Earthblog

Photos by Aaron Espe
Thursday, 21 April 2010

Angela Gray, Owner of Mama Said Sew

01/10 

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The grand opening of Mama Said Sew will be celebrated the first Friday in May with fashion show put on by local sewing superstars.  In the meantime, read what Angela had to say about crafting, opening a business, books, websites and more.

How would you describe Mama Said Sew?

Mama Said Sew is a sewing and crafting lounge that provides a community resource for education, expertise, and collaboration. MSS seeks to serve people who want to create and learn collaboratively in an open environment beyond the traditional rules of sewing. This is a space where the crafting community is celebrated, recharged, and inspired; where failure is okay and even encouraged. Hopefully this is a space where generations of knowledge are shared freely and openly, in a non-threatening, non-intimidating, non-judging way.

An interview with Whitney Phippen

Written by Elliott Johnston
Saturday, 19 December, 2009

Photo by Whitney Phippen

Matter Daily is kick-starting our crafting coverage by running a series of Q&As with local craft market organizers. The second in our series is an interview with Whitney Phippen, a maker of handmade necklaces, greeting cards, and more. Phippen, whose pendants have been featured in national magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, is also the founder of the Fort Collins-based crafting group Handmade Militia, which puts on craft markets, supply swaps, potlucks, and YART sales (“a little bit yard sale, a little bit art sale,” Phippen says). Unlike the FREEdom Markets discussed in Part 1, Handmade Militia fairs ask for payment from crafting vendors, and in turn Phippen does all the legwork with set-up and promotion.

Matter Daily: What is a craft? How big is that definition for you?

Whitney Phippen: A craft is anything that takes time and energy to make. It’s something that you sit down and think about and make with your hands—even if you use a computer. You are still using your hands on the computer, so I think just anything handmade.

MD: How did you get into crafts and the craft culture as you know it today?

WP: I’ve guess I’ve always made things, and I don’t like working for other people. So I’ve always tried to find a way to make money without working for someone else, so it’s always been like, “What can I make? What can I make that I could sell to someone else, make money, and then I don’t have to get a job?”

But now there is a crafting scene, and I hadn’t really realized how big that had gotten until a few years ago. When I started hearing about the Austin Craft Mafia, the Renegade Craft Fair—which are huge—I didn’t really know that what I was doing was popular, I had just always done it as a way to make money.

An interview with Susan Hazel Rich

Written by Elliott Johnston
Monday, 14 December, 2009

Photo courtesy of www.susanhazelrich.etsy.com.

Craft markets are blossoming in Fort Collins, bursting forth with handmade everything. There are evermore craft shows in Old Town, where local and regional makers (or crafters) sell their personalized, homespun wares. The types of crafts are expansive (clothes, jewelry, fashion accessories, postcards, functional art, pottery, on and on) and the crafters (women, men, young, old, professionals, amateurs) are disparate in background, specialty, and motivation.

The recent up-tick of well-attended craft shows is impressive for a Fort Collins D.I.Y. art scene (a paradox to be sure, as doing-it-yourself is ostensibly a solitary act, and a scene naturally flirts with the public). Zining, for example, has been kept alive locally here and there, but humble handmade acts like these aren’t guaranteed to bring locals out in droves.

A reason crafting could be catching on in Fort Collins is because it complements established values touted by local environmentalists: reusing old materials, and buying and selling locally. Also, craft markets in general offer a different program than traditional art galleries, giving local buyers a fresh way to interact with local sellers. Markets are often one-or-two-day events held in rented or donated venues and the items being sold at a craft market are usually more affordable and made for practical, day-to-day use. The gist goes back to that classic no-brainer from the farmers market: why buy a tomato from thousands of miles away when you can grow your own, or buy it from the outskirts of town? Likewise: why by a dress or stocking cap at Target when you can make your own, or buy it from a friend? Basically, follow great grandma’s lead.

In addition to fitting in with local living economy trends, there’s another, possibly more integral reason why crafting is gaining visibility in town: inspired organizers and facilitators. The leaders putting the markets on, promoting crafting locally, and encouraging both established and newbie makers (or crafters) to get involved.

Matterdaily is kick-starting our crafting coverage by running a series of Q&As with local craft market organizers. The first in our series is an interview with Susan Hazel Rich, a maker of handmade dresses, bags, cards, and more. Rich, who also works as a graphic designer and barista, has helped spearhead the FREEdom Market, where, as opposed to traditional craft markets, vendors don’t pay a fee to display their goods, but donate volunteer time to make the whole event happen.