“DIY or DIE!” is the cry of young people all over the world, they’re crafting like never before. These aren’t your granny’s crafts though. They’re knitting, but it’s not an afghan, it’s a scarf emblazoned with skulls. They’re crocheting, but it’s not doilies, it’s an eco-friendly tote made with plastic bag yarn. Young people (age 45 and under) are taking classic techniques and using them in ways that would make grandma’s head spin.
Why is there a surge of young crafters? Where is it all going down? Well, in an interview with Craftster.org founder, Leah Kramer, she said that people crave a creative outlet in their life and with the onset of the internet; young people are “sharing all kinds of truly hip craft ideas with one another and showing the world that crafting can be a really cool form of self-expression as well.” Founders of another crafty website, Etsy.com, have a different opinion on why this generation is so creative. Matt Stinchcomb, Etsy’s promotional dept., says young people are creating as a “backlash against carbon copy, mass produced crap, and chain stores.” That’s why our generation is so creative, we’re sick of mass produced and we want to express ourselves in fresh, new ways in the hippest cities in the nation. Portland, Chicago, and San Francisco are the places that Leah Kramer considers DIY “hotspots”. She is the co-owner of Magpie, a hip handmade store in Boston, and says that most of the artists whose work is in the store call Chicago home. Matt Stinchcomb agrees with Leah’s picks and adds NYC, Boston, Seattle, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta and Seattle to the mix. No matter where you are in the country, DIY paradise is not far away.
Who are the DIY “leaders”? We’ve met Leah Kramer of Craftster.org fame and Matt Stinchcomb of Etsy.com but there’s also Debbie Stoller. Debbie Stoller has written four popular books, the most-popular of which is Stitch ‘N Bitch. SNB (as those who use the book refer to it) is a super-hip, easy to use book that teaches you everything you need to know about knitting. You crochet? That’s ok, Stoller has a book for you too, Stitch ‘N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker. These books have spawned Stitch ‘N Bitch groups all over the country, groups of young women meeting at local cafés or coffee shops, knitting (or crocheting), and talking. Aside from bringing knitting and crocheting to a new generation, Stoller is the editor-in-chief and publisher of BUST Magazine, a modern, feminist magazine with an indie edge. The other leading lady in the DIY world is Leah Kramer. Leah is the creator of Craftster.org, an online forum where creative types can share their latest projects, comment on the work that others post, and ask for help on their latest endeavor. She has even written a book, The Craftster Guide to Nifty, Thrifty, and Kitschy Crafts: Fifty Fabulous Projects from the Fifties and Sixties. Leah doesn’t stop there though; she also helps to organize the Bazaar Bizarre, one of the biggest indie craft fairs in the country. Debbie Stoller and Leah Kramer have done a lot to bring DIY to the masses but, in my opinion, the creators of Etsy.com have done more than their share. Etsy is an online marketplace whose tagline is “Your place to buy and sell all things handmade.” Matt Stinchcomb, whom we’ve met, is one of Etsy’s founding fathers and said that Etsy was created with the intent of helping artisans and crafters make a living doing what they love. He added, “We also want to change the way world commerce works, and give people greater access to goods that are not mass produced in environmentally or socially irresponsible ways.” Those of us in the DIY and indie craft community are eternally grateful for Debbie Stoller, Leah Kramer, and the founders of Etsy.com.
How are young people expressing themselves? In the same way that their grandmothers or even their mothers did, knitting, crocheting, and sewing, but they aren’t making the same things that their mothers and grandmothers did. There are no potholders or gingham diaper bags to be found. Knitters and crocheters are making super-hip and funky things with handspun or hand-dyed yarn. Even if they don’t spin or dye, they enjoy working with these materials. Skulls are one of the most popular ways for a knitter to show off her intarsia (knitting a picture into the project using different colors of yarn) skills. Seamstresses might be making traditional things such as diaper bags, skirts, and wallets but they are using less-than-traditional fabrics. Ask any hip seamstress who her favorite fabric maker is and you’re answer is sure to include Alexander Henry or Michael Miller. The fabrics made by these two are colorful, retro, and amazingly cute. Your granny wouldn’t dare look at it, let alone use it. Another thing your granny wouldn’t do is crochet or knit with yarn made from plastic bags. Yes, plastic bags. The DIY community is eco-friendly and most of us recycle and reuse as much as possible. The bags are cut into long strips, tied or fused together, and knitted (or crocheted) into a reusable bag. For those that don’t knit or crochet, fusing plastic bags is also a popular way to recycle them. The bags are cut into the shape/size needed and fused together with an iron. Once you have several bags fused together and it is strong, you can sew them together just like fabric. There is no doubt that my generation is one of the most creative generations in history.
What do DIYers do with all of the things they make? We give them as gifts, keep them for ourselves, sell them on Etsy or our own websites, or we vend at craft fairs. Let’s say your sister’s birthday is today and you didn’t get her a gift. To the non-crafty, this would be a problem but to those of us who craft, it’s no big deal. Just look in your stash of fabric, yarn, or beads and whip up something for her. You’ll save money and feel good about giving a handmade gift instead of something mass-produced that all of her friends have. Make something for yourself and you’ll feel the same way. If a crafter needs a new bag for school, she doesn’t go buy one, she makes one herself. That’s what the DIY/indie community is about; making things yourself and ending mass production. Making things for yourself and others is great but there comes a time in every crafter’s life that some of their creations need to go. They don’t sell them at garage sales, they either vend at craft fairs or on the internet. E-Bay is ok for crafters but they aren’t likely to get what their item is worth. This is where Etsy comes in. Etsy has no auctions and small listing fees, unlike E-Bay. Every shop owner decides what their items should sell for, where they’ll ship to, etc. The work on the site is amazing and I’ve had nothing but amazing experiences with Etsy. Another popular way for crafters to sell their work is craft fairs. Thousands are held every year but an indie crafter’s products probably won’t fit in at the town’s annual Pumpkin Festival. This is why the indie craft fair was invented. An indie craft fair is exactly what it sounds like, a place for indie crafters to sell their wares and hang with other indie crafters, not great-aunt Edna and her dishcloths. Among the most popular are the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn, NY; Bazaar Bizarre in Boston, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and San Francisco; Indie Craft Experience in Atlanta, GA; and Atomic Holiday Bazaar in Sarasota, FL. Whether you prefer selling via the internet or in real life at craft shows, there are many, many ways to get your work out there.
Not many people know about the DIY movement unless they are a part of it. I hope that I have given you some insight into the mind of the indie crafter. Perhaps Debbie, Leah, and Matt have inspired you to sell your wares, start crafting, or just buy handmade. Either way, the world will be a better place. In the words of Matt Stinchcomb, “Be an educated consumer. Be conscious of where your dollars are going.Buy, sell, live handmade”
Whatcha think?
XO-
Megan
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