Tracy Smith of Cinnamon Jewellery

I have to be honest, sewing is not one of my favourite things, in fact if at all possible, I avoid it like the plague. I can sew I just choose not to. Hem of your trousers come undone? No need to get out the needle and thread, just use safety pins! See what I mean!

Needlework classes at school were interesting. The first thing we had to make was a needlework bag to keep everything in. Lets just say the way my foot hit that peddle on the sewing machine wouldn’t have put a boy racer to shame at a green light. I made various items of clothing, including a checked granddad shirt (hideous) and a voluminous blue skirt (even more hideous). I never wore either of them and was very relieved when I could drop the Needlework class and try woodwork instead. My efforts there resulted in an “interesting” but rather shapeless piece of wood, but at least it was lovely and smooth ( I was very good at sanding apparently). I’m so glad I eventually found my “calling” in beads and wire! Strangely, I still have the needlecase I made for my Mum years ago. It’s tucked away in the sewing tin that I never open……

I asked three Folksy sellers who do enjoy sewing to let me into the secret of the attraction of the world of needles and thread and sewing machines.

Zoe of Top Floor Treasures has always wanted to be an artist/crafter since she was a young girl. She uses beautiful fabrics to make pencil cases and cushions. “I love working with printed fabrics that have a design that I love; the best part is seeing the finished product and feeling proud of what I have created. It’s lovely when you create something and someone wants to buy it, that’s the biggest compliment you can get and is a great feeling!”

Gemma of SugarandRhubarb is inspired by fabric prints and life’s little happy moments. She takes beautiful fabrics and turns them into tea cosies, take-away cup huggers and iPhone covers. She has just lauched her new range of cute Ninja Kitties on Folksy. Gemma loves the sense of achievement she felt when she got a gold star from the teacher when she was at school and when she had finally finished a piece of work that had taken a long time to do. “I get this same buzz when I sew. The process of thinking of a design, figuring out how to create it and then the end result is so rewarding, it may take a while and several moments of throwing unsuccessful attempts across the room, but to be able to create something beautiful gives me that same sense of achievement that I felt as a child. Being a part of a community like Folksy makes it even better, you can share ideas and support and you really feel that there are fellow craftsters out there rooting for you to do well. My favorite moment is when a customer buys an item and then takes the time to thank you for it. As each of my items are handmade I become attached to them so it’s lovely to know that someone else is enjoying it as much as I did making it.”

Kate of Bluebell and Rosie makes cushions and purse and also sells sewing supplies. She likes the way sewing takes her away from the stresses and strains of everyday life. “I love being able to get lost in the moment. I find it doesn’t matter whether I make something thats useable/wearable etc – its the whole process of making that I find really therapeutic and a great way to relax.”

Being handy with a needle and thread means recycling is an important part of creating for Zoe, Gemma and Kate.

Zoe recycles materials if she has enough for the task in hand. “I’ve used old jeans to make bags, ribbons from other bought items get re-used. At the moment I’m working on some magnets which feature scraps of a lovely fabric that used to be one of my daughter’s blouses!” She also uses buttons from old clothes in other projects.

Gemma gets a particular buzz from using fabrics that other people might have just thrown away. “When I was younger I’d regularly clear out my wardrobe for new items (My name’s Gemma and I’m a shopping addict) and send the unwanted clothes to charity shops, now they become a part of my fabric hoard, and I love that. I love being able to make a cosy or lavender bag out of something that was once unwanted by myself or someone else. If anyone is having a wardrobe clearout I’m usually there stroking the clothes or inspecting the print, the same happens if I go near a charity shop!

I never throw out the scraps that I create whilst sewing new goodies. I have a box filled with randomly shaped ends of fabric that I find are perfect for those appliqué moments. It’s especially satisfying when you find a scrap from a yardage you had months ago and, even if it’s the size of a penny, to be able to use it in another project makes me really happy.”

