Search results (tags) for: "sewing"

Handmade Portraits: Built by Wendy

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:00:00 -0000

Without role models to guide her, self-taught fashion designer Wendy Mullin of Built By Wendy went from selling her handmade dresses in her front yard to owning four stores across the U.S., running a successful clothing label, collaborating on pattern designs for Simplicity and authoring the Sew U book series. As part of Etsy's Handmade Portrait series, Wendy took time out of her busy schedule to talk with us about how she's built her business from scratch. Her sense of style and process are rooted in making garments by hand, and though she's not an Etsy seller, Wendy's beginnings are similar to many handmade clothing makers getting their feet wet in businesses on Etsy. Her passion, hard work and drive got her where she is today.

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(Music by Jukeboxer & Lineland)

Wendy did a lot of drawing, arts and crafts as a kid living in the Chicago suburbs. Her mom, a seamstress, saw that she had an artistic tendency and encouraged her to explore. In high school she focused her creative energy toward photography and video, but with a sewing room back at home, she always found herself making things. During college in Kansas in 1989, Wendy started selling her handmade clothing in record shops where she worked.

After moving to Manhattan and showing her work at Steven Alan's showroom, Wendy got quite a bit of press for her clothing and guitar straps. She now has shops in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Los Angeles and San Francisco. If you like clean lines with a bit of fun nostalgia, you should have a look at her collection at Built By Wendy.

You can watch more of our Handmade Video Portraits, and we'd be so thrilled if you'd subscribe to our free Etsy iTunes podcast.

If you're into how-to books, join us on Monday, July 21, 2008 in the Virtual Labs to meet Crafty Mama author Abby Pecoriello. More details here.

Virtual Labs Schedule: July 14th to July 19th

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:47:00 -0000

The Virtual Labs are Etsy's interactive classrooms, a place to hang out, throw paper airplanes and share skills. This week we're starting Show & Tell Your Purchases. Come on by and show us what you've bought on Etsy this week! It's also week 3 of How-To Month. Hope to see ya around the Labs!

Want to host your own workshop or meeting in the Virtual Labs? Fill out an application here!

The following schedule covers Monday, July 14th to Saturday, July 19th, 2008 (all Eastern Daylight Time). The schedule posted in the Virtual Labs is magically in *your* time. So if you are confused, just click here to see what's coming up in your real time.

Monday

Craft Night! — 5pm to 8pm in the Treehouse. Come by and make cupcake themed crafts with us!

Tuesday

Newbie Chat with Danielle and Julie — 5:15pm in the Treehouse. Newbies! Get your questions answered here! Julie and Danielle can help get your shop started on the right foot!

Envelope Pillow with Anda - 7pm in the Treehouse. Check out the Week 3 How-To's article for more info on this tutorial.

Wednesday

Show and Tell For Sellers — 4pm in the Lounge. Come share what you are working on! Everyone will get their own time to talk about a project they are working on and get feedback. Come with links to pictures of your work in progress or if you have a webcam, you can show us live!

Dollhouse Collectibles Xmas in July - 6pm in the Treehouse. An online trunk show showing collectible miniature gifts to get and give for the holiday season.

Bath and Body Labeling & Legalities with Mary Helen — 7pm in the Treehouse. Check out the Week 3 How-To's article for more info on this tutorial.

Shop Critiques with Michelle — 9pm in the Treehouse.

Thursday

Weekly Teams Meeting with Sara and Danielle — 12pm in the Teams Room.

Office Hours: Vanessa, Alison, Tara and Bre (Storque Admin) — 1pm in the Storque Room.

Show and Tell For Buyers — 4pm in the Lounge. Come share what you have purchased on Etsy! Come with links to your purchases in their new home or directly to the items you have collected this week!

Office Hours: Mary (Etsy Community Advocate) — 7pm in the Treehouse.

Friday

Intro to Metalsmithing with Daniellexo — 11am in the Treehouse. Check out the Week 3 How-To's article for more info on this tutorial.

On-The-Fly Critiques with the EtsyLabs ladies — 3pm in the Treehouse. Pop in for a mini-critique with some experienced sellers and Etsy admin.

