Storque articles: Events

Come Craft Valentine Ornaments With Papismami at Etsy Labs

2010-02-04T09:45:00-05:00

Things are heating up at the Etsy Labs this week. Our hearts might just melt if you join us to make heatpress valentine ornaments at Craft Night — whether you're in Brooklyn, or anywhere in the world.

Stop by for our weekly Craft Night in our online multi-user chat room, the Virtual Labs, for a live online demo at 5 p.m. ET, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512 in Brooklyn, New York. (Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is in your hometown.) Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills, and connect with fellow artists.

Please join us on Monday, February 8 for Craft Night with Dari Litchman of Papi's Mami. We will be making stuffed fabric valentine ornaments using heat transfer images and other embellishments. You can follow along at home using iron-on transfer paper from an office supply store. If you are attending Craft Night in Brooklyn, you can send your images to Dari ahead of time and she will print them out for you on her special commercial grade transfer paper, and we will use the heat press in the Etsy Labs. You can send your images (photos or graphics) to dari.litchman@gmail.com. Please do not send large files and make sure they are jpegs.

We will also have a box at Craft Night to collect any Valentine's Day cards that you would like to donate to the Special Delivery project. All cards collected will be delivered by Citymeals-on-Wheels volunteers (including Etsy Admin) on Valentine's Day. More details on this project and how to participate here.

Dari Litchman, this week's Craft Night teacher, lives and works in Brooklyn, NY where she makes a line of kid's tees inspired by her favorite shorty (both pictured, left). You can see her work here on Etsy.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to craft along with us, you'll need to gather the following supplies:

Felt
Needle and thread
Stuffing
Ribbon or yarn
Scrap fabric
Glitter or glitter flue
Fabric paints/markers
Sequins, beads, buttons, any other shiny and fun embellishments

A photo from last week's matchbox valentines Craft Night.

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

2/15: President's Day: Craft Night canceled
2/22: Open Craft Night
3/1: Hatmaking with desirapesta
3/9: To be announced
3/15: Applique with Natalie from Alabama Chanin

Looking for further craft inspiration?

Matchbox Valentines | Fabric Flowers | How-Tuesday Projects

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

Come Craft With Rachel Johnson of Swap-Bot.com at Etsy Labs

2010-01-28T10:27:00-05:00

Love is in the air at the Etsy Labs. Our hearts will surely sing if you join us to make matchbox valentines (tutorial here)at Craft Night with Rachel Johnson — whether you're in Brooklyn, or anywhere in the world.

On Monday, February 1, Rachel Johnson will show us how to transform matchboxes into sweet little valentines and gifts. Altered matchboxes are small favors or gift boxes that can be decorated in any style or theme — including Valentine's Day! Some crafters decorate real, empty matchboxes, but if you don't have any of those handy you can create the little boxes from scratch using card stock or light cardboard. (A printable PDF template is available for download on the Swap-bot blog.) The small paper boxes can be decorated with patterned papers, ribbon, and other small embellishments. You can fill the boxes with a paper valentine message or a small gift.

If you are interested in trying out a matchbox swap on Swap-Bot (more details on Swap-Bot below), come join the February Love Matchbox Swap.

Rachel Johnson (on the left) is the co-owner and sole administrator of the art and craft community website, Swap-bot.com. Swap-bot is a web tool used to coordinate group craft and pen pal swaps. It is also a community with over 25,000 members where you can share, create, chat, and have fun with other artists, crafters, writers, and makers from all over the world.

Rachel created Swap-bot in 2005 with her husband, Travis, and has recently devoted herself full time to running the site.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to craft along with us, you'll need to gather the following supplies:

Matchbox template (Download a free matchbox template PDF from the Swap-bot blog here.)
Thick card stock and/or light cardboard, like a cereal box
Pencil
Scissors
Bone folder or other scoring instrument
Ruler
Glue
Decorative papers and other embellishments for decorating your Valentine box

A photo from last week's stenciling Craft Night.

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

2/8: Heatpress printing with Dari of papismami
2/15: President's Day: Craft Night canceled.
2/22: Open Craft Night
3/1: Hatmaking with desirapesta

Looking for further paper craft inspiration?

Rolling Ball Books | Paper Boxes | How-Tuesday Projects

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

Etsy Speaker Series: Douglas Rushkoff

2010-01-21T16:44:00-05:00

UPDATE 1/21/10: Just a friendly reminder: This is happening at 7 p.m. ET tonight, at Etsy and in the Virtual Labs! See you there.

