Craft Hope

In amongst all the posts for Valentines Day crafts, I stumbled across this one ...

Craft Hope is an initiative of a number of crafty women who wanted to make a difference. Sale from their etsy shop are rapidly approaching $10,000 and proceeds go towards the Doctors without Borders. If you are feeling helpless like I am, perhaps this is something you can do.

All proceeds of the Craft Hope Etsy shop will benefit Doctors Without Borders in Haiti. All items have been generously donated by the crafting community. If you'd like to donate an item please visit the Craft Hope website (www.crafthope.com).

We are humbled, overwhelmed, and grateful for everyone who has supported this shop. We will continue to accept donations through Wednesday 1/20. After that point we will take a short break to be able to get systems in order to go forward. You can read more on the Craft Hope website. The shop will remain open.

Find all of the information you need at these links:

• Craft Hope for Haiti etsy shop
• Craft Hopes main site (to donate an item)
• Doctors without Borders

Meet the Northside Crafters: Konstant Kaos Designs

Konstant Kaos Designs make a range of crafty things with an alternative edge to them. Margaret is also one of the crafty ladies behind the Northside Makers.

Tell us about what you sell ...

When I first started to make things to sell I started with baby shoes and bibs. My daughter was 9 months old and it was really out of necessity more than anything else. Since then I have made pouches, wallets, bags, pendants and of button hair ties . I tend to go where the fabric takes me. I will buy a gorgeous piece of fabric and then spend days working out what I am going to make with it. I tend to make things with quirky fabrics, I don't sew with natural linens or pastels. Mostly blacks, reds and purples.

What inspires you?

Functionality inspires me. Having a beautiful hand made object that is functional rather than superfluous. So when I make my bags, I make them with a clip for keys and pockets inside. When I make baby shoes, I make them with a little tag to help the parents put them on. I try and develop each product so that I meet my customers needs.

I am currently working on a design for a new wallet, so for a few weeks I will take my notebook everywhere and sketch shapes, textures and ideas for my product. Then I generally work through the design life cycle about four times until I am happy with the product. Then I sew, sew, sew for markets!

What's your favorite medium to work in?

I am definitely a lover of textiles, but I have also done some jewelry and resin casting work. I love the Kokka range of japanese fabrics.

What would you be lost without ....

My stitch unpick! I generally always have pile of things sitting there to be unpicked. Maybe they are prototypes I am working on, or perhaps they are combinations of fabrics that didn't work out too well.

What's your favourite crafty read

I quite like to grab a copy of Australian Homespun from time to time and I love going through older vintage sewing books such as Golden Hands. I am an avid reader of Frankie and Peppermint. I also have a number of blogs that I subscribe to ranging from local gals to international quilters.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?

A combination of music if I am using the machine through to podcasts if I am just cutting things out. Then it depends on whether my daughter is upstairs asleep. Anything from VNV Nation through to Tori Amos

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....

Etsy Forums, Dust team, Craftster, Meet me at Mikes

Whats up next for you on the craft front?

I want to try my hand at some children's clothes, I just have to the momentum up and running. I have done a number of customs so I have patterns that I have developed and graded and they are ready to go, just need the right fabric!

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?

Many of them. The crafty graveyard is full of embroidery, crochet and sewing projects gone wrong. I have a little bag full of the prototype's for the shoes that I made, I should really take a photo of how far I have come with those.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?

Konstant Kaos has an etsy shop, we keep a blog, we will also be at Northside Makers and Made n Thornbury.

Meet the Northside Crafters: Tinniegirl

We are all getting excited about the first of our markets on Saturday the 10th of October, only a few places left so please email in your applications if they are still kicking around!

Today's crafter is Tinniegirl, a Melbourne craft legend! She produces the most amazing original pieces of artwork and is famous for her tinnies, filled with crafty goodness.

Tell us about what you sell ... Tinniegirl
I sell original collages that incorporate paint, paper, felt, fabrics and embroidery.

What inspires you?
I'm really inspired by nature, and especially birds. I think underlying that are ideas about freedom and flight that I often feel manifest themselves in nature.

What's your favorite medium to work in?
I think I would have to say paint. Almost everything I do involves painting. I have become quite enamored by embroidery and stitching lately and this seems to be showing up in my work a lot more.

What would you be lost without .... Gel Medium, my partner and our cats, and creative friends

What's your favourite crafty read I love craft magazines and particularly some of the publications out of the US. Cloth Paper Scissors and Artful Blogging are my two favourites.

What do you like to listen to when you craft? I often listen to Craftcast podcasts when I'm crafting.

What crafty forums do you lurk in .... I haven't discovered any forums, which is probably a good thing given how much time I already spend on the computer!

Whats up next for you on the craft front? I ponder that question pretty much on a daily basis. I'm not sure where I want to take my art next. I want to make sure that I give myself plenty of room to explore mediums and ideas, and to enjoy the journey of being/becoming an artist. I definitely want to keep selling my work and I'd also like to try and exhibit work next year. I'm also interested in teaching workshops and encouraging other people to explore their creativity and different techniques.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they? I've got a few, not too many I'm pleased to say. I don't like to have too much unfinished business lying around. I've got a beautiful hand-pieced patchwork quilt that I started about 3 years ago that needs to be finished and a handful of collages that are in progress, and I think that's about it. Well OK, there's a couple of others but I'll let those sleeping dogs lie!

Where else can people shop for your goodies? My Etsy store is closed at the moment but it should be back up and running in the next few weeks (fingers crossed) - www.tinniegirl.etsy.com

Meet the Northside Makers: Chuckles Designs

In the first of many blog posts, we will be showcasing the crafters that have a stall at our Northside Makers Market.

Chuckles Designs is a homemade team making homemade stuff for homemade kids. The founders are sisters Jen Briggs and Sally Kingi, along with their lovely mum, Barbara Douglas.

Tell us about what you sell ...

Chuckles Designs sell stuffed fabric toys, sock toys, and baby blankets.

What inspires you?

We make a few designs from Melly and Me, and also Audrey and Maude . Otherwise, our buyers often make special requests and Etsy is a great place to get inspiration.

What's your favourite medium to work in?

Sewing socks and fabric is our thing.

What would you be lost without ....

Chuckles herself and my sewing machine.

What's your fave crafty read?

I love sock monkeys so this book is great inspiration.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?

My daughter, Charlie (aka: chuckles)

Whats up next for you on the craft front?

We are about to launch a clothing range for littlies and I'm currently experimenting with a sock frog.

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?

Grandma chuckles is playing around with a stuffed pig and I am working on some specialty monkeys to join "Pirate Monkey"

Where else can people shop for your goodies?

Chuckles can be found at our brand new and first ever stockist, Mandrake and Willow, 66 Anderson St, Yarraville, VIC
Our blog: http://chucklesdesigns.wordpress.com
Our Etsy Shop: chucklesdesigns.etsy.com
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=70654655691&ref=ts
and the Teeny Tiny Sisters Market on November 7, www.sistersmarket.com.au