Last month we cheered on makers and doers of all stripes to get together and celebrate creativity, and oh my, did you all meet our challenge with bright, flying colors! On June 10, 2011, thousands of you creative souls heard the brass drum beat and convened in communities all over the world to make things together, in cities and towns from Bloomington to Barcelona.

With the help of our amazing and generous sponsors — Martha Stewart, Plaid, Pebeo, Lomography, Spoonflower, BurdaStyle,  Simplicity, BERNINA, Magnolia Photo Booth Company, Swarovski, Duncan, Whip Up, Lark Craft, Sublime Stitching, Pendleton, Eco Bags, Swap.com, and Bazzill Basics Paper — Etsy sent out packages of party supplies to the most rockin’ groups across the world, and created downloadable party guides, complete with excellent coupons, to all the party organizers (feel free to download it for yourself here).

We have loved reading your Craft Party stories and looking through these photos. Every city came up with a different handmade spin on their gathering. Here are a few moments we wanted to share with you!

Party-goers in Barcelona spent the day working on fiber related projects. “It was a wonderful afternoon with lots of creative people!” Barcelona, Spain

I Heart Art: Baltimore sponsored the Baltimore Craft Party at the Maryland Institute College of Art where party-goers did paper cutting and glass painting. Lots of kids came out to celebrate for this one!

“One of my favorite moments was when everyone was introducing themselves and describing their Etsy shops and how they began their craft. I was truly impressed by everyone’s professionalism and passion for their handmade items. In addition, everyone was passionate about promoting and assisting each other — helping each other succeed and grow!”  Hilo, HI

Participants in Kalamazoo, MI painted glass items and created mixed media pieces. “Several of the participants brought craft stash to swap.”

“I Heart Art: Portland and the Museum of Contemporary Craft put on a 11-hour crafty extravaganza for Etsy’s Craft Party. During the day we had open crafting in the Museum’s ‘Lab,’ where crafters could help piece together quilts for the Quake Survivors Project and participate in a slew of other crafty activities — Japanese-style papercuts, freestyle Stitch-o-Rama embroidery on a vintage tablecloth, and a Might Ugly project. Everyone was happy, chatting with their neighbors and getting their craft on! Admission to the party was a sliding scale donation to Mercy Corps’ Japan Relief Fund. Everyone loved having a blast while giving back to a community in need, even though the community was on the other side of the ocean. Overall, we raised almost $700 for Mercy Corps and helped fuel the Quilts for Quake Survivors Project!” Portland, OR

“Our craft party was held at Sweetness Bake Shop & Cafe, a local bakery that is full of delicious handmade sweets. We set up make-and-take origami stations, a table with tons of coupons and projects, and had another station set up with our raffle items and a great photo area outside with handmade props and background. We formed our Etsy team at last year’s Craft Party and were very happy to also be celebrating our first anniversary.” Miami, FL

“After we got our craft project finished and put the letters that everyone had made together to form the words ‘Etsy Craft Party!,’ we played Scrabble or ‘Scraftbble,’ using our creations. It was so much fun!” Málaga, Spain

“Our group met at a bar that regularly hosts Sunday arts & crafts brunch events, so the setting was ideal. Some of us had met previously at other Etsy meet-ups, others were first-timers, so it was a great, convivial mix.” Philadelphia, PA

All proceeds from the Seattle Craft Party raffle went to a local Seattle work space supporting artists. “It was just great to see everyone in the community come out to celebrate the handmade community together.”

The Etsy Hudson Craft Party made recycled planters, indoor and outdoor containers for plants of all kinds, garden markers, terrariums, sewn fabric planter bags, window boxes and more!

“Our team celebrated Etsy’s 6th anniversary during our 3-day summer bazaar. The same people who visited our party the first day came the next two days too! They loved the fact that they created something beautiful with their hands from plain materials.” Etsy Greek Street Team

“We had a blast putting this together, and can’t wait until next year so we can do it again!  Much fun was had and many new friends were made.” Tampa, FL

Some highlights from the Tokyo Craft Party were “meeting other crafters and crafting as we chatted; it was great to meet some like-minded people.” Tokyo, Japan

Organizer of the Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina Craft Party said, “It was great to give people the opportunity through the Craft Party to try new things and hopefully it has inspired them to go off and do more creative things.” Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina

“This is the second Etsy Craft Party organized by the Etsy Italia Team in Rome. We had four nice projects to realize: a funny ring made out of recycled pantyhose, little boxes made out of recycled cardboard, butterflies and shadowboxes made out of recycled cardboard and old magazines.” Rome, Italy

In Durham, NC party-goers had a “mini-craft fair with 15 local craft vendors with kids’ music performed by Grammy-nominated singer, Kate McGarry, and her husband, Keith Ganz, and food by a local chef.” Durham, NC

In Midtown Sacramento, CA “everyone enjoyed trading their craft supplies during the craft supply swap.”

At the Brooklyn, NY Craft Party, we threw a big print party, featuring hands-on screenprinting, letterpress with Purgatory Pie Press, live music from Raya Brass Band, and photo booth mayhem. It was a night to be remembered by our 300+ guests!

Do you have a tale from a Craft Party that you attended? Share with us in the comments below!

How to Throw Your Own Craft Night | How-Tuesday Projects | Craft Party 2011