Looking to expand your horizons? Join us for the second installment of the Etsy Speaker Series at the Etsy Labs in DUMBO, Brooklyn, USA.

Following up on our first Speaker Series event with Rasmus Lerdorf, award-winning writer, documentary filmmaker and scholar Douglas Rushkoff joins us Thursday, January 21. Rushkoff made the PBS Frontline documentaries Merchants of Cool, The Persuaders, and the upcoming Digital Nation premiering February 2. His book, Life Inc.: How the World Became a Corporation And How To Take It Back, traces how corporations went from a convenient legal fiction to the dominant fact of contemporary life. Watch Life Inc. The Movie above for a 9-minute summary.

Mr. Rushkoff will be speaking about the creation of value and how to exchange it directly with others.

Come on down on January 21, 2010, at 7 p.m. ET at Etsy, 55 Washington Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201. This is a free event open to the public and refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP here.

If you're not in the New York area, you can join us through a live web-broadcast in the Virtual Labs, Etsy's online multi-user chat room of the future. (You don't need to RSVP. You just need to be signed in to Etsy. Registering for an Etsy account is free. Learn more about how Etsy's online multi-user Virtual Labs work.)

Praise for Life Inc.:

"This is an urgent book, essential reading about an important topic you've probably never considered before. Like all great books, it will open your eyes to a whole new way of thinking. I hope that everyone gets a chance to read it, before it's too late."
- Seth Godin

"Read this book if you want to understand how the current economic meltdown started 400 years ago, how so much of what you consider to be a natural evolution of daily life was carefully designed to profit a few, and how corporatism has so colonized every part of life that most of us don't even recognize how our lives and fortunes are channeled and manipulated by it. I love that Rushkoff isn't afraid to think big—very big."
- Howard Rheingold, author of Smart Mobs

"Hand wringing over the state of the global economy? Think again. Douglas Rushkoff explains why this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to remember what matters, and to rethink our economic system so it reinforces our human values. A profound and important call to action."
- Tim O'Reilly, Founder & CEO of O'Reilly Media

Have you read Rushkoff's books or seen his documentaries? What do you think? Leave it in the comments below.

Come Craft With Ed Roth of Stencil1 at Etsy Labs

2010-01-21T14:11:00-05:00

After a lengthy Craft Night hiatus we're excited to start making all of our crafty new year's ambitions come true. We invite you to join us for our first Craft Night of 2010, a stenciling session with Ed Roth — whether you're in Brooklyn or anywhere in the world.

On Monday, January 25, Ed Roth will be sharing his expert stenciling skills at our first Craft Night of the year. Please bring a t-shirt, tote bag, card, pillowcase or anything else that you would like to spruce up with a stencil.

Ed Roth (that's him on the left) started his company, Stencil1, in Brooklyn, NY in 2004. Stencil1 designs and sells laser-cut reusable stencils inspired by stencil graffiti, with imagery ranging from urban and eclectic to nature-inspired. The company's aesthetic lies somewhere between street art and decorative arts.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to stencil along with us, you'll need to gather the following supplies:

T-shirt, tote bag, or a surface to stencil upon
Stencil bristle brushes (flat head brush), one for each color
Fabric jar paints in various colors
Paint dish
Stencils
Cardboard sheets or boxes to slip into shirts for flat painting surfaces
Fabric spray paints
Newspaper to control overspray
Iron and board to heat seal design

For further insight into Ed's stencil process, check out the how-to video below.

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

2/1: Matchbox Valentines with Rachel Johnson of Swap-bot

2/8: Heatpress printing with Dari of papismami

2/15: President's Day: Craft Night canceled.

2/22: Open Craft Night

Looking for further stenciling inspiration?

Painted Furniture | Stencils & Yam Prints | How-Tuesday Projects

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

Come Craft With The Uniform Project & Megan Nicolay of Generation T

2009-12-22T15:31:00-05:00

UPDATE: We had such a fun time last night! Thank you to all who brought your questions to the Q&A in the Virtual Labs, and thanks to Sheena and Eliza for their very interesting A's. Today, Sheena is wearing the free-form, radical, catatonic kitten from outer space T-shirt she made last night, under Megan's tutelage. More photos from last night are posted on our Flickr stream.

[The following was originally posted on December 17, 2009.]

Why stay in and craft all by your lonesome? Come join us for a used clothing reinvention and swap with The Uniform Project and Megan Nicolay of Generation T — whether you're in Brooklyn or anywhere in the world. Stop by for our weekly Craft Night in our online multi-user chat room, the Virtual Labs, for a live online demo at 5 p.m. ET, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512 in Brooklyn, New York. (Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is in your hometown.) Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills, and connect with fellow crafters.