Office Hours: RobWhite (Forum Admin) — 7pm in the Lounge.

Saturday

Paper Puppet Making with Crankbunny — 2pm in the Treehouse. Check out the Week 3 How-To's article for more info on this tutorial.

Learn more about the Virtual Labs here! Apply to hold your own meetings or online workshops in the Virtual Labs here! Or send me a convo. You can also check out the Events Calendar in the Storque!

News from the Etsy Labs: Cupcake Craft Night

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:35:00 -0000

UPDATE: We have an exciting addition to this Monday's Cupcake Craft Night. Jill and Katherine of tinycupcakes will be leading a very special project: how to make a cupcake ornament! We look forward to seeing everyone at Craft Night this Monday for a sweet evening of cupcakes and crafting.

This article was originally published July 5, 2008.
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This week we are pleased to announce a very special edition of Monday Craft Night. The Etsy Labs and Cupcakes Take the Cake join forces to bring you an evening of cupcake-themed crafting. We will spend this sweet evening making cupcake-inspired crafts — which seem to be quite popular with shoppers on Etsy. We will demonstrate Gocco printing, buttonmaking, and sewing. You will learn how to print postcards, make pinback buttons, and simple plushie cupcakes. Or, let your mind run wild and create cupcake creations of any kind! Supplies are provided, though you are welcome to bring any special papers or fabrics to incorporate into your projects.

When: Monday July 14, 6-8pm

Where: Etsy Labs, 325 Gold Street, 3rd floor, Brooklyn, NY

Not in Brooklyn? Join us for a live broadcast and demos in the Treehouse room of the Virtual Labs. If you are joining us virtually for Craft Night this week and would like to craft along with us, you'll need to bring paper, pen, scissors, and fabric. Or, you may just want to come and watch, ask questions, and take notes.

Get your sweet tooth ready to feast on cupcakes and crafts!

Craft Night occurs every Monday at 325 Gold Street, 3rd floor in Brooklyn, New York. Each week the Etsy Labs organize a skill-sharing project. We provide supplies, tools, snacks, and know-how. Participants are also welcome to bring their own project to work on independently. Craft night is a time to make things, learn new skills, and hang out. Each craft night is also broadcast live in the Treehouse room of the Virtual Labs. All demos will be shown both in the Labs in Brooklyn and in the Treehouse online.

Will we see you at Cupcake Craft Night? Post in the comments below!

Would you like to lead a craft night 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!

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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.

Make a Hammock and Relax

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:00:00 -0000

This weekend, take some time to escape from the business and stress of your daily grind and make a hammock and lay around in it.

MP4 | Blip.tv | Youtube | iTunes | PDF

Watch the video and print out this snazzy PDF. Now get to it! You're going to need a few other materials to create this project:

3 1/2 Yards of durable fabric. (less if you're shorter than me - I'm 6'1")
Rope that is rated to hold humans. Climbing rope or that kind of strapping that's used to tie down stuff on the back of pickup trucks. Use better judgment than I did. Clothesline is not an option! (My butt still hurts!)
Sewing machine and thread.

Make a double folded hem for the sides and a tube at the top and the bottom. Go ahead and customize it if you like. On one of the hammocks I made for a friend, I added pockets!

Make sure to take photos and upload them to flickr and put them in the Etsy in Action flickr pool.

Safety: As you can see in the video, you do this project at your own risk. In retrospect, I wish I had used better rope rated for holding up humans and also had my hammock closer to the ground so I wouldn't have fallen so far! I'm going to go get some climbing rope or strapping to avoid hurting myself again. (I bruised my butt!)

If you enjoyed this video, you can get all of our videos automatically by subscribing in iTunes!

Etsy in Action: Upcoming Events July 4-July 11

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:54:00 -0000

So many great handmade events on the horizon, so little time...

