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it's a new year, and so it must be time for a whole new roster of classes! isn't it about time you learned something new? there are so many, i'm just listing the ones in january right now, but click on the venue names to see the full winter schedules.
beginner crochet @ Brooklyn General
thursdays 6:30 to 8:30 pm, 1/10, 17, 24 $125 (three 2-hour classes) learn all the basics of crocheting (chain, single, double and triple crochet stitches) and how to use them to whip up hats, scarves, amigurumi toys and more! shaping and circular crocheting are introduced, as well as stitch pattern like meshes, scallops and bobbles. begin a scarf in the first class and continue on to either a hat or shawl by the end of the session.
supplies: one skein of smooth yarn in a light or bright color (easier to see your stitches) in either worsted or bulky size. for worsted bring a size G or H crochet hook, for bulky a J or K.
awesome applique @ Treehouse
sunday 4-6 pm, 1/13 $40 (one 2-hour class)
the art of creating designs and patterns by applying fabric on top of fabric is a versatile and fun way to embellish your textile creations. applique works hand-in-hand with embroidery, but gives you lots more coverage and impact with minimal time and effort. in this class we will learn 3 techniques for working with knits, wovens and felt. all supplies included.
patternmaking @ Etsy Labs
tuesdays 1-3pm, 1/15, 22, 29, 2/5 $180 (four 2-hour classes)
if you love to sew, but are frustrated by the patterns you find in stores, this is the class for you. you will learn the basic principles of flat patternmaking, and start having fun designing the clothes you picture in your mind! you will draft patterns for a t-shirt and an A-line skirt based on your own measurements. then we will manipulate these patterns into other style variations. we will also cover how to 'rub off' a pattern from a pre-existing garment. basic sewing experience is helpful to benefit from this class. (see class listing for supply list)
embroidery workshop @ Brooklyn General
tuesdays 6:30-8:30 pm, 1/22 & 29 $80 (two 2-hour classes) there are so many uses for embroidery; you'll wonder how you survived without it! it's a perfect way to customize items for gifts, for yourself, or for sale. it's also a great compliment to knitting or crocheting. create a sampler of a dozen basic stitches, learn how to transfer designs, and begin your first embroidered project: the classic tea towel.
supplies: one fat quarter (18"x18") of gingham, one or more skeins of embroidery floss, embroidery needle (look for a larger eye), scissors, embroidery transfers, and a tea towel.
introduction to crochet @ Etsy Labs
wednesdays 2:30-4:30 pm, 1/23, 30, 2/6, 13 $120 (four 2-hour classes) in this class you will learn all the basics of crochet (chain, single, double and triple crochet stitches) and how to use them to whip up scarves, hats, amigurumi and infinite other possibilities! we will learn shaping and circular crochet, as well as stitch patterns like meshes, scallops and bobbles. you'll begin a scarf in the first class and continue on to either a hat or shawl by the end of the session. happy hooking! yarn will be provided; but you'll need to bring a crochet hook, size H/I/J.
sewing 101 @ Brooklyn General
saturdays 11 am-1 pm, 1/26, 2/2, 9, 16 $150 (four 2-hour classes)
this class will teach you all the basics: how a sewing machine works, cutting from a pattern, and how to sew a simple wrap skirt. with these techniques, you’ll be on your way to stitching up all kinds of projects!
supplies: 2 yds light- to medium-weight woven fabric, 1 pkg extra-wide, double fold bias tape to match, thread to match, scissors, pins and pincushion, seam ripper, tailor's chalk
embroidery @ Treehouse
sunday 4-6 pm, 1/27 $40 (one 2-hour class) in this one session extravaganza, you'll learn 12 classic embroidery stitches and be off and running to custom-decorate everything you own! you'll make a basic stitch sampler to keep for reference. all supplies included... including tasty treats!
happy new year!
this is a mural near my house that i pass nearly every morning on my way to the Y. i saw it in progress while the girl who lives there was painting it, and it's made me happy ever since...i am feeling very optimistic about this 2008. it occurred to me in the past week that 10 years ago, in 1998, i was 29 and determined to fulfill my dream of opening a store that year, before i turned 30 (and i did open patch 155 in september '98). well here i am, a decade later, just turned 39 and now it's time to fulfill the farm fantasy! i have been talking about moving upstate for like 7 (8? 9?) years, saying i'd probably do it in '2 or 3 years'. enough! then i realized that my birth year is 1968, so obviously the eights are good years for me! thus my new motto is... (drumroll) UPSTATE IN '08! anyway, these are some goals for this auspicious New Year:- to strengthen and develop sources of income that can be accessed regardless of location, such as online sales, magazine work, wholesale business, and textile design swatches- to FINALLY get my actual website up and running, with archives of my work, services and classes i offer, etc. (this blog was started as a temporary place-holder until the site was ready, HA!) my friend xine and i have worked out a bartering deal (website for clothes) i just have to start putting together all the info she needs from me...- to post here more regularly: i plan to assign each day a category, like 'etsy shop of the week', 'inspiring makers', 'works in progress', etc. - to get, as george says, 'better, stronger, faster'! in other words, to work more efficiently, manage time better, be more organized, and procrastinate less. i am fully aware that we all think these same thoughts every new year, but does that mean we shouldn't try?- to continue on the path toward eating more whole, organic, and local (and therefore seasonal) foods. i just finished reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and it is making me even a little more fanatical than i already was... i actually think i am going to give up bananas!
so, on this last day of 2007, i am reviewing my achievements for the year. the blog makes for a very handy reference to remind myself of what has taken place. i didn't post a list of resolutions here last year (but i do plan to begin that tradition tomorrow!) but i did write them on a piece of paper, which somehow is not lost in the piles of papers strewn and nestled around my apartment...