Kate has been given a lot of fabric which she recycles. “I’ve not been sewing for long but I have a stash of materials passed to me from my mother in law which she has had for years and I’m constantly on the lookout in charity shops for any materials I might be able to use.”

It’s not just the haberdashery store that provides a source for new supplies. There are lots of other sources to increase your stash.

Zoe: “The materials I use come from a variety of places, such as charity shops, online auction sites, fabric websites, local craft shops, and I’m also given things by friends that they think I might be able to use. I can happily spend hours looking at fabric websites wishing I had enough money to just buy everything they have!”

If fabric obssessed Gemma had the money she would build another house just to store all of her finds, “colour-coded obviously!” She is always on the look out for pieces to add to her collection and will find any opportunity to buy or nip into a fabric shop. “The unexpected pleasant surprises come from eBay or online stores like Fabric Rehab. Otherwise my favourite places to spend an afternoon are Kirkgate Market in Leeds and Ditto Fabrics in the North Laines in Brighton. I bought some stunning Paul Smith and D&G fabric from them in their sales which I can’t wait to use. Plus charity shops, be it old clothes or pillow cases there’s always a fabric treat to be found, my best find was a duvet cover on sale for 99p which will make some lovely homeware goodies and toddler dresses.”

Kate loves the sales for her fabric finds. “I’m in the process of building up a varied fabric stash so I’ve got fabrics from Ikea, Fabric Rehab, Gaga Fabrics and Laura Ashley.”

Thank you to Zoe, Gemma and Kate. When I look at the lovely things in their slideshow it’s possible to make with a needle and thread a small part of me wishes I liked to sew. It’s only a very small part though!

Pic courtesy of Hello Monkey

By Contributing Columnist Lauren of Jewels Of Saraswati

I have always had a fascination with vintage. Roaming through thrift stores, handling materials that were once a reflection of eras gone by, pondering who once owned and loved various items. It all creates an exhilarating nostalgia that I am sure all vintage lovers can relate to!

One day, as I was browsing the cyber vintage world on Etsy, I came across Marie Retro Revival and just knew Christine Marie had a story to tell. Here are some questions I posed to her all about her passion for the past, and her little vintage “problem”. It all began with a striped sweater from the 70’s…..

1. Tell me about yourself and your passion for vintage…
Well, I am a 30 year old mother, married to a dashingly handsome man, living in the middle of nowhere who also happens to have a blog and an etsy vintage shop. I am extremely lucky to have a plethora of vintage clothing available to me and have come to love, honor and respect the quality, uniqueness, and charm of vintage pieces. It sounds like I am married to this stuff, and, in a way, I sort of am. It has become such a huge part of my life’s passion and, well we live together, so I thought we should probably just make it official. Just joking.

2. When did you start loving vintage?
My respect for vintage actually started with an old, 70’s striped sweater that I found at a thrift store as a teenager and wore just about everyday the winter of my Junior year. It was .25c and made me the envy of every cool grunge girl in my art class (this was the mid 90’s) Growing up, my family didn’t have much money (in fact my “Reward” for not having cavities when I went to the dentist was that I got to pick one item out at the thrift store! Without sarcasm, thank you mom.) The ability to dress well from things others have discarded, and for next to nothing, is a skill I am so thankful to have been taught.

3. What made you decide to open your own shop?
Well, vintage collections sort of multiply like rabbits and since I am compulsive about thrift shopping, the huge walk in closet (my husband actually moved out of for me) the two closets in my spare bedrooms, the 4 rolling racks in the studio above my garage and all my vintage suitcases were stuffed to the brim and over flowing and making me feel like a greedy, dirty, terrible hoarder. The really sick part was that I never wore the stuff. . . And I quit my job. . . I felt guilty using money I hadn’t made myself to buy more stuff I didn’t need or wear, so I decided to start selling it off to fund my shopping trips. It was so exhilarating to let it go and feel some weight of my guilt removed! I kept my prices really low and still do, in an effort to move more stuff. I still have rolling racks full of stuff waiting to be listed and I have given so much of it back to the thrift shops since It feels better to have a very paired down collection than just a ton of junk.