Chicago, IL: July 10

For all of you in the Chicago area, the upcoming DIY Style Party is not to be missed! This sew-in will be held at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare-Rosemont. Join in the fun and create your own DIY fashions at the DIY Style design labs and stitch stations equipped with all the supplies. DIY Style gurus will be on hand to guide you through such projects as t-shirt surgery, sewing underwear, making an eco-friendly tote bag, and giving your jeans a distressed look. Be sure to visit the local Etsy sellers on hand and before you go, check out The American Sewing Guild's National Convention, also at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The ASG Marketplace opens its doors at 7:00pm. Stock up on the coolest sewing tools, patterns, and gadgets around!

Golden, CO: Call for Entries

If you live in Colorado, it's time to take off your sunglasses and start thinking about the winter holidays. Foothills Art Center, in Golden, Colorado, is looking for talented new artists to join their annual Holiday Market. They are now offering a 10% discount on the application fee for all Etsy artists! The market fills Foothills with unique arts and fine crafts for gift-giving. Admission to HART is free to the public and special programming helps attract over 10,000 shoppers! Works by nearly 200 Colorado artists will be displayed in a stunning holiday setting. If you'd like to apply to have your work in the Holiday Market, download the prospectus and mail it in by the July 31 deadline.

Brooklyn, NY: July 8

Create Digital Music, Etsy, and MAKE join forces once again to bring to life another Handmade Music Night at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn (325 Gold St, 3rd floor, Brooklyn). Join us Tuesday, July 8 at 7pm for an evening of Chiptune game-music wireless sensor driven sound, Wii balance board instrumentation, custom software for sound-mutation, and much more! Learn more details about this month's Handmade Music Night here.

See our previous Etsy in Action posts.

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: June 19, 2008

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:19:00 -0000

After quite the productive Renegade weekend (though rain soaked in many moments), I'm glad to be back in the swing of things. This edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere indulges my summer camp fancies, eco fashion ideas, models of Parisian infrastructure and some beautifully photographed picnics.

Read on!

I recently discovered photo blog Sew Kewl. So many great photos from the past! This collection makes me think of summer camp and being on vacation. If only...

Style Bubble brought Pia Stanchina to my attention. This student at Central Saint Martin's is taking the fashion world by storm with her eco and sustainable fashions. So delicate and fairylike!

Metro Pop Magazine has a great photo spread entitled Let Them Eat Cake. Very lush and dreamy, with summer picnics and such. [Via the very inspirational Moldy Doily]

Loving these shades of brown. [Via Oh Joy!]

Stickers and Donuts did a great round up of prints at Brooklyn's Renegade Craft Fair. I love this print by sycamorestreetpress. The Smiths lyrics and the Ohio outline are a nice touch.

You have to check out these photos! The Paris Traveler reports that Gerard Brion has constructed an intricate (15 years in the making!) replica of Paris from "baby food jars, soup cans, and old cinder blocks." Eco, crazy, beautiful. [Via Craft Zine]

Wanna give me some more artsy, style or design blogs to peruse? Leave them in the comments! And check out past installments of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere!

Etsy Finds: Pincushions

Mon, 26 May 2008 13:04:00 -0000

Today's Find is dedicated to that ever-so-necessary (at least for tailors and seamstresses) of objects, the humble pincushion. When searching for a good pincushion, like most everything else on Etsy, your options run the gamut from sweet and simple to the hallucinogenically anthropomorphic. Read on to discover some of my favorites:

Tape Owl no 2

How could you even stick pins in this little fella? By strawberriesandcream, $8.50.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Black King Mushroom Pincushion

This gocco-printed cushion is a smorgasbord of sweet Japanese fabric and ribbon, too. Cutesypoo, $12.

View item | View Shop Add to Etsy Favorites

Cupcake Pincushions

Classic wool cupcake pincushion. By englishcottage, $15.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Hydrangea Pincushion

The colors, the detail, the teeny felt flowers...it's completely lovely. By TheDailyPincushion, $28.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

pale cream twin chairs - pincushion

As a fellow applique artist, I have to give ups to this outstanding chair motif. By rabbitsmoon, $15.

