Handmade Detroit

Comment from jesse
Time: Jan 28, 2008, 12:46 pm

I totally agree with her, and posted about it here before I read that:
http://humanerecipe.blogspot.com/2007/11/why-i-think-handmade-pledge-kind-of.html

Comment from LishDDorset
Time: Jan 28, 2008, 3:56 pm

Jesse- that was a really great take on the Handmade Pledge. I know I had a hard time with it for some of my family members- example, my cousins wanted nothing more than seasons of “Entourage” on DVD. I knew they were really looking forward to it, so that’s what they got. I agree, sometimes that idea isn’t right for everyone.

Comment from maggie
Time: Jan 28, 2008, 10:01 pm

hi, i’m desperately trying to find out information about volunteering with an arts/crafts/textiles group. i’ve looked all over your site but can’t seem to find any info about volunteering with y’all - or another like-minded group in the detroit area. could you drop me an email with any info about volunteering (fliering, doing educational outreach, etc)? thanks!

Comment from Taryn
Time: Jan 28, 2008, 10:35 pm

Yes, consumerism is consumerism….but the fact is, I need things. And you better bet I’ll pay for something handmade from someone that I know, or find on Etsy, or at a local craft show before you find me in CVS or Meijer. What’s better than handmade soap, fair trade coffee, or supporting a fellow craft artist because it just feels right? I say buy less, but make your dollar count. Support a cause that means something to everyone involved. I can guarantee that WalMart does not value my dollar in the same way that an artist who pays his/her rent selling their handmade goods does.

Comment from LishDDorset
Time: Jan 29, 2008, 7:44 am

Hey Maggie! I’ve got your e-mail address today,so I’ll drop you a line!

Comment from LishDDorset
Time: Jan 29, 2008, 7:47 am

Taryn- It was really interesting reading about WalMart eliminating their stitchery department. I read some bloggers saying “wasn’t it a shame that WalMart wasn’t getting behind crafting?” But I thought, “WalMart could give a hoot about the people, the fact is those products weren’t selling and it was time to make room for the products that were.” At least I know that when I go to City Knits, they’d take the time to talk to the customer they’re selling to.

Comment from Stephanie Thompson
Time: Jan 29, 2008, 10:55 am

I can understand both sides of this debate. Yes, it’s a great thing to support local artists/crafters in the purchases we make. But oftentimes, great things get blown way out of proportion by greedy people, and those giant corporations. I could see this movement going the way of the “eco-friendly” trend that is all over everything nowadays, but I’ll look at it the same way, at least it has a good idea behind it. But if we start seeing hip craft sections in Target, or Urban Outfitters carrying “handmade style” clothing, I’ll still be pretty sad.

Comment from Greg
Time: Jan 29, 2008, 3:41 pm

Consumerism is consumerism, regardless of from whom the consumer buys, and when big business sees little businesses banding together, creating a “scene,” so to speak, and prospering, you bet your ass they’ll jump on board to some degree. But that won’t satiate the DIY community and its greatest supporters, just like it hasn’t in the past. In the end, anyone who goes into business has essentially the same goals as Wal-Mart and Target, just on a vastly smaller scale. I doubt any crafters would dissassemble their businesses if they were able to pull in $50,000 a year, right? Instead, I’d assume one might instead try to continue to grow his or her business, employing others to help out, etc. Does that make this business anti-DIY? Does it make this business an arbiter of handmade crafts becoming “just another consumer product,” as the article states? Everything is just another consumer product once a pirce tag is stuck to it. But that doesn’t mean consumerism is a bad thing, which is what I think too many DIY-ers have etched into their minds. To make a weak analogy, there will always be people who habitually vote straight-ticket because they assume their beliefs are being represented (and because it’s easy) and there will always be people who vote based on in-depth research; both sets of people are voters, but only one set, in my opinion, is excercising responsibility. It’s no diffferent in the marketplace. The balance is required, anyway. If everyone were DIY, less people would support those around them. They’d instead say, “Oh, wow, I really like those mittens. I’m going to go home and make a pair.”

I’ll end with a couple of questions (with my own answers disguised as more questions):

Is the invasion of corporate business bad for the DIY? Doesn’t that reflect the the success of DIY culture? Won’t that inspire the DIY culture to further explore and innovate, as it has in the past?

Is Etsy DIY or big business? Isn’t it a supporter of, and supported by, the former but really just the latter? Does that make it a bad thing?

* * * * *

Also, Stephanie, I’m not ignoring your last email. I promise.

Comment from amanda
Time: Jan 29, 2008, 10:01 pm

good topic! yes, i suppose consumerism is consumerism. but i would still rather buy something from a girl whose name and face i sort of know and let her do whatever w/ that money, than buy something from a bigger place, someone close to “the man.” it still satisfies me to make things and have people like them a lot and to also buy things handmade for myself. yes, etsy is a business and yes they are making money. yes, i have a shop on there. and yes i do shop on there way too much! but again, they’re unique items made by one person not a factory. that’s what’s great about DIY and handmade and craft. it’s personalized and one of a kind (usually). and i agree w/ taryn on the “but i need things” idea. i wish i could be a minimalist and not own a lot of stuff or not want cute things. but i’m a sucker and i do it anyway. also, some people do trades! so there’s a way to get new handmade goods w/o exchaning money.

2008 and the craft community… hmmm. the present and the future of the “craft movement” or whatever is shall be called is something that is on my mind and has been for a while. since it seems to be growing and growing even more, as it has been the past several years. will it hit a peak? has it already? will it take over the world? is it trendy? is that a good thing? what is the new direction of craft art? or what is A new direction craft art should be headed in?

Comment from jesse
Time: Jan 30, 2008, 1:01 am

Thank you, Lish - and thank you for posting the Jean article too!

Comment from Lish D.
Time: Jan 30, 2008, 10:07 am

Hey Jesse- no problem! I’m really interested in this topic, so I’m super eager to hear everyone’s opinions!

Comment from Lish D.
Time: Jan 30, 2008, 10:12 am

Amanda- Great thoughts! I know, in a perfect world I’d be a minimalist, but I’m such a pack rat it’s not even funny.

I am intrigued as to when Etsy allowed vintage “thrift finds” on the site? They’re very cute, but isn’t that what eBay is for? Just tossing that thought out there for debate.

Comment from Stephanie
Time: Jan 30, 2008, 10:38 am

I like what Greg asked about “inspiring the DIY culture to innovate” — perhaps part of how we do this is continually having the whole conversation. Not just the sound bite conversation or the buy indie conversation — but the whole, DIY as a movement, why we do what we do conversation like we are having right now.

My other thoughts on this subject are really long (it repeats some of the sentiment here and tries to answer some of the original quetions), so I’ve posted it in my own blog here.

http://phantomlimb.typepad.com/phantom_limb/2008/01/some-basic-thou.html

Comment from amanda
Time: Jan 30, 2008, 5:13 pm

yeah, i had wondered about etsy selling vintage. in 05 and 06 when i joined, both individually and as a business, it wasnt allowed. so somewhere it changed and i dont know when. yeah. sure, it’s cute. and comes from a more sustainable idea. but it’s not handmade. so it is kind of ebay-ish.