4. You describe your town as a great place to find rare “pre-loved” clothing. Tell us about it!
My town is small, but very picturesque, old (for the west), and nostalgic as a Norman Rockwell painting. Many people have either been living here their whole lives, or come here to retire. To be very delicate about this, well, people of retirement age lived through some really great years fashion wise and many women who have saved their clothes from those times, as memories or because they simply still love them, bring them when they move here. Through eventual turns of events, these very loved and cherished clothes end up in the thrift stores. Due to the lack of a “youth scene” in any great quantity, I have most of it to myself. The shop ladies say, “You are the only one who buys that crazy stuff!” Good for me!!

5. What elements attract you when purchasing vintage?
I love the idea that this garment had a full life before it met me. It was born way before me (usually) and has lived through things I can only read about. I would like to say I was influenced by being “green” or whatever, but it has never been about that. I just like good design and feel like it never really goes out of style. Plus it is very inexpensive!

6. I have always wondered about the admiration of vintage style. What do you think creates this fascination with vintage? (I know I am fascinated!)
You know, I am not sure what it is exactly, but I know that my fingers understand it when they feel the fabric, my eyes understand it when they see the patterns and colors, and my body really gets it when I put the clothes on and feel the fit. There are usually so many special details that provide the wearer with a one of a kind piece that may have at one time been mass produced, but now is just an individual.

7. What would be your ultimate vintage find?
I am still endlessly searching for the perfect vintage boho, flat riding boots. I refuse to buy a pair online in my size because it will defeat my efforts. They are out there waiting for me in someone’s closet I am sure.

8. What are you up to when you are not on the vintage hunt?
I do a lot of freelance work. Right now I am working at a residential care facility for individuals with eating disorders where I give Yoga instruction and facilitate Art Therapy projects. (if anyone would like more information about getting help to overcome an eating disorder please contact me) When I am not working there, I volunteer at my town’s local High School in the Art Department. They let me use their ceramics studio (my major in college) and screen printing studios in exchange for giving workshops on ceramic whistle making and thrifted clothing reconstruction. It is a pretty sweet deal because I love working with and among teenagers!

Get your vintage fix at her Etsy shop Marie Metro Revival

And some sweet styling tips on her blog Second Skin….

By Contributing Columnist, Cynthia Nodland aka Puddin Pies.

Some of the most beautiful stationery artwork I have seen on Etsy comes from a store called Saratams

Owner Sara Tams, a stay-at-home mom of two, started her shop in 2007 as she is a “firm believer in the handwritten thank you note”. Sara’s shop features not only beautiful note cards, notepads, and address labels, but also personalized canvas prints, water bottles, and bookplates.

My favorite product in the store is the Personalized Canvas Art Print. The silhouette style reminds me of artwork from when I was a child in the seventies, but Sara adds her own modern edge to it, creating a unique gift that can be made just to your specifications. She states her inspiration comes from vintage children’s illustrations, as well as watching her own children at play.

Many choices await you as you work with Sara to design your custom item–you may choose from a number of features, hair and eye colors, boy or girl children, and even pets, as well as choosing from a wide variety of colors for your creation.

One of the most unique things I found that are currently available are customizable Valentine cards, where you can choose options to make the child on the card look just like your little one! You can guarantee no one else at school will have Valentines as special as these!

Sara also runs a separate online store as well at her online craft shop

Additionally, this talented shop owner keeps a blog , which includes tutorials, current store specials, and tales of the experience she’s gleaned as a home business owner–something I can absolutely appreciate!!!

Don’t miss a chance to learn more about this wonderful addition to the Etsy community!