Have you ever done a 365 day challenge? What's your New Year's resolution? How about starting with giving old clothes new lives! This week, on Monday, December 21, visit the Etsy Labs and the Virtual Labs for a used clothing swap and clothing reinvention project.

The Uniform Project will talk about the 365 day challenge they're pursuing to raise money and awareness about disadvantaged school children. Sheena (see at left in the stylish bob) is wearing one little black dress for an entire year and documenting her inventive outfit customization methods with handmade and vintage accessories. Eliza (pictured on the left) designed the frock, which has turned out to be infinitely adaptable. Read our full interview with the Uniform Project here.

This Monday we'll roll up the sleeves of our used t-shirts and make a project too. Megan Nicolay (pictured below), author of Generation T, will be at Craft Night to demo a no-sew project for turning your old t-shirts into something new and fresh. We're inviting everyone who comes to bring some used clothing you'd like to swap with other attendees, cut up and reinvent with Megan, or if you don't have any clothes that fit the bill, Threadless will be sending us a box of misprinted t-shirts ready for reinvention.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to reconstruct a t-shirt with us along with us, be sure to bring along a t-shirt and a pair of scissors.

Here's a sampling of Megan's no-sew projects:

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

12/28/09 through 1/18/10: Craft Night Hiatus (No Craft Nights at the Etsy Labs during this time.)

1/25: Stenciling with Ed Roth of Stencil 101
2/1: Matchbox Valentines with Rachel Johnson of Swap-bot

2/8: Heatpress printing with Dari of papismami

Looking for further fashion inspiration? Try these links:

Accessorize This: The Uniform Project | Handmade Portraits: Built by Wendy

Will we see you Monday, ready to reconstruct your old clothing? Let us know in the comments below.

Come Craft Plush Toys With Wendy Gardner at Etsy Labs

2009-12-10T15:30:00-05:00

Why stay in and craft all by your lonesome? Come join us for a teddy bear workshop with Wendy from Scary Stories — whether you're in Brooklyn or anywhere in the world. Stop by for our weekly Craft Night in our online multi-user chat room, the Virtual Labs, for a live online demo at 5 p.m. ET, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512 in Brooklyn, New York. (Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is in your hometown.) Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills, and connect with fellow crafters.

This week, on Monday, December 14, Wendy Gardner will show you how to turn any old shirt into an adorable teddy bear for a great holiday gift idea. There's no better way to clear out those closets and gain a handmade gift in the process! So, pinch a nice cotton button-down from the closet of your husband/boyfriend/grandpa and come on down to the Etsy Labs for some fluffy stuffy fun!

Wendy Gardner is the founder of Scary Stories Inc., and she loves dogs, cats, chickens, and pets of all kinds. An artist originally from Toronto, Canada, Wendy began her career as a painter. She studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design and moved to New York City to work as an illustrator. She soon fell in love with a pug named Ivan and formed her company, Scary Stories Inc., and began selling Dig Ivan Dig and other characters in her line of unique plush toys, all playfully scary with angry eyes and growling teeth. The toys are sold in boutiques, design stores, gifts shops, and museums throughout the world. Her work can also be found in her Etsy shop, HappySugar.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to create teddy bears along with us, you'll need to gather the following supplies:

Mens' shirts
Sewing machine
Thread
Pins
Embroidery thread
Embroidery needles
Buttons
Teddy bear byes (snap in)
Stuffing (poly fiberfill)
Holiday adornments such as bells or little Santa hats
Blue, red, green, or silver fabric
Sequins
Ribbon
Glitter trimmings

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

12/21: TBA
12/28/09 through 1/18/10: Craft Night Hiatus (No Craft Nights at the Etsy Labs during this time.)

Looking for further crafting inspiration?

Make a Donkey Stuffie | How-Tuesday Projects | The Do-It-Yourselfer Gift Guide

Will we see you next week? Let us know in the comments below.

Come Craft With KnitKnit at the Etsy Labs

2009-12-03T14:00:00-05:00

Why stay in and craft all by your lonesome? Come join us for a needle felting workshop with KnitKnit — whether you're in Brooklyn or anywhere in the world. Stop by for our weekly Craft Night in our online multi-user chat room, the Virtual Labs, for a live online demo at 5 p.m. ET, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512 in Brooklyn, New York. (Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is in your hometown.) Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills, and connect with fellow crafters.