View item | View Shop Add to Etsy Favorites

CUSTOM Large Multicolor pincushion

I have wanted a pincushion from verybigjen for ages. My current favorite is this large (5" wide) customizable one for $24.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Vintage chenille cupcake pin cushion lavender filled pincushion...Emilys Crazy Cakes...Baby blue

Shabby chic in the form of a cushion made from recycled vintage bedspreads. By crazycakes, $15.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Vintage Japan Duckie Pincushion with Vintage Fabrics and Buttons Too

Um, there was no way on earth I was passing this one by. I have no idea why you'd need a salt shaker attached to your pincushion, unless you plan on doing tequila shots while you sew. (Which sounds amazing.) Kudos to BluebirdMountain for making today's most cute-yet-functional piece. $18.50.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Milly Owl

Kawaii, just kawaii. By SugarElf, $35.

View item | View Shop Add to Etsy Favorites

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Fix Up Your Ripped Jeans

Wed, 21 May 2008 21:43:00 -0000

Last weekend as I was making the roof of my apartment into a squirrel-proof fortress, I ripped the knees of my jeans. After wearing the shredded dungarees around for the rest of the day, I decided I wasn't the type of guy who can rock the ripped denim. The jeans fit me perfect and it seemed such a waste to let them go, so I decided to fix them up. After some research I came up with this solution to my ripped jean dilemma.

MP4 | Subscribe in iTunes | Blip.tv | Youtube | HD

If you have a different way of reparing your jeans, leave a comment or even better, make a video about it, upload it to Youtube and post a link in the comments!

Do you like Etsy videos? Show your love and be the first ones to see them by becoming a youtube subscriber and setting up your iTunes to automagically download the latest videos.

Handmade Weddings: Custom Wedding Gown Tips from sewphisticate

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:01:00 -0000

Dressmaker sewphisticate gives us some insider tips to having a custom wedding dress made. This should be an interesting read for those following the Handmade Wedding Series, and especially helpful for anyone using Alchemy to get a dress made through Etsy!

I have been a special occasion seamstress for over 15 years. So, when one my dearest friends, Amy, got engaged, I was thrilled when she asked me to make her dress. She was a dream client and followed every little piece of advice I gave her. You can call your local seamstress or use Shop Local to find an Etsy seller in your area. I hope by sharing our journey together, you will learn some tips and strategies to making your custom dress experience joyful.

Be prepared!
I told Amy that just because I was making her dress didn’t mean she couldn’t have the fun of trying on gowns with her family and friends. In fact, the more dresses she tried on, the better knowledge she would have of what really worked for her. Amy took pictures of a few of her favorite dresses so she could show me what details she liked and what fitting problems she had.

Be detailed!
As with most things in life, a bridal gown is all about the details! Amy knew she wanted a simple, clean lined dress without beading or heavy lace, but it still had to be spectacular. So we spent an afternoon looking through a stack of bridal magazines and picking apart the dresses to find design elements she really liked. It turned out that she really liked a touch of a lace, hated pearls and sequins, but loved rhinestones.

Know your budget!
Like most brides, Amy was on a budget. We started with her ideal dress of silk charmeuse and chiffon with rhinestone embellished lace and looked for ways to trim the cost without losing the look she wanted. We ended up with a lovely low sheen satin (also called dull satin) and an extremely soft chiffon. The lace was our real struggle. It is difficult to find bridal lace without pearls and sequins and all the pre-embellished lace was extremely expensive. We finally found a beautiful plain lace and embellished it ourselves with glue on rhinestones. Because Amy was so honest with me about what she could and could not afford, I was able to prevent her having a nasty sticker shock and I had the fun of designing the embellishments on the lace rather than just using what was pre-manufactured.

Be time-wise!
Make sure your seamstress has enough time to do a great job on your dress. It can take up to six months to make a dress, depending on the details and the seamstress's workload. Making a custom wedding gown takes time. Amy came to me the day after her engagement to discuss her wedding dress. She lived out of state, so it was very important to keep our communication open about the progress of her dress. We set her final fitting about two weeks prior the date she needed the gown. This way we were prepared to handle any last minute emergencies without adding stress to either of us. Schedule the final fitting at least two weeks prior to the wedding to ensure any last minute emergencies can be handled with minimal stress.

