stories from my red thread life
What’s it really like to run a handmade business? Five things makers want you to know
Three years ago this week, as I was preparing for Toronto’s One of a Kind Show, I wrote my most popular article ever: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Craftspeople (but were afraid to ask). I received dozens of emails from artisans I didn’t know, telling me that they felt I had expressed what they wanted to say to their customers. So even though I can only share my own perspective, I hope that this article will also represent my fellow makers. We’re a diverse group, but we share a lot. And this time of year is an intense time for us. As we dive into the winter craft show season, meeting the public and sharing our work, here are a few more things that we’d like you to know: Yasmine Louis hard at work in her silkscreen printing studio in Toronto (shared with permission of the artist) 1. We put a lot of thought and work into designing and making our products. This may seem obvious, but when you ask us “How long does it take you to make one bowl/ dress/ guitar/ bracelet?” the answer (if we answered the way we would like to) might be something [...]
Why are Americans going crazy for Lilly Pulitzer at Target?
Shopping for Lilly Pulitzer at Target? Definitely not this relaxing. (photo: Lilly Pulitzer for Target) Do you remember the Cabbage Patch riots of 1983? For some still unfathomable reason, Cabbage Patch Kids were the must-have doll of the moment, but demand exceeded supply; customers lined up by the hundreds and surged into stores, causing chaos and injury. It was munchkin mayhem. Yesterday, April 19 2015, Target launched a collection by designer Lilly Pulitzer. Not designed by Pulitzer herself of course, as she is no longer with us, but created by her eponymous company. Target has done very well with its many designer collaborations, and it seems reasonable that this one would be no different. This strategy, of having a high-end designer create a collection for a lower-end store, with a very limited release (selling out very quickly), is a recipe for retail frenzy. Cue the stampede! Lilly Pulitzer is the line that Red Thread is most often compared to, as it is also known for its vibrant floral prints in juicy colours. I appreciate this comparison because the celebration of colour and pattern is central to everything Red Thread. But Lilly Pulitzer is a prestige lifestyle brand, perhaps best [...]
Living in the best place on Earth
Toronto skyline: photo by John Davidson Photography © Two weeks ago The Economist declared Toronto, my home, to be the best city in which to live, based on a detailed analysis of 50 cities. This wonderful news was announced just as we were receiving a dump of about 25 cm of snow on the cusp of February, the coldest month. This February has been particularly chilly (it’s -14° as I write this, with a wind chill of -23°). Canada is often near the top of these lists. But is it true? In my humble opinion, yes, even in February. Okay, maybe not in February. My sweetheart lives in Lyon, France, a beautiful city. But don’t take my word for it: Lyon is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Even the rooftops are beautiful. Sometimes when I visit (not often enough), we travel around France to soak up even more beauty. On a recent flight home from Paris (my first time there in 25 years), I found myself wondering how I would feel this time, arriving home in Toronto. Would it seem drab compared to Paris? As I sat in the airport bus (a long-overdue rail link is finally in the works), [...]
Is handmade dead?
The heading for a Toronto Star article about my mother. I still remember how excited I was to miss school for a whole day to meet with the reporter. When I was a child, my mother made hand-painted silk scarves for a living. She made them in our house, spreading them out to paint them and then sprinkling them with salt, which shifted as the brightly-coloured dyes dried, creating mesmerizing patterns. She worked late into the night, especially before Christmastime. The production process from start to finish was visible to me and my two sisters, and we often helped out with simple tasks like ironing and packaging. She sold the scarves at craft shows that were full of eager buyers, and I spent a lot of time exploring those shows, meeting other craftspeople and admiring their work. Now I am older than she was then, I have three children, and I’m a designer/maker too. Sometimes when I’m exhibiting my work at craft shows, as I often do, I meet people who have been doing this since I was a child, and I wonder how they’ve managed to turn handmade production into their life’s work. Is it still possible to support [...]
Everything you always wanted to know about craftspeople (but were afraid to ask)
As I prepare for the opening of the One of a Kind Show & Sale*, which begins next week in Toronto, I’m looking forward to seeing the work of hundreds of other craftspeople, or more broadly, makers; artists, designers, cooks, small-scale entrepreneurs. It’s energizing being in a room with so many people who have similar aspirations and challenges. Some people work alone and others have partners or staff who contribute to certain aspects. Some approach this work as art, and others as business, but even though our products and goals vary we have a lot in common. Potter Sandra Silberman (right) and jeweler Danielle O’Connor enjoying a light moment with Sandra’s porcelain necklaces at the One of a Kind Show Many people who appreciate handmade goods wonder about the lives of the people who make them. For those wonderful people who support us and are genuinely curious about this unusual way of making a living, here are my completely subjective top ten facts about career craftspeople: 1. It’s a tough way to make a living. Sometimes the price tags on handmade goods seem high, but when you factor in the labour and skill, and the material and overhead costs involved [...]
Summer Craft Show Disasters 101 (or “Why the #$@* did I quit my day job?”)
Thankfully, there are no actual tornadoes in this story. Have you heard the one about the torrential downpour that crushed people’s tents overnight as they slept? Or the passerby who stood and watched calmly as her dog peed on a stunning handmade women’s dress on display, and then just shrugged and walked away? How about the sudden wind that took out so much hand blown glass, dozens of people nearby froze in horror? It’s not all fun and games at a summer craft show. In those pretty rows of tents, populated by smiling artists, there are a lot of stories to be told. My first summer at the Muskoka Arts and Crafts Show (coming up this year from July 19-21), I drove right up to my allotted space and excitedly began unpacking my tent. First I slowly expanded its metal frame, a process that takes less than a minute with two people but eons with only one, preparing to spread the nylon roof fabric on top so that the tent could be raised to its full height. I was thrilled to be there and happy to work at my own pace, as usual. Then the sun disappeared and the skies [...]