This week, on Monday, December 7, join us for a needle felt ornament Craft Night! You'll learn how to "sculpt" with a felting needle and wool with Nguyen Le from KnitKnit (pictured right). We'll start out with the basics, and let your imagination go from there — the possibilities are endless! This craft is not recommended for children due to the sharp needles.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to felt up some ornaments along with us, you'll need to gather the following supplies:

Felting needles
Wool
Foam cushion to felt upon
Ribbon or embroidery thread for ornament

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

12/14: Plush toys with Wendy of Scary Stories
12/21: Bottlebrush trees with Daniellexo
12/28/09 through 1/18/10: Craft Night Hiatus (No Craft Nights at the Etsy Labs during this time.)

Looking for further crafting inspiration? Check out the video we made with KnitKnit!

How-To Needlefelt a Turkey | How-Tuesday Projects | The Do-It-Yourselfer Gift Guide

Will we see you next week? Let us know in the comments below.

Handmade Holidays With the One of a Kind Show

2009-12-02T14:12:00-05:00

As we all know, once Thanksgiving passes, it can feel like a freefall through the holiday season, rushing from one event to the next and desperately cramming shopping in between. Before you let yourself get carried away on that manic bandwagon, Etsy and The One of a Kind Show have something to say about it!

Lisa Simonian, the vice president of marketing for the One of a Kind Show and Sale — now in its 35th year! — joined us to talk about the inherent value of handmade items and the fun of getting to know the people and stories behind them.

Here at Etsy, we take this message very much to heart, and we are excited to be partnering with The One of a Kind Show and Sales® in Chicago and New York this December to present The Etsy Artist Pavilion for emerging artists. This dedicated area of each show will feature more than twenty Etsy artists — just a fraction of the incredible and diverse talents on the site itself, but a welcome alternative to that four-letter word, "mall." We hope you can join us!

Now, on to our interview with Lisa...

Can you tell us a little about the One of a Kind Show? Where did it start?

Similar to most brilliant ideas, the One of a Kind Show was born out of a simple desire for something more! The show is the brainchild of Torontonians Steven Levy, Martin Rumack and June Bibby. It was 1975 and June: an artisan couldn’t find a place to sell her work before Christmas. So she, along with friends Steven and Martin, decided to create a holiday shopping venue. After a great deal of legwork and countless all-nighters, the trio launched the first One of a Kind Show at Toronto’s Queen Elizabeth Building in December 1975. Today the show is a wildly popular annual event that runs in Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago, and soon to be New York.

[Vases by Christopher Mosey]

This is the first year the show is appearing in New York — what can people expect at this show?

They can expect to find the unexpected and things they won’t be able to find anywhere else! They can expect to find truly unique gifts items from the 275 talented artisans who will set up shop at the show. They can expect to meet in-person every artist, artisan and designer represented, and they can expect to find a fun and easy shopping experience with cafes, lounges, fashion shows, artist demonstrations, expert presentations, craft workshops, live music, coat and package check, and giftwrapping.

What are your goals for the OOAK Show?

True to the founders, our goal is to create the ideal venue for artisans to sell their work and the ideal venue for shoppers to buy artisan work.

[Sculptures by Dailey Woodworking]

The One of a Kind Show has been around for thirty five years. That's a long time! What's your favorite memory from OOAK shows past?

I’ve been with the Chicago show for six years and I have six years worth of wonderful memories of working with my One of a Kind colleagues and with our One of a Kind artisans. What stands out most in my mind when I think of past shows is that the show is always such a happy event. You walk through the aisles and somehow it’s smiles and laughter everywhere. People who don’t even like to shop love the show! I think the concept and environment make people feel good.

What's your favorite item that you've purchased? What does it mean to you?

A beautiful seafoam green handknit wool sweater and matching hat that I bought for my daughter before she was born. She’s now well outgrown it — but it is still in pristine condition and we’ll keep it forever… for her daughter, perhaps!

[Ceramics by Lois Aronow]

What do you think is the draw of handmade items? Besides the obvious beauty, why should people buy handmade for the holidays?

As you know at Etsy, people are more conscious these days about how and by whom things are made. There’s a newfound appreciation for craftsmanship. When an item is handmade there’s heart and soul behind it. Someone (not a machine!) had the desire, and took the time and effort, to create it. Holiday gifts should be meaningful — so it’s the perfect match.

What kind of workshops and seminars are offered at the OOAK Show?