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By contributing columnist Barbra La Bosco aka All About the Buttons

My mother used to say “Smile & bite your cheek…I know what you’re thinking but smile instead” and boy, is that advice good for those of us who do craft shows and meet buyers in person.

Fortunately,my recent show was pretty good but I still had many opportunities to bite my cheek. These comments were honestly what I heard:

 1-Oh, now I know what to make with my mother’s buttons.
2-Did you knit this? (Yes) No way…
3-My grandmother made something like this only it was better.
4-All this is is a ribbon and a button (regarding a bookmark).

Now, my sarcastic side was gnawing at my cheek while my little bitty mature side, smiled and smiled and smiled with my mother on my shoulder. But the smiles came easy as I recalled the comments like “Oh, this is so clever” and “This is beautiful. My (blank) will love it”. Across the aisle from me was an elderly woman selling scarves and dried flowers. Everytime someone picked up a scarf she ran out from behind her table with a scowl on her face. She did not make one sale all day and her work was lovely. She literally scared everyone away.
>

We are so used to the anonyminity behind a computer monitor that in person we must pause and while we wonder why people say what they say, we can only control our reactions. They want to make conversation. They want to appear interested. And maybe their grandmother did do it better and they forgot to bite their cheek! Anyway, my 2cents for today….smile!
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Happy Trees courtesy of Paper and String

3 Little Gingerbreadmen courtesy of Daintiedesigns

By contributing columnist Megan Eckman aka Studiomme

Like all good things, the Polaroid Land camera has come back into fashion. Some may argue that it never left but there is no denying that less boxes of instant film have been stocking the shelves this last decade.

The digital camera, which offers a similar instant gratification with a lower film cost, has quickly replaced the Polaroid as the American family camera. With the announcement in February of 2008 that the Polaroid Corporation would be discontinuing all instant film, a movement of photographers and vintage lovers began to revive the camera.

The Polaroid was developed in 1947 with the help of Edwin H. Land, who founded the Polaroid Corporation. Land’s purpose was to create a seamless and easy-to-use photographic system. The resulting camera could be used by anyone, even children, because it took care of focusing, exposure settings, and flash. The Polaroid allowed people to see if their picture turned out or it they had to shoot. It was also ideal for ID and passport portraits.

Over 60 years later, the Polaroid has infatuated another generation of photographers with its instant gratification and frequent “happy accidents”. The Land cameras take pictures with a signature muted palette and soft focus, which gives a vintage feel to modern photos. Inconsistencies in color and texture crop up frequently due to the chemicals reacting to external temperatures or too-eager fingers. However, most photographers agree that they love the singularity of the instant photo and the old square format that lets them watch a memory take form in their waiting hands.

Megan Rhodes, a Polaroid photographer, does admit that the vintage camera has some “not” happy accidents. Due to the packaging of the new Fuji film, there’s more waste for each photo, making it hard to hold several wet Polaroids and their tear-sheets without getting dust on the developing photographs. However, she loves the way that people want to know more about her camera when she uses it. She also enjoys the fact that the instant film offers a “healthy limitation” to what she can shoot because of the number of sheets in a film pack. “It makes you more considerate and aware of how you are capturing your subject. It really makes you approach how you are capturing your images, and how you view the world, in a whole new way.” Megan Rhodes sells her Polaroid prints, and larger archival prints of the photographs, in her Etsy shop.

Other Polaroid photographers on Etsy include: Opart and Bucks County Frames.

So no matter if you grew up with the instant camera or want to try it out for the first time, you should act now before they’re all gone because there’s no telling when the Polaroid will be back again!

Polaroid Camera image courtesy of Lola’sRoom

All other images courtesy of the various Etsy Shops mentioned herein.

