Search results (tags) for: "church of craft"

All about Etsy FAQ Series: Welcome to the Etsy Labs

2009-09-17T13:08:00-05:00

We here at the Etsy Labs are often asked questions about what the Labs are and how the community can get involved. We realize there isn't really any published material about the Etsy Labs on the site other than our Merchandise shop, so we hope that we can clear up a few of the most frequently asked questions concerning the Etsy Labs in this article.

For more on this All About Etsy FAQ series, check out the intro, the All About the Teams post or the All About The Storque post.

What are the Etsy Labs?
The Etsy Labs are the physical Etsy offices located in Brooklyn, New York: Etsy central! Within the offices, the Labs functions as a community workspace where we hold Craft Nights and occasional events. The Etsy Labs folks run the community workspace, host events and visiting members of the press, design and make handmade Etsy merchandise and press kits and promos, manage the Etsy Labs shop, host online workshops and tutorials each week and represent Etsy at craft shows. We also work as Admin who are here to help you whenever you need shop advice. Whenever we have an event here at our offices, we try to broadcast it via webcam to the Virtual Labs. In short, Etsy Labs is much more than an office: We work to bridge the online and offline worlds of Etsy.

Can I come visit the Etsy Labs?
We welcome visitors at the Etsy Labs and love putting faces with names and avatars! The best time to come by and say hello is on Mondays from 4 - 8 p.m., when the community space is open to the public for Craft Night. We are now located at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn NY, 11201. (We moved from our 325 Gold St, Brooklyn location in August 2009.)

How do I keep up with what's going on at Etsy Labs, like finding out about events and online workshops?
To find out about events at the Labs and any online workshops that are coming soon, we'd recommend joining the Etsy Labs mailing list to receive occasional updates from the Etsy Labs straight to your inbox.

Also, you may wish to keep an eye on the Etsy Labs column of the Storque or the Events section of the Storque. We're always updating what's going on and how you can be a part of it!

If you're a member of Meetup.com, please do join the Etsy Labs Meetup group. If you're a fan of flickr.com, you can keep track of what's going on at Etsy on our flickr page and our Etsy Labs Show & Tell group.

What is Craft Night and how can I get involved?
Every Monday from 4 - 8 p.m. we hold a free weekly, walk-in Craft Night where the community space in our offices is open to the public. Each week the Etsy Labs organize a skill-sharing project. We provide supplies, tools, and know-how. Participants are also welcome to bring their own projects to work on. This is the perfect time to see the space, use the equipment and supplies free of charge, and learn a new skill. Just stop on by!

If you're not in the area, visit the Virtual Labs where we fire up the webcam and share in the fun.

If you would like to lead a Craft Night or have a suggestion for a project, send your ideas to labs@etsy.com with "Craft Night Idea" as the subject line. Have you participated in Craft Night? Share your photos with the Etsy Labs Show and Tell Flickr group!

The first Sunday of each month from 2 - 6 p.m. the Church of Craft meets at the Labs, which also serves as an open crafting time, and you are welcome to join in.

Do you still offer classes at the Etsy Labs?
At the beginning of 2009, we discontinued our class program here at the Etsy Labs and embarked on a collaboration with the Brooklyn artist facility, 3rd Ward. This collaboration is called Etsy at 3rd Ward, and it is a craft education program born from Etsy and 3rd Ward's shared spirit of hands-on innovation. Together we present the opportunity to learn skills to expand creative know-how and craft a handmade life. Check out this program for a host of exciting craft classes.

May I rent equipment from Etsy Labs?
Tools and supplies are available for use during our weekly Craft Nights. We have a slew of crafty equipment on hand and open for use during Craft Night, including sewing machines, sergers, a one-inch button maker, paper cutters, fabric, paper, sewing notions, rubber stamps, linoleum carving tools, irons, cutting mats, and a whole lot more. To use specialized equipment at the Etsy Labs, like sergers, we ask that you have demonstrated previous experience. To use the button maker, please bring your own button one-inch parts.

At this time, our screenprinting equipment is reserved for use by Etsy for in-house production of promotional materials.

What are the Virtual Labs and how do I participate in an online workshop?
The Virtual Labs are Etsy's online, interactive, multi-user chat room. We use the Virtual Labs to connect with our community, host events, live webcam how-to's, Team meetings, newbie chats, show and tell, shop critiques, and more! To find out what is happening in the Virtual Labs this week, just visit the lobby of the Virtual Labs for a schedule or check out the Virtual Labs Storque articles for the details. More info about the Virtual Labs here.

Apply to host a workshop in the Virtual Labs here.

