10 Places to Donate Your Handmade Goods
Before you pull out the big black trash bags, consider donating your handmade goods. Here are 10 places that accept donations.
Navigating the Public Domain: What Craft Businesses Need to Know
For crafters and other creators, the public domain is a goldmine of opportunity for inspiration and material for their creative work. There are, however, a lot of misconceptions about what “public domain” means. The challenge is knowing what’s in the public domain, and what you can use it for.
Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Appreciation for Craft Businesses
Over the past 10 years, the concept of cultural appropriation has become part of our regular vocabulary in the crafts industry. It’s a complex subject with many nuances. Let’s look at the concept and provide ideas for businesses to move forward with.
A Cooperative Future for Fancy Tiger Crafts
Fancy Tiger Crafts, the Denver, Colorado-based retailer for modern fabrics and yarns, has been sold to its employees.
Go Imagine a Marketplace that Helps Charities: Jon Lincoln Did
When it comes to businesses, Jon Lincoln is a wide-ranging maker. The Boston-area entrepreneur has launched a comedy club, as well as a document manager for insurance companies. But his latest product, Goimagine, is a maker marketplace with a difference.
Stitching Stolen Lives Focuses on Quilts as a Catalyst for Social Change
A new book by Sara Trail and Teresa Duryea Wong documents the work of the Social Justice Sewing Academy including the Remembrance Project, Memory Quilts, and workshops with young people.
Crocheter Urges Makers to Dress-up Against Human Trafficking
Dominique Calvillo is leading a campaign to have knitters and sewists participate in Dressember to raise awareness and funds to fight human trafficking.
The Art of Giving Your Art
Roberta Wax breaks down the pros and cons of giving your art away.
Buying and Wearing African Wax Prints: An Exploration
African wax prints are fabrics with a complex and nuanced history and, although they’re trending on the fashion runways, some consumers question whether wearing these garments is cultural appropriation.
Social Justice Sewing Academy to Launch Business Incubator for Young Entrepreneurs
The Social Justice Sewing Academy is launching a Business Incubator program for young people ages 15-25. Mentors and sponsors can get involved.
How to Make Your Website ADA Compliant: A Basic Guide
Curious about ADA requirements for business websites? An increasing number of plaintiffs are filing claims for damages against businesses, alleging that their websites aren’t accessible to all. Take your first steps at making your digital presence compliant with the ADA.
Should Makers Sew Fabric Masks for Healthcare Workers?
As medical professionals face a shortage of personal protective equipment in hospitals and care facilities, could homemade fabric masks help?
How to Set Up a Scholarship Program for Your Classes or Membership
Setting up a scholarship program for your craft classes means increasing access while allowing your community to participate in your business in new ways.
Podcast Episode #155: Social Justice Sewing Academy
In this podcast interview, Abby Glassenberg talks with Sara Trail, founder of the Social Justice Sewing Academy and Juan Tapia, a student who participated in the program.
Tips for Dealing with Difficult Customers
Customers are like snowflakes; no two are alike. Some are wonderful people that reinforce your belief in humanity while others make you question why you ever got out of bed. Thankfully, most customers fall somewhere in the middle and are pleasant, happy people. It’s important to recognize the potential high maintenance customers before you accept their orders and to be aware of potential business challenges you may face. So how do you spot different personalities?
Aurifil Takes Step to Offset Plastic Waste By Partnering with The Plastic Bank
At the end of January the Italian premium thread brand, Aurifil, announced a partnership with The Plastic Bank, a social enterprise based in Canada that aims to clean up plastic waste from the ocean while providing work opportunities for people living in poverty. Most weights of Aurifil threads currently come wound on plastic spools.
UK Sewing Magazines Show Lack of Diversity in Cover Models
In 2016 Rumana Lasker looked at 52 sewing magazines published in the UK that year and realized that every single one featured a white woman on the cover.
“One of the things that struck me the most…is the feeling of being undervalued- as a consumer, as a person,” says Lasker a British sewer who was a quarter-finalist on the Great British Sewing Bee. “Because it is no exaggeration to say that by failing to represent us, they are telling people of color that we don’t matter.”
Ethical Dilemmas of Providing Free Content
In the race to gain blog readers and newsletter subscribers, the craft industry has adopted the motto of “free.” They hope offering free patterns as lead magnets will lead to future sales. Many in the industry aren’t buying it. Others still feel that approach works.
DMC Stitch Contest Provokes Artists to Submit Subversive Designs
DMC, the embroidery floss, company, is running a contest that has cross stitch designers feeling stabby.
Email Etiquette: How to Say Please, No Thank You, and I’m Sorry
My secret to polite email etiquette is having a cordial hook that sets the tone for myself. With this, the rest of the email can fall into place.