Be flexible!
It's your wedding dress, but sometimes what you envision is just not possible. Your seamstress is a professional and knows what will and won't work with certain fabrics and body styles. Although this was Amy’s wedding dress and she had been planning it for years, I knew more about fabrics and patterns and how each would work with her figure. Amy really wanted a soft, easy flowing fabric. However, that fabric was not going to work well with the dress style she had picked out. By listening to my advice and going with a more stable, heavier weight fabric, she ended up with a dress that fit her and was able to support her chosen style. Lightweight, flowing fabrics are great for loose fitting dresses, but just cannot support a highly tailored gown without a great deal of inner structural support.

Be supported!
Amy is large busted and was concerned about having adequate support for her wedding day. We discussed the styles of dresses she liked and decided on an appropriate undergarment to wear. She bought the undergarment before I took her measurements and she wore it each time we did a fitting. Every support garment affects your figure differently. One bra may lift and separate while another may flatten slightly and yet another may be padded. Each of these differences drastically changes the way a well-tailored gown will fit your body.

Amy also knew that she wanted to wear a slight heel. I explained to her that our shoes affect our posture as much as our height. We all tend to relax and maybe slouch a little when we are barefoot or in flat shoes, but we stand straighter and hold our tummies in out of habit when we are in heels...and the higher the heels, the better our posture. At each fitting, Amy wore shoes that were the same height as her intended bridal shoes.

Be fit & consistent!
As I explained to Amy, a wedding gown will require at least two fitting muslins prior to starting on the actual dress. (If your seamstress does not offer fitting muslins, get another seamstress!) Fittings are crucial to creating a perfect dress and fitting muslins are often used as the pattern for the final dress. Once the fabric for your dress is cut, it cannot be uncut, so it is imperative that the fit be exactly what you want before scissors touch that special fabric. As with most brides, Amy’s weight fluctuated some as her big day approached. Do not go into a custom dress situation planning to change your weight! Drastic weight changes will alter the shape and proportion of your body in ways that are impossible to guess. If you want to modify your weight prior to the wedding, do so prior to having your dress designed and fitted.

Be realistic!
Amy knew that having her dress custom made would take longer than just picking one out at her local bridal boutique and was prepared for that. I have been amazed at the unrealistic ideas some of my clients have had. You cannot expect haute couture detailing on a shoestring budget. If you are a curvaceous lady, do not expect to suddenly look like a runway model and vice versa. If you make major changes in design elements, expect the cost of your dress to change accordingly. Be thoughtful when requesting changes. Discuss the consequences of any change with your seamstress so that you are both aware of the effect on budget and time lines.

Enjoy yourself!
Amy knew that having her wedding dress custom made was a once in a lifetime experience. Her dress was fitted to her body and filled with details and design elements that she picked out. Although it was time consuming and, at times tedious, Amy enjoyed the attention and the opportunity to create her perfect dress. It was all about her big day. Every rhinestone, every yard of lace, all the hours of fittings and design details were part of creating the perfect dress to showcase her. We both enjoyed every minute of it!

Wedding Gift Guide | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase | Handmade Wedding Series

How-to Make a Buttonhole Video with Fernfiddlehead

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:30:00 -0000

Fernfiddlehead recently showed me how to make a buttonhole and then she promptly went home and made this great little video showing you how to make a buttonhole too!

She's done a bunch of tutorials in the Virtual Labs and this video is a great start in videoblogging!

If you've got a how-to video that you think would help Etsy folks, make sure to leave a comment below or email us so we can check it out and watch them!

Wednesday Workshop: Learn to Make an iPod Pocket with fernfiddlehead

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:21:00 -0000

Join us Wednesday, February 13th in the Virtual Labs, specifically the "Sewing Room" room, at 12:15pm Eastern sharp for the next Labs Online Workshop!

