Stacy about the growth of local and independent businesses over the past several years, which many people attribute to both a backlash against “big box” retail and an appreciation for knowing one’s maker. Stacy took some time to talk to us about these issues, and her latest book, Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses, goes into much more detail.

Tell us a bit about the New Rules Project.
The New Rules Project is a national initiative started by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The project's mission is to make the case that bigger isn't necessarily better — that small-scale production and independent businesses nurture community and create a more sustainable and democratic economy.

Our focus is on changing public policy. If you look at the laws and regulations in place today, many of them actively favor big corporations. Federal farm policies subsidize big agribusiness; local zoning rules favor Wal-Mart; banking regulations aid big banks; and the list goes on.

We're calling for New Rules: public policies that support local economies and build strong, self-governing communities.

How did you get involved in the organization and what do you do?
I started working for the New Rules Project when it was founded in 1997. Much of my focus has been looking at the consequences of the rise of big retail chains, like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Barnes & Noble. These companies have taken over much of our economy with the promise of delivering good deals, but it turns out that the big-box model has been incredibly expensive. In my recent book, Big-Box Swindle, I document how these companies are fueling many of our most pressing problems, from the shrinking middle class to rising greenhouse gas emissions.

The good news is that there's now a widespread backlash. The New Rules Project has helped hundreds of grassroots groups stop big-box development projects and enact new policies that keep the chains at bay and support local businesses instead.

Even more encouraging, our research is finding growing public support for locally produced goods and independent businesses. Local food is soaring in popularity. Over the last four years, we've seen increasing numbers of new independent businesses, from bookstores to food markets, opening across the country.

Local business alliances — like Stay Local New Orleans, Local First in Salt Lake City, and Portland Buy Local in Portland, Maine — have now formed in over 130 cities and collectively count some 30,000 businesses as members. These alliances are running very creative "buy local" campaigns that are not only changing people's shopping habits, but engaging them in a conversation about community and how to transition to a more sustainable future.

Why should people shop local this holiday season?
One reason is that shopping at an independent business, instead of a chain, generates far more benefit for your local economy. Several recent studies have found that a dollar spent at a locally owned business generates 2-3 times as much local economic activity as a dollar spent at a chain and supports many more local jobs.

Another compelling reason to go local this year is to make the holidays fun again. Who wants to sit in traffic at the mall? It's so much more rewarding to stroll through the small stores in your neighborhood or downtown. You'll not only find unusual gifts that don't come from a sweatshop, but you're bound to run into friends, get into an interesting conversation, enjoy the beauty of historic buildings decked out in lights, take time to savor a hot chocolate at the local café — in short, you'll have a chance to really experience and celebrate the place in which you live.

Of course, you can't always find everything you're looking for in your own backyard, and that's why sites like Etsy and Indiebound are a great way to take advantage of the convenience and diversity of the web while still supporting independent artists and small businesses.

What kind of impact does supporting the local arts have on a community at large?
Buying anything produced locally — food, art, music, fashion — has a sizeable economic benefit for your community. The money you spend stays in the local area and helps to keep your neighbors employed.

These creative professions also contribute to the welfare of the community in so many other ways. They make the places we live interesting. They create focal points for reflection and community.

Artists and craftspeople are great problem-solvers too. As we grapple with big challenges, like climate change, we need their special abilities to help us envision a different way of living.

Do you have any specific examples of cities or towns that are experiencing a positive change?
Thanks largely to the work of Sustainable Connections, a coalition of about 500 local businesses in and around Bellingham, Washington, that community has made huge strides in incubating new businesses, expanding regional food production, and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings.

Local First Utah has changed how residents and elected officials in Salt Lake City think about economic development. A recent survey found that three-quarters of residents want fewer chains in their neighborhoods and more local businesses.

Arizona Local First was instrumental in convincing the state legislature to outlaw the kinds of subsidies that are commonly provided to big-box development projects.

Here in my hometown of Portland, Maine, many local business owners say that Portland Buy Local has made a big difference in terms of galvanizing public support and helping them survive the recession.

What are you doing to support your local community in Portland, ME?
I'm one of many volunteers with Portland Buy Local, which has about 280 members, including local businesses, artists, and nonprofits. We create new poster and advertising campaigns every couple of months that highlight the value of independent businesses and encourage people to support them.

Our posters, which are displayed on hundreds of storefronts all over the city and reproduced as ads in local newspapers, are all designed by local artists, so they are very eye-catching as well as incredibly varied in their style.

Steve Darnley and Arielle Walrath, for example, designed this gorgeous poster (pictured below) for our holiday campaign last year. Sean Wilkinson produced a very powerful graphic for one of our economic messages (shown above).

Poster by Steve Darnley and Arielle Walrath

Etsy seller pineconeandchickadee created this amazing Valentine's Day poster, which was so popular that we turned it into T-shirts that have been selling like hotcakes.

Poster by pineconechickadee

Our latest poster series, by photographer Nathan Eldridge, emphasizes the wide range of products — from the unusual to the everyday — that are available from independent businesses.

How should people get involved with New Rules?
The best way to keep up with what we're doing and learn how you can start some of these initiatives in your own community is to sign up for our monthly email newsletter, The Hometown Advantage.

We publish lots of useful research and information on our website. Take a look and, if you find an idea or an article you like, please forward it to your friends, your neighbors, your elected officials, your local newspaper. We're a small organization, so we need all the help we can get to make our research and ideas part of the public discussion.

Lastly, like any nonprofit, we are dependent almost entirely on donations to keep the lights on and our staff fed. Contributions of any size are gratefully appreciated.

Any Etsy sellers you're particularly fond of?
I adore ferdinandhome — terrific T-shirts, my favorite greeting cards, and fabulous potholders made from vintage fabric.

Another favorite is pineconeandchickadee. I'm smitten with Amy Teh's designs.

I hope my husband is reading this, because one thing I'd be super happy to find under my tree this year is a messenger bag from bobbinstudio.

And, lastly, there's a real gem of a little business in my neighborhood that just became an Etsy seller a few weeks ago: HomegrownHerbandTea. Sarah Richards is a skilled herbalist who has been blending teas for both health and pleasure at her tea shop here on Munjoy Hill for several years. She just made the leap online and her teas are definitely worth checking out.

Further Resources:
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) proposes a set of new rules that builds community by supporting humanly scaled politics and economics. The rules call for:

Decisions made by those impacted
Communities accepting responsibility for the welfare of their members and the next generation
Households and communities possessing or owning sufficient productive capacity to generate real wealth

NewRules.org discusses the importance of rules and catalogs the best. We make the rules and the rules make us.

The Related Items below are all from Stacy's native Maine!

Find Etsy Sellers in Your Town | Read Our Shop Local Series | Check Out the Etsy Maine Team