Lark Crafts

“There is two kinds of music, the good, and the bad. I play the good kind.” Louis Armstrong

I love the Sunday New York Times, especially when a hefty T Magazine is tucked inside. Super-duper-especially when it’s the fashion edition, and I can pour over the high-end designer ads and editorial spreads.

I’m probably not the typical reader. I don’t pay much attention to the clothes. My eyes make a bee line to the jewelry, hoping (always hoping) for some innovative designs. And just when I expected to be disappointed once again…well, hello Lanvin!

Lanvin’s collection for Autumn/Winter 2010 (above, images 1, 2 & 3) ) is a mash-up of primitive and post-apocalyptic style. Mad Max’s Clan of Cave Bears or The Road Warrior’s Quest for Fire. This “ancient to the future” aesthetic definitely hits one of my sweet spots.

Was this particular collection an anomaly for the prestigious house of Lanvin, or do they regularly produce such artful jewelry? Who was the designer behind these bold pieces? Are other couture designers embracing avant-garde jewelry?

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As part of Etsy’s latest call to action, a group of us met up at the Dry Goods Shop in West Asheville to sew some pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer. Thanks to everyone who came out and stitched for a cause. Look what we made!

(TOP L-R: The Dry Goods Shop, Jean of the Dry Goods Shop and Rockpile Bindery, Craft Your Life editor Kathleen, Neelearts editor Valerie; BOTTOM L-R: Kim, Marin & Daphne, event co-organizer Erynne, ConKerr Cancer liaison Lindy with a friend)

We were armed with a box of goodies from All People Quilt (including pre-cut fabric for ready-to-sew pillowcases!), a copy of Craft Hope (did you know that project 9 is sewing pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer too?), and were fueled by some delicious chips and salsa from Neo Burrito, courtesy of Daphne’s husband, Ed. (Thanks, Ed! We thoroughly enjoyed it!) As a special treat, Lindy, the local ConKerr Cancer liaison, drove an hour and a half to visit with us and shared some of her stories about delivering these special pillowcases to the kids at Mission Hospital.

Here’s a closeup of some of the pillowcases draped over the Dry Goods Shop couch. Would you believe they’ve got a community lounge, workspace, library, and swap shelves? They also offer classes and feature some of the best handmade items in all of Asheville. I love this place!

To see more photos of the event, visit our Flickr page.

Special thanks to Leigh Anne and Jean of the Dry Goods Shop for so kindly sharing their beautiful space with us. I can’t wait to come back and craft there again!

The talented and über-creative Sandy Stone combines sewing, upholstery, and collage in her work, which can be charming, funky, cheeky, and beautiful—all at the same time, on occasion. Sandy’s first book, Fabric Remix, celebrates her clever transformation of recycled and salvaged materials into 35 of the coolest functional things you’ve ever seen. A satchel made from old canvas signage? A bolster from an old wool coat? A tote made from vintage obis and belts? All in a day’s work for Sandy. If you’re lucky enough to be in the Minneapolis area, see her work at hunt & gather, and do make plans to visit her and have your book signed at The Creative Connection event in mid-September. Here’s a quick Q & A with Sandy:

In the introduction to Fabric Remix, you discuss how difficult it is to describe exactly what you do, which is basically transforming old objects into new using all sorts of different techniques. Did you have an “a-ha!” moment when the notion of repurposing materials resonated with you?

I don’t recall any epiphany. In the early days of working with furniture, I painted designs onto canvas to create my own upholstery fabric. The designs were very vintage 1950’s inspired, mostly geometric and minimalist, but I grew tired of the process and never liked my designs as much as the actual clothing, neckties and scarves that they sprang from. Using the items themselves seemed to be the natural next step. My first repurposing project involved many neckties, I believe. I love piecing small things together to “grow” my own textiles.