Why is your Blogspot blog so out of date?
Our Etsy Labs blog is what we used to communicate with the community before The Storque made its debut on Etsy. Now that The Storque is here, we now keep in touch with you guys over here. However, since there is so much useful information and so many resource links over at our old blog, we wanted to leave it up for you all to access everything that still lives over there.

Do you accept donations of crafting supplies?
Through your generosity we have a full house of donated craft supplies and equipment at the Etsy Labs, and we are pretty much filled to the brim. We are limiting what we can take at this time, so if you would like to send a donation, just send us an email to labs@etsy.com to work out the details.

Can we have an Etsy Labs in our city/area?
It would be wonderful to have an Etsy Labs in every state or in non-U.S. countries. It is our hope that through the Etsy Teams and partnerships, people will be able to meet up and form their own community workspaces in their areas where they host skill shares, get donations, and generally help each other spread the Etsy love. If you'd like to take on a project like this, please keep send your idea to labs@etsy.com.

Soooooo...all you ever wanted to know about the Etsy Labs! Didn't see the answer to your question in this article? Send us an email to labs@etsy.com or post in the comments below, and we will be sure to get back to you with your answer!

Love,

The Etsy Labs

Guest Curator: Sabrina Gschwandtner of KnitKnit

2009-02-18T15:10:00-05:00

This week's Guest Curator is artist, writer and curator Sabrina Gschwandtner. Sabrina's work bridges the fields of conceptual art, handcraft, activism and social history. Her book KnitKnit: Profiles and Project’s from Knitting’s New Wave was published by Stewart, Tabori and Chang in 2007; the audio version was just published by Knitting Out Loud. Sabrina served as Artist Consultant for the Museum of Arts and Design’s “Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting” exhibition, and is currently an artist-in-residence on the 6th floor of the museum’s new building on Columbus Circle in New York. Visit her there from 11am to 6pm any Thursday between now and April 23rd, 2009.

I’ve been interested in the intersection of fine art and traditional handcraft since I started my ‘zine KnitKnit in 2002. Here are my picks for supporting, living with, wearing, using and making great stuff!

Handmade Nation Sublime Stitching Embroidery Pattern

Faythe Levine turned her life upside down to make a documentary about the indie craft movement. I supported her film, Handmade Nation, by buying this embroidery pattern. By indiecraftmovie, $4.50.

View Item | View Shop

Color Study 308

I’m a huge admirer of Sherri Wood’s quilt work. I hope to take one of her improvisational quilting workshops one day, or maybe commission her to make something from the boxes of old clothes and family fabric remnants I’ve been holding onto. By Daintytime, $1400.

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Antique Black Glass Buttons Floral Design Marcasite Style Edging and Back Molded Glass Shank

I’m always looking for unusual buttons to use in craft projects. By SalvageNation, $18.25.

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Artist Canvas Zipper Pouch

This canvas pouch is perfect for storing crochet hooks. By callieco, $15.

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sailor boy 90 yds 5.8 oz

I recently took up spinning and it’s HARD. I have new respect for artisans like Island Sweet, a painter who I imagine spins while looking at the Atlantic Ocean from her cabin in Newfoundland. By islandsweet, $40.

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Reclaimed Cloth Linen Napkin with Hand Embroidery

This embroidered handwork by Karen Ruane reminds me of Louise Bourgeois’ fabric on fabric book Ode a l'Oubli. By contemporarystitches, $28.

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Horizontal Letterpress Frame Mat in Water

I fell in love with Sycamore Street Press’s letterpress mats when I saw them at the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn last summer. My husband and I bought two to use for our favorite wedding photos. By sycamorestreetpress, $15.

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Practice Kindness 6 Dollar Gocco

Some of Lisa Congdon’s work makes me sing Linda Perhacs songs in my head. I like the idea of buying this card and giving it to people who need a reminder. Is that passive aggressive? I live in New York City and people are constantly pushing me on their way to get somewhere really fast. By lisacongdon, $6.

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annie hall hat

I love how this ‘70s style crocheted hat by Cal Patch of Hodge Podge Farm keeps the winter sun – or paparazzi flash bulbs - out of your eyes. By hodgepodgefarm, $68.

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New Crochet NAME Doily with 2 Rows of Letters up to 12 Letters

I wrote a book on knitters, but I’m also really into crochet. This mom will crochet your name, or your name + someone else’s name into a cream-colored doily! By crochetingbyrose, $28.