There will always be something going on at the show stage. We’ll have fashion shows showcasing wearable art from the show, artist demonstrations, presentations by Hello Craft and ReadyMade magazine, a panel of editors discussing “The Evolution of Craft” and live music by up-and-coming musicians. ReadyMade and Hello Craft will also be conducting various how-to workshops at their booths on the show floor. Etsy will be hosting a handmade ornament workshop with fabric from Spoonflower at their booth at the show in New York.

[Sculpture by Dolan Geiman]

What's the number one reason to attend the OOAK show?

To shop for wonderfully unique work and to support the artisan community while doing it!

Check out the One of a Kind Show Artists Guide and the Related Items below for a sneak peek of Etsy artists selling at this year's show. Will you be attending the One of a Kind Show in Chicago or New York? Let us know in the comments!

Coast-to-Coast: Craft with Etsy Labs in Brooklyn and San Francisco

2009-11-26T10:30:00-05:00

This week we are pleased to announce crafting events across the United States! Join the Etsy Labs in both Brooklyn and San Francisco (and online!) for free hands-on workshops.

So, read on for double the crafty events this week...

Crafting in Brooklyn, NY:

Open Craft Night at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn, NY

This week we're hosting an open Craft Night, as we usually do on the last Monday of each month. Instead of an organized project, this week we are throwing the doors of the Etsy Labs wide open and letting you dive into any project that strikes your fancy.

Bring along any project you'd like to develop during this week's Craft Night, or start a brand new project using our tools and extra supplies. To craft-finity and beyond!

When: Monday, November 30; drop in any time between 4 to 8 p.m. ET.
Where: Etsy Labs at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY

Upcoming Events at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn:

12/7: Needle-felted ornaments with Nguyen from KnitKnit
12/14: Plush toys with Wendy from Scary Stories
12/21: Bottlebrush trees with Daniellexo
12/28/09 through 1/18/10: Craft Night Hiatus (No Craft Nights at the Etsy Labs during this time.)

A photo of Susan and Amy from a recent needlepoint Craft Night at the Etsy Labs.

Crafting in San Francisco, CA:

Student Night + Craft Bar With Etsy Labs at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco

Escape winter’s chill at the Museum of Craft & Folk Art! Join us for Craft Bar with Etsy Labs @ MOCFA, a free event co-sponsored by Etsy. MOCFA is throwing the gallery doors open for you to brush up on your knitting skills with a quick and easy hat project that will keep you warm and stylish during the winter months — it's perfect for gift-giving. Sessions are free and open to all skill levels, from beginner to expert. Materials and instruction will be provided.

Local artists Jackie Huang will be on hand for a plushie felting demo, and fiber store, A Verb for Keeping Warm, will share techniques for spinning yarn. Sip locally brewed Trumer Pils at the custom-built Craft Bar, visit the Open Source Embroidery Exhibition and pick up a new hobby.

Don't live in California? Fear not, MOCFA will also host a live demo of the evening's craft projects via webcam in Etsy's Virtual Labs for all of our faraway friends. If you would like to knit along with us, please download this free pattern.

When: Thursday, December 3 from 6 - 8 p.m. PT. Online demo at 1 p.m. PT in the Virtual Labs.

Where: Museum of Craft and Folk Art at 51 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco, CA

Looking for further crafting inspiration?

How-Tuesday Projects | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

Will we see you next week? Let us know in the comments below.

Come Craft With the Etsy Labs & Esther K. Smith: Rolling Ball Books and Ornaments

2009-11-19T10:30:00-05:00

Want to test out our latest How-Tuesday project with us at the Etsy Labs? Come join us for a free workshop with artist and author Esther K. Smith— whether you're in Brooklyn or anywhere in the world. Stop by for our weekly Craft Night in our online, interactive classroom, the Virtual Labs, for a live demo via webcam at 5 p.m. ET, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. ET at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512 in Brooklyn, New York. (Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is in your hometown.) Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills, and meet new friends.

This week, on Monday, November 23, Esther K. Smith will show us how to make rolling ball books and ornaments. Is it a book or a toy? You decide!

Esther K. Smith is Purgatory Pie Press designer and author of How to Make Books and Magic Books & Paper Toys. She handcrafts artist books and limited editions at Purgatory Pie Press in New York City, collaborating with typographer Dikko Faust and other artists and writers. Keep an eye out for her new book, The Paper Bride, in December 2009.

Looking for more paper projects? Try these how-to's:

Paper Flowers | Do-Si-Do Books

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.