Cathy of fernfiddlehead has graciously volunteered to host an online webcam tutorial demonstrating how to sew your very own iPod or mp3 player pocket cozy! She will be going through the demonstration step by step.

iPod Pocket supply list: Here's what you'll need ahead of time if you'd like to follow along!

Fabric for pocket  cut into 2 pieces (measuring 4.5" x 14") — can be the same or contrasting.  One piece will be the outside, the other the lining.

applique shape of choice cut from fabric, felt, plastic or whatever (important point is that the applique should be no wider or taller than 2.5").

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one button
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thread
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seam ripper
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scissors
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sewing machine
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iron
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stitch witchery to hold applique (if desired)

Bring a notebook and something to write with, and see you tomorrow!

Etsy Finds: Little Sewing Machine

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:00:00 -0000

This last winter I borrowed a friend's teeny tiny old singer sewing machine. Surrender Dorothy posts vintage stuff and supplies and she's got a Cherry Sweet Vintage Singer Model in her shop. These old machines aren't fancy. They go forward and backward and don't do any fancy zig-zags. They are super adorable and package up all tidy so it's good for taking to your friend's house for a sewing machine party.

Etsian How-To: Make Your Own Holiday Stocking!

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 06:42:00 -0000

Even if you're getting nothing but coal this year, don't hang some stiff, store-bought stocking on the mantle... make your own! fernfiddlehead (aka Cathy Moore) shows you how to sew a fully-lined stocking using fabric scraps and items from your home. Divided into 3 short segments, each video is full of great tips for the beginning seamstress or tailor. Follow along and maybe Santa will be impressed enough to fill it up with Etsy loot!

Check out the first segment here:

Click to see Part 2 and Part 3.

Check out fernfiddlehead's stockings and more:

fernfiddlehead.etsy.com
rikrak.etsy.com
cranberrymak.etsy.com
GreenWayBabywear.etsy.com

Open Call for Designers: BurdaStyle Wants to Hear from You!

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:17:00 -0000

Attention fashionistas and seamstresses!

Our friends (and former office mates) over at BurdaStyle have put out a call for designs for the Summer 2008 collection. They want to see your entries by December 22nd. Find out more about their open call for designers!

BurdaStyle is an online community where you can share and modify open-source sewing patterns. It's a great idea and they have a lovely site.

Erin from Etsy: New Orleans Trip (Pt 3)

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:23:00 -0000

Four years ago, I spent a year in New Orleans. This past February, since I had begun working at Etsy, I decided to try to meet all the Etsy sellers of New Orleans, and see how they were spending their Mardis Gras. It was great to be back there to see how the city was doing. I hadn't been back there since Katrina, and now, just after the anniversary of the storm, I've revisited some of my New Orleans video footage. I'll be sharing those here on The Storque as a series. You can catch up on my trip by viewing Part 1 and Part 2 in The Storque.

When I lived in New Orleans, I thought the signs on the businesses’ doors that said "Closed, due to Parades" were so funny! I found out they should be heeded - nothing much gets done during Mardis Gras that isn't directly related to the celebration.

One day, on my way to Micha's studo (aka BakingwithMedusa), I was thwarted by a very popular parade called Endymion. It turned a corner that blocked me on two sides and the river took care of the third side. There was nothing to do but turn around and go home until the next day.

The next day, when I finally did get to Micha's studio, I found it was well-worth the wait. The ambience there was parade-like - as if the whole operation were storing their things in her little space. Everything was well organized. The flowers, glitter, trinkets, colorful fabric scraps, egg crates and Micha's creations all seemed to be competing for a place in the roughly 12 foot square room. Micha doesn't throw anything away - other people's discards become charming and useful in her hands. As an art student, she studied printmaking. She still makes woodblock prints of Bette Davis and other old Hollywood folks, but now she also uses her studio to make costumes (such as the bride of Frankenstein featured in this video), purses and the occasional Russian Music box ferris wheel sculpture.

Micha and her family have a long history in Louisiana.