- one thing i had written on that list was to push myself to utilise my skills beyond the very simple capacity that i had been sticking to for years. i am quite proficient at sewing, crochet, and patternmaking, but tend to be very lazy about challenging myself beyond the simple projects that come naturally to me (usually focusing more on the special embellishment effects that are added on last, rather than planning and executing more complicated styles from the beginning). drafting new patterns, making PANTS, and incorporating some freeform into my crochet are all ways that i have expanded my own parameters this year, and i look forward to continuing this process in 2008. a bonus is that my repertoire of classes has expanded as well!
- another goal i had set for myself this year was to start contributing patterns/projects to magazines. this is one of the steps that will allow me to achieve my dream of moving upstate, as it is a way i can earn income that does not depend on being here in the city. this year i developed 4 patterns for Crochet Today, did one sewing project for Cutting Edge (which sadly ceased publication before my piece was used) and another sewing project for Adorn. not bad!
- my two major selling events, Renegade in june and Craftacular in december, were both smashingly successful: i exceeded last year's sales by 100%. i attribute this to having fewer styles offered, with wide selections (all one-of-a-kind of course) in each style. in the summer i sold lots of sun hats, sleeveless tops, leggings and cotton wraps, and in winter i sold woolly wraps, tunics, crochet hats and dog sweaters. in the past my assortment was just a variety of one-off pieces which i think is harder for people to digest, especially in the context of an overwhelming craft fair!
- i extricated myself from a very unhealthy business relationship, which had been dragging on far too long, and though at first this freaked me out a little (it had been my biggest source of income the previous year), i quickly found several new ones that are infinitely better. i now teach at 4 venues in brooklyn, all so different from one another, and i love each and every one dearly: treehouse, brooklyn general, home ec, and the etsy labs.- in november of '06 i joined the Greenpoint YMCA, after years of saying i didn't believe in gyms because they're so unnatural and i'd rather be hiking on a mountain, hoeing my garden or building a fence to get exercise. well, aside from walking, which i do a lot of but not nearly as much as i used to, the fact is that there are no mountains, gardens or fences in new york and we do need to USE our muscles in order to keep strong and healthy. so i'm proud to report that i am still going an average of 4 times a week, either to a class (step, yoga, or pilates) or to use the elliptical machines and weights. and i am much stronger, leaner (20 pounds, actually!) and fitter than i was a year ago.- my proudest and most exciting accomplishment of the year is something i still feel superstitious about announcing, but as soon as the details are a bit more concrete you all will be the first to know!
gertie and i just wanted to wish y'all a very merry holiday! we are in ohio, eating lots of cookies. my mom just opened her wrap and is figuring out all the ways to wear it, and we're waiting for my sis and nieces to come over when the mayhem will begin! hope you're somewhere cozy and peaceful, with the all the creatures you love...
this saturday, 12/15 will be your last chance to see the hodge podge traveling shop, where you can fondle the goods (and gertie!) live and in person. come by and say 'hi' if you're in the neighborhood; we'd love to see you! i will be sharing a space with the super rad callie of church of craft fame and glory. note: gertie and i won't actually be there in the flesh until 1:45 or 2, so if it's us you want, come a little later in the afternoon ;o)
for the full list of participating designers, with links and pics of their work, look over here...
i've been tagged by lena. i'm not entirely sure what it means but fortunately she posted the rules and procedure so i know what to do...
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1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. i did most of my 'growing up' (ha) in rural novelty, ohio. i often credit the lack of *novelty* there with becoming a creative person.
2. i have had nearly every kind of (relatively common) pet, without venturing too deeply into the reptile category: dogs, cats, mice, gerbils, hamsters, a guinea pig, rabbits, turtles, shrimp, chicks (never made it to chickens though), fish, frogs, salamanders, crayfish, toads, sea monkeys, a parakeet, a pony, and a horse.
3. i rarely sketch or plan things out before i make them. usually i just start cutting, sewing, printing, embroidering, crocheting... and whatever else it takes until it's done! often the end result is completely different than what i expected. i love that.
4. i've been making things and selling them since i was a little girl. my sister and i used to paint rocks and take them door to door in our wagon. sometimes people would give us money but not want a rock. my mom was mortified that we did this.
5. i have no favorite color. i think every color is the best color for something. the only color i dislike is black.
i tag: kayte, alisa, kim, amylou and kaitlyn.
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