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Visit Sabrina Gschwandtner at these upcoming events:

KnitKnit Audio Book event
10am, February 20, 2009
Brooklyn General Store
128 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Knitting Out Loud audiobook authors Sabrina Gschwandtner and Lela Nargi will discuss their books with publisher Kathy Goldner.
www.brooklyngeneral.com

KnitKnit Audio Book event
Noon - 2pm, February 21, 2009
Knitty City
208 W. 79th Street, New York, NY 10024
Knitting Out Loud audiobook authors Sabrina Gschwandtner and Lela Nargi will discuss their books with publisher Kathy Goldner.
www.knittycity.com

“New Directions: Fiber Arts” Panel Discussion
2:30 – 4pm, February 21, 2009
The Museum of Arts and Design
2 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019
Join artists Norma Minkowitz, Suzanne Tick, and Grethe Wittrock for presentations of their current work and a conversation about new directions in the fiber arts lead by fiber, film, and performance artist Sabrina Gshwandtner.

Looking for past Guest Curators? Check out our archive.

Artistic Endeavors Posts | Fiber Art Items | Fiber Art Posts

Etsy in the Press: It's Not the Same Old Show...

2009-02-13T18:10:00-05:00

... on your radio! Not lately, anyway. The recent developments with the CPSIA have been a hot topic as of late, and there has been some great coverage on public radio in the last few weeks. Starting about two weeks ago, with Marketplace's Mitchell Hartman aired a story about the CPSIA and mentioned Etsy. You can read and listen to it here. There was a follow up post by Scott Jagow on the Marketplace blog as well. My favorite passage, from Mitchell:

As a reporter, I’ve never been so inundated with press releases, calls for actions, claims and counterclaims, as I have covering this story. I’ve been approached for interviews by people I didn’t even know were involved. The Etsy.com crafters said they were selling everything, shutting down.

This is a great example of the power of numbers and organization, and a reminder that this fight is not over, and we all must continue to make our voices heard. Brian Lehrer of WNYC also spoke about the CPSIA on his show this week, and again, our name came up.

On an unrelated and lighter note, Etsy came up again on the Brian Lehrer show for the second time in one week (!) during an interview with Faithe Levine about her film, Handmade Nation, accompanied by Callie Janoff aka callieco, reverend at the Church of Craft. The movie has been premiering in New York City this week, and if you're in NYC, see details here. I suggest you get your headphones out and give these all a listen.

And a lighter story came from Marketplace as well. Mitchell Hartman shared the love story of Mikey and Mona of Tinymeat and mamadelic (and now kittencamaro). Check it out here. Marketplace links to an Etsy Love Story that we posted with the couple last year.

In print, I saw two interesting pieces. The first is from the Daily Herald in Provo, Utah. It consists of a series of interviews with three Etsy sellers, meringuedesigns, bonnyfrances, and secondstorywindow. Each presents a compelling story of their Etsy experiences, and commentary on the handmade lifestyle. It concludes with a quote from a Mr. Brown, who I must say is quite eloquent as well. The second story comes from Publishers Weekly, a trade magazine, commenting on the state of craft-related publications today. I thought this was an interesting look at handmade culture from an outside perspective.

And there you have it. Go show your local public radio station some love. Happy listening!

For more Etsy in the Press, go here!

Newsflash from the Etsy Labs

2009-01-08T17:15:00-05:00

As the New Year starts rolling in and the Etsy Labs' second birthday nears, we have decided to discontinue classes at the Etsy Labs, and instead partner with 3rd Ward to hold the classes at their wonderful facilities. This space is already home to the monthly Handmade Music Night, and in the weeks ahead we will be transitioning classes there too. So, please stay tuned as the Etsy Labs + 3rd Ward collaboration unfolds and takes flight.

The last paid classes at Etsy will take place on January 25, 2009. (Last chance to sign up here.)

This decision reflects Etsy’s effort to focus even more energy on making our website, Etsy.com, the strongest, most wonderful handmade marketplace ever. To this end, we intend to use Etsy’s Virtual Labs as our main educational hub, where we are confident we can reach an even larger, global community of artists.

We remain committed to using the Etsy Labs as a community space, and will continue to host our free weekly Craft Nights, monthly Church of Craft meetings, and other free happenings. We will also keep handmaking our own promotional goods and merchandise right here in downtown Brooklyn.

We would like to extend the heartiest thank you to all of our teachers who have contributed so greatly to the Etsy Labs. We appreciate all your hard work and for sharing your amazing skills! We send a special thank you to Cal Patch (sewing and patternmaking), Danielle Maveal (jewelry, etching), Iviva Olenick (embroidery), Jenn Bennett Gubicza (plushies), Julie Schneider (bookmaking, knitting, Gocco), Kim Hall (feltmaking, dyeing, heatpress), Mary Helen McNally (bath & beauty), Nguyen Le (product photography), Norma Toraya (paper puppets), Phil Sachs (screenprinting), Ranjit Bhatnagar (junk guitars), Yana Gorbulsky (underwear workshop), and all the other wonderful teachers who have shared their skills with us.