She told me a lovely story about the origins of her creativity. Her mother and aunts all sewed as they were growing up. During her parent’s generation, teenagers wanted to buy store bought clothes, but her grandfather had a different idea. He wanted his daughters to be self-sufficient and not to lose traditions that had been passed on before. He told his girls that if they would make their own clothes, he would buy them all the beautiful fabrics they wanted. So they did. Now today, a generation later, Micha makes costumes and clothes and the very well crafted purses that she sells in her Etsy shop.

To highlight all the do-it-your-self endeavors in her family’s history, Micha is soliciting for stories about other families with a handmade history on her blog, Handmade Family. If you’re interested, take a look!

Sew Useful Contest: Winners!

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0000

Grand prize of the Singer sewing machines goes out to...

Sew Educational:
Rain or Shine Solar Charger for SewUseful
by BlondietheBlond

Sew Hybrid:
Fire skirt by caballera

Sew Helpful:
Hearing aid drying pouch
by kerri9494

BUT HUGE honorable mention to
Vanfan,
for her insulin pump garter.
She actually won the most votes in this category, but she has the unfortunate position of being my sister in law, so she was taken out of the running. (She got the votes without the judges knowing she's my sister-in-law). She wants to spread awareness about diabetes, and her How-to really did that!

Runners up will get special gifties from Etsy and Instructables. They are...
Sew Educational:
Envelope book by
donovanbeeson

Sew Hybrid:
SewUseful Plushie Personal Boom-box / Goodnight Pillow
by abitabite

Sew Helpful:
SewUseful Walker Bag With a Professional Touch
by pauljuliadesigns

Thanks goes out to everyone who participated in this contest! There were so many amazing entries; it made it really hard to judge.

Comment and send your congrats via the Instructables blog too!

Note: This was originally posted in the Etsy Garden.

Sew Useful Contest: Entries Closed!

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0000

Etsy and Instructables are all about innovation and sharing the wealth of your knowledge, be it by means of a lovingly handcrafted item or the instructions on how to do, make or produce just about anything. (And the chance to show off your DIY talent doesn't hurt!) The Sew Useful contest has brought together the Etsy and Instructables communities to facilitate a meeting of the minds, fusing the worlds of making and instruction in an exciting collision of creativity. The goal of this contest? To produce a new and useful item (with easy-to-follow directions!) that would make anyone's life easier. The pay-off? Charitable contributions to the One Laptop per Child project, the satisfaction of a job well done, and a bevy of rad prizes, including a Singer QUANTUM 9940 sewing machine.

We had over 100 entries, which you can view here. Judging is proceeding smoothly and we'll announce the winners live in the Workshop early next week (stay tuned for exactly when).

The Sew Useful contest generated tons of new items, born of good ideas. Etsy user dottyral told us that her "useful item is an Emery Pincushion — it keeps pins and needles sharp. You just can't buy an emery pincushion anywhere... I saw that something wasn't available in the commercial market and filled that need with something handmade. How cool is that?" This example of innovation is exactly the kind of forward-thinking that the Sew Useful Contest is all about: finding an niche in the market that you can fulfill with a little ingenuity and DIY spirit.

When we asked contestants why they decided to enter the contest, Discopants said, "I've never done something this complete or in this open [an] environment before...This project was one that I've wanted to share for a long time. I've found it extremely useful myself, but didn't know where to get a voice to share it. I've thought about typing up instructions that I could e-mail out for about as long as I've had the idea. I just never got around to it. The format of Instructables.com made it easy and the contest where I could win something got me to take it seriously and post my idea. Now that I see how easy it is to do, I will work on getting some new ideas out there."

Many Etsy members had no previous experience with Instructables, but applied their real life how-to experiences to the contest. Etsian Terryann stated, "I am a mother...— my whole life is....'This is how-to_______________'...fill in the blank." It goes to show: even if you have no formal teaching experience, you might have more experience giving direction than you realize!

And as for that Singer QUANTUM 9940 sewing machine? It was a fine motivator for many a contestant. As Raggyrat said, "My sewing machine is old...Imagine getting a nice sexy new one with whistles and bells!"

For more information, visit the contest page, and to see the complete list of Instructables see the Instructables Etsy group.

Note: This was originally posted in the Etsy Garden.