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So you probably know all about Craft Hope by now. In fact, you’ve probably already participated in some of its life-changing, hope-spreading, enthusiasm-generating projects by now. If you haven’t yet joined this creative movement, gentle reader, I encourage you to scoot yourself over to the Craft Hope site right now and then pick up a copy of Craft Hope: Handmade Crafts for a Cause right now (I know, shameless editorial plug), and then immerse yourself in this incredible community of people pouring their crafting energy into beautiful causes.

Part of what makes Craft Hope an amazing concept is its mind-bogglingly wonderful community of crafters. The other part of what makes Craft Hope so darn inspirational is its founder, Jade Sims: author of Craft Hope and coordinator of a collective devoted to making a difference in the lives of those in need. I was fortunate enough to work with Jade throughout the development of her book (which features the designs of abundantly talented artists paired with specific charities welcoming those handmade projects), and then I was even doubly tickled to meet and hang out with Jade in person when she stopped through Asheville on a whirlwind Craft Hope/family adventure this summer. Let me tell you: if you thought she was warm and personable and good-hearted on her blog, you should know that she’s even more delightful and real and down-to-earth in person. She and her family are awesome.

With that in mind, I wanted to invite Jade to share a bit about herself (in addition to all that she’s shared with us about Craft Hope) as we draw near the end of our Month of Hope. What follows is our little interview—thanks, Jade, for this engaging chat!

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I’m delighted to be featuring the work of the uniquely talented Sandy Stone in several entries this week as we celebrate the Sept. 7 release of her fabulous book, Fabric Remix. Sandy incorporates only repurposed materials in her inspiring and creative work, and she also uses simple, ordinary tools to do everything from make a vintage barkcloth bike seat to creating a shade from an abandoned trampoline. I’ve riffed off of Sandy’s aesthetic and creative philosophy in a couple of super-easy projects that make use of the things in my stash.

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We’re all a little bit fixated on mustaches around here lately with the release of our new book Stache. We notice them on the staff at our local coffee haunts, spot them on a fellow driver in our morning commute, and even imagine them on the faces of people who, perhaps, could really rock the mustache look. It was with that affection for this mainstay of fashionable facial hair that I dove into Etsy‘s treasure trove to explore the trend of displaying stache wonders on everything from jewelry and dinnerware to wearable items and printed goods. It seems crafters the world over are embracing the craze. What is it about the lovely curl of a handlebar that we find so utterly endearing? What you see below are some of my personal favorites.

TOP ROW (left to right): pleasantly plump knits, the small object, plants and animals, ole rattlesnake

MIDDLE ROW (left to right): murs blanc, nea wear, kimay, idle hands designs

BOTTOM ROW (left to right): how nice, fuzzy grapefruit, bread and badger, the bold banana

When I was a kid, my Aunt Madge always wore her charm bracelet. It was 3 strands deep and loaded with the most fascinating trinkets. I never tired of looking at it, trying to find my favorite ones. The memory of all those charms got me thinking about what those creatives at etsy might be making. Here are a few of my favorites charms I found there.1. BristolSilversmiths 2. andyshouse 3. sixxjewelry 4. staciejewelry

5. JanPalomboDesign 6. cloudninejewelry 7. jewelsvine 8. DivineByDeidre

The craft community has been buzzing with creative energy, busy bringing life to the Craft Hope projects and comfort to those in need worldwide. Check out these beautiful Craft Hope contributions shared by needleartists on Flickr. From Michigan to Mexico, from India to Haiti, the caring spirits of these crafters are touching lives with no signs of stopping. Share your own labors of love – you’ll inspire others and help the movement grow!

1. ch pillowcases, 2. Monos de calcetines para Craft Hope, 3. Colors, 4. Dolls4Orphans, 5. project 6, 6. Craft Hope 3, 7. Pocket Tissue Holder, 8. Little girls apron, 9. Craft hope – number set, 10. craft hope project quilt, 11. Buddies, 12. Craft Hope Baby Booties, 13. IMG_1069, 14. DSC02637, 15. Fire Engine Pillow Case, 16. orange dress detail