News from the Etsy Labs: We're back!

2008-04-29T11:54:00-05:00

After a long absence, the Etsy Labs are pleased to announce the return of our weekly Craft Night. Etsy admin have been multiplying like bunnies and so we relocated the Labs workspace to the third floor. We have painted the walls, schemed and dreamed, and lifted many heavy things and we are so excited to be re-opening our doors to you, fair friends.

We will be hosting our first Craft Night in our new third floor space on Monday, May 5, 2008 from 4-8pm! Tell one, tell all! Craft Nights will occur every Monday from 4-8pm at 325 Gold Street, 3rd floor in Brooklyn, NY. Each week we will organize a skill-sharing project. We will provide the supplies, tools, snacks, and know-how. Participants are also welcome to bring their own project to work on. Craft night is a time to make things, learn new skills, and hang out.

Put your crafty pants on and come join us for our first Craft Night in our new home. This week we will be making pillowcases and seat cushions to decorate our new space. No experience necessary. Just bring yourself, some enthusiasm, and perhaps a project and get ready to make things!

On a similar a note, Church of Craft will once again be meeting at the Etsy Labs the first Sunday of every month from 2-6pm. Their first meeting back at the Labs will be this Sunday, May 4. We have missed them so! Their meetings are a casual drop-in affair. So, stop by any time and bring anything you are working on, or come and just check out what everyone else is up to.

In addition to our weekly Craft Night and Church of Craft, we also have a plethora of new classes scheduled and being added all the time.

See you around the Labs soon!

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Keep an eye on the Storque Events calendar for future updates from the Etsy Labs.

Want to learn more about the Labs? Check out our FAQs. Want to receive email updates? Join our Etsy Labs mailing list.

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: April 24, 2008

2008-04-24T12:40:00-05:00

Spring is finally here and I couldn't be more pleased. I encountered the smell of fresh cut grass (very unusual in New York) on the way to work, and it was — what's a less intense word for transcendent? Magnificent, basically. Here's to more inspiration for your day! Design and style, onward!

In case you didn't know, the friendship bracelet is all the rage this season. Kate at For Me, For You pointed out the work of Ray Fenwick, who paints friendship bracelets and cute teen slang (like you'd read in a yearbook) on old book covers. So adorable!

BurdaStyle made my heart swoon this week. Their post and interview about Blythe Church's soft sculpture was truly inspirational. It's a typewriter! Man, oh man! (She also has an Etsy shop: sewnbyblythe!)

My vote for coolest zine site goes to Cafe Royal, hands down. Swiss Miss pointed them out, and I just keep poking around, looking at all the amazing artists they've managed to corral. As Swiss Miss states, "[Craig and Joanne of Cafe Royale] realize there's a fine line between Fine Art and Craft, as there is between Illustration and Drawing. That doesn’t concern them too much: What interests them the most is the DIY ethic that makes artists’ zines and books so interesting and valuable. Each one is like wandering into a curiosity shop of the artists’ mind." Check it out!

Design For Mankind posted about these wooden USB sticks. Who knew technology and nature could intersect into something so organic? I kind of love it.

Any amazing finds this week? Great new blogs or resources for the artsy and craftsy community? Leave 'em in the comments! Inspiration is always welcome.

Podcasting, Anyone? Craftypod interviews LittleputBooks

2008-03-04T11:36:00-05:00

This past installment of Craftypod with Sister Diane features Ryan LittleputBooks. Click here to listen.

Craftypod is a series of audio interviews, tutorials, and other crafty content with crafty person Sister Diane, who lives in Portland, Oregon and also runs a chapter of the Church of Craft. It comes out biweekly and she's been consistently posting since 2005. She focuses this interview on marketing, using Ryan's advice and real life experiences. She asks the question, "Why are we afraid of marketing?" And Ryan feels that this is a fear of failure, which cuts doubly deep when you've made the product yourself and put yourself into it.

Sister Diane also asks useful questions about photography and listing descriptions, to which Ryan gives insightful answers. The two also discuss Etsy's drawbacks (the site hasn't reached a mainstream market yet and it can be difficult to get noticed amongst all the sellers).

See LittleputBooks' articles on the Storque, including some tips about keeping up with the holiday rush and a Success Story. Check out more posts in our Podcasting Series.