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by Contributing Columnist Kimberly Barnes aka  TeaTowelCreek

I am utterly addicted to fabric and although I love shopping for fabric, it can become quite expensive. A few months ago my mother and I had a garage sale and during the set up of our sale I spotted a green table cloth and a cream table cloth she was going to sell. As soon as I saw them I knew I had to have these table cloths so I scooped them up before anyone would have a chance on getting their hands on them, plus I knew that eventually they would probably end up in some land fill somewhere. I didn’t know at the time what I was going to do with them but I knew that eventually an idea would hit me so I put them in the closet until they were ready to be turned into something fabulous.

I didn’t have to wait long as a few weeks later I was struck with an idea to create folk art out of them. I took out some computer paper and starting sketching my folk art characters. I love Halloween and since it is the season I decided to do a folk art witch. I ripped a piece of the cream colored fabric into an 11 x 14 section, I then free handed my witch head onto the fabric and then ripped apart small pieces of the green table cloth fabric to make her clothes. I the machine sewed them onto her, used coffee to give her and aged look and did a few other things which shall remain secret to give her more of an aged look and WaLa! My new folk art creation came to life. I put her in my Etsy shop and 2 days later she sold.

I am now utterly addicted to scouring thrift stores and as well as online vintage shops for table cloths, curtains, pillowcases & etc to use in my art. I call them my “Traveling Cloths” as each table cloth, curtain or pillowcase that was created for a certain purpose has traveled somewhere and they will eventually be turned into art and travel yet again to a new destination. I also feel that this is my way of helping the planet as I feel eventually these cloths will have eventually ended up in a landfill somewhere.

Although my creative venture has only just begun it is a venture I am looking forward too.

Image courtesy of Marthasattictoo

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By Brandy aka Knittaddiction

Can you believe it is already fall?! Where did the summer go?
Here in Colorado, the Oak brush is alive with wild tones of gold, orange, rust and bronze. Like looking into an old jewelry box full of antique treasures…
The Aspens, with their tall white bodies, are topped off with beautiful shades of gold, yellow, orange and fading green leaves, shimmering in the warn sun and falling around you when the cool wind blows.
Also at this time of year, the Pine, Spruce and Ponderosa trees are so much more noticeable.. Perhaps they stand out more because the other trees are baring all. The landscapes open up to reveal thick, coarse barks, and wild spiky branches. Reminiscent of a funky men’s haircut, and a rugged chunky wool scarf with old jeans.
As you can tell, Fall is my absolute favorite time of year.
So I’ve gathered up some of my favorite items from the world of “internet window shopping” and put them together in 3 collections that remind me of the Landscapes of Colorado and the beautiful leaves and fall schemes that saturate them. I also added a little battle, The Department & Online Retail Stores Vs The World of Handmade. A little comparison of sorts.

Colorado

I also added a little battle, The Department & Online Retail Stores Vs The World of Handmade. A little comparison of sorts.

Oak Leaves by knittaddiction featuring YOANA BARASCHI

Don’t you hate it when you find that perfect Scarf… The best pair of knee high boots… That wool coat that fits just right… And then you see – the price tag, the fabric content, the big nasty stain on the hem or the back, or it doesn’t fit right! Either too big, too small, too long, too boxy…. There’s some aspect of it that ruins it for you completely. And oh how it hurts when it was ON SALE and you can’t justify buying it. Ouch. Or perhaps you looked at it and said, “I can make that, better and less expensive.”
You’ll notice, I slipped the department and online stores right along in there with the lesser priced Handmade and Boutique items. Laying alongside one another they work so well, and you cannot tell the differences between them. Without looking at each item individually on it’s own site, you would never guess one from another. There are so many Handmade gift options and treasures out there waiting to be discovered. And likewise, there are many many wonderful bargain items out there, that rival the price, beauty and quality of handmade.
You can search for your perfect find anywhere. (Even yard sales!) Stores are so obvious. Online clearance, also obvious.

Don’t forget the handmade sites.
Even Etsy.com has promotionals and sales, and IndieSmiles.com is gearing up a coupon directory, where their sellers can offer discounts for you to take advantage of.