3 Reasons Why I Really Love Canada
You might laugh at me when you hear this (my children think it’s hilarious), but I sometimes get choked up by O Canada. A tear has even been spotted once or twice. This patriotic emotion dates back to a powerful moment I experienced ten years ago, and I don’t expect it to ever change. It was a cold wintry Monday morning, and I was rushing my sweet four-year-old to her kindergarten class, in a daze of exhaustion but eager to show off my new baby daughter in my arms. It was more challenging getting ready with two, but we made it just in time, well bundled against the wind. After leaving Izzy at her classroom door with a kiss, I was caught in the hallway when the national anthem began to play. I froze and listened, gazing at little Samantha as she gazed back at me. We had come home just two days earlier from an almost unspeakably wonderful adoption trip to China. Samantha was 9 months old, curious and beautiful, and unbeknownst to her, had just become Canadian. I couldn’t help but wonder how this new identity would take shape for her. My new Canadian posing for her first [...]
Reflecting on a tragedy in Bangladesh: Is it possible to shop with a clear conscience?
On April 24, we all heard about a factory building collapsing in Bangladesh. Dozens of people were declared dead, and it was horrifying to hear about this tragedy unfolding from afar. Photos of the scene showed a garment labelled Joe Fresh, and Canadian consumers suddenly felt they had played a part in this tragic event. Now twelve days later, the death toll tops 600. Terrible grief has come to countless people in Bangladesh, and journalists around the world have grappled with the questions raised – some searching for solutions, others laying blame. Many shoppers have been questioning their role. Major retail players whose clothing was known to have been made in the building, namely Joe Fresh in Canada and Primark in the U.K. (with overlapping corporate ownership), have announced plans to compensate the victims and to change the way they work in Bangladesh. In this they were recently joined by a few other clothing retailers whose garments were also found in the rubble. Would they be doing so if their connection to the building had not been exposed? We have no way of knowing. What next? The scale of this tragedy is enormous – I hope it will turn out [...]
Use it or lose it! Three great reasons to buy local
As a student of arts administration several years ago, I learned about a survey in which the vast majority of urban residents said they were very happy to have a ballet company located in their city, but only a small percentage actually attended ballet performances. As we have all learned from Facebook, it’s far easier to like something than to do something. A few years ago I received an order from an independent children’s boutique in a small Ontario city. This beautiful shop had existed for many years, and featured many Canadian-made products. When I visited to meet the owner, I noticed a large Loblaws store just a few steps away, with enormous Joe Fresh banners featuring children’s clothing. “What’s that like, being virtually next door?” I asked the owner. “The price competition must be a challenge.” Indeed it was. A few months later, she decided to close up shop. I don’t know precisely what went into making that decision, but I do have a sneaking suspicion that the choices of local shoppers had something to do with it. It’s hard to resist a great bargain – why buy adorable locally-made clothing when you can buy adorable cheap clothing? I’ll [...]
Portrait of a Chinese Factory Worker
When you’re slipping your jeans on in the morning, do you ever wonder about the people who made those jeans? I often do, even though it’s an uncomfortable thing to think about. I’m certain that many factory workers overseas also wonder about the buyers of the things they make. I recently had the privilege of hearing the life story of one Chinese factory worker, and I was riveted. I’d like to share it with you. Garment Factory Workers in SE Asia One of my sewers, I’ll call her Jean, recently told me about her childhood as a factory worker in Hong Kong. Jean is 60, and has been living in Canada for 23 years, but she told her story with great animation and vivid detail, as though it was just yesterday that she occupied those factory floors. Jean is a gifted seamstress, carries around a confidence clearly earned from decades of experience, and she expresses opinions with impressive conviction considering her discomfort with the English language. But it didn’t start out that way. Born in Hong Kong in 1952 to a very poor family, she was sent to school for only five years. This education ended at age 13. She [...]
The Five Things I Wish for You
Here we are on the eve of another new year, ripe with possibilities. There are so many things we can count on experiencing in 2013. There will be surprises, tragedies, and triumphs. There will be love and there will be loss. Some things we will be able to control, and some things we will not. I am not making resolutions this year, but I AM making some wishes, the way children make wishes, with all of their hearts, and my wishes are for YOU (and for me too). Here goes… image credit: from artist Lisa Congdon’s 365 Days of Lettering Bravery. I wish for you the guts to pursue whatever it is that calls you, without delay. Life is short, and a rewarding life demands courage. An ability to let go of worry and embrace the unknown. A life without anxiety is a much better life. If you can remain calm and open, you’ll be better able to cope with whatever challenges you face, and you won’t waste your energy worrying about hypothetical problems. Self-acceptance. Trying to be something you’re not is exhausting. I wish for you the freedom to feel comfortable in your own skin and to stop judging [...]
It’s a Wrap!
About a year ago I embarked on an exciting new project that would be different from anything I had ever done before. My goal was to create a special dress to raise money for a very effective, life-changing charity called Canada Mathare Education Trust (CMETrust.org), and the dress at the centre of that project was called The Love Dress. The dress was launched in March 2012, and was featured in Canadian Family Magazine, ParentsCanada Magazine, and on the morning show Cityline. A few of my wonderful stores: Planet Kid, Elm Hill Kids, Kid Culture and 100 Mile Child created special displays to promote The Love Dress, featuring beautiful posters that were designed by graphic designer Eric Parker, and printed by Lamin-8 Services in Toronto, both of whom generously donated these services. CMETrust promoted the dress through its own channels, and a great many people helped spread the word. “Making Love” feature in Canadian Family magazine The cheque is off to CMETrust this week, and I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported this project in one way or another. I hope it’s helped to spread the word about this amazing charity, so that the [...]