These are not just there to generate more business but to give You, the shopper, a chance to get something you might otherwise hold off on.
Utilize these opportunities, it will save you time and money, and prevent last minute teeth grinding, hair pulling, nail biting and nasty looks at the ladies hogging the isles in the stores at Christmas.

So my challenge and question for you today is: Why let yourself be limited to the department or online retail stores?

I mean hey, I love a good sale as much as anybody and I’m a self professed bargain hunter myself. I love comparing my amazing deals with my family and friends to see who got a more awesome sale, or deal, or “practically-for-free-it-was-so-discounted!!” items.
But I am also willing to pay just a little more for something handmade. I am also willing to put my money towards a stay at home Mom or a budding artist.
Perhaps a vintage item preserved for decades in Grandmother’s closet or Grandfather’s study.
Something handed down and lovingly preserved, now collecting dust in the antique shop.
Something sewn with a needle and thread, with little imperfections and well hidden or brazenly visible mending, adding character and charm.
Something knit with 2 needles and loving hands, with fiber collected from their beloved pets or salvaged from Great Grandmother’s sweater.
Something vintage, it fits perfectly, is the perfect color and looks like it came from a high end boutique.
Something 50 years old that looks like it was never worn, or even so worn that you know if it was that good then, it HAS to still be good now.
Retail Stores vs Handmade.
New vs Old.
Purchases vs Treasures.
Thoughtless Shopping vs The Thrill of the Hunt.

I encourage you to search out those items you really love. Compare those high end items to a handmade item or vintage item. Enjoy the hunt, revel in it. Search for that long lost treasure waiting to be found. That handmade item lovingly formed with 2 living hands and old fashioned tools. Or even that bargain that you can’t pass up.
You don’t need me to remind you that Christmas is 2 months away. Perhaps something I’ve put here inspires you to either find, or possibly even create that perfect gift for your loved ones this year.
Special thanks to IndieSmiles for giving me the opportunity to hon my writing skills again, and to the Etsy artists for allowing me to feature their loverly items!
Inspired by Fall, my first set, and my first time guest blogging, I present to you, the Oak Brush..
Enjoy,
Brandy
My Shop: knittaddiction.etsy.com
My Blog: just4knitsandgiggles.blogspot.com/
Or find me on Facebook and say hello!

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There is one Etsy shop that has proved that Staying Power is where it’s at! ChristieCottage is a shop that has become a household name in the Etsy forums and to top it all off she has been able to keep her staying power going and show her promoting leadership with a unique Buy and Stay list! Funny, when I first joined Etsy my main objective was to sell Vintage and become very well known at Etsy . My staying power probably wilted because I changed my name and tried new things. Sometimes it’s best to keep things status quo and keep your name branded, ChristieCottage is perfect proof of that at Etsy.

I’ve written an article on Christie’s shop as one of my favs, and this is not about her work (although I always enjoy showcasing her items) this is about the Buy and Stay that she has had running in the Etsy Forums since November of last year with over 3,900 sales!! I don’t think I’ve seen staying power or this many sales from a forum list like this one before. Most buy and replaces fade away over time and may last from a week to a month…but Christie’s has lasted for an entire year. Awesome!

Buy and replace lists mean that you buy something off a shop on the list and your name replaces theirs. These are very popular and a good way to get a new shop off the ground or get some action going on a shop that needs some attention. The difference with Christie’s buy and stay is that you don’t replace the person you purchase from, their shop stays on the list. But the rule is that you check in each day and comment in the forums. If not, you will be removed from the list, I’m sure many a shop has come and gone because shops may not be in it for the long haul. But Christie and her admin. buy and stay team have watched over things and have given this list the staying power to beat all others.

If you want to get in on the list you need to go to the forums and search for “Christiecottage” in the Etsy forums. I would love to post the link here but it changes daily…yes…it gets that many comments!!

So, go ahead and get noticed, buy from one of the shops and get on the hottest list yet on Etsy!

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