stories from my red thread life
Healing from tragedy: quilters create the Toronto LOVE Project
The deadly van attack on pedestrians that took place in Toronto on April 23 left Torontonians in a state of shock and sadness. In this relatively safe and friendly city, any act of hate shakes us. In the days that followed, many people wondered what they could do. Some people attended vigils, expressing support for the victims and outrage at the perpetrator. Berene Campbell got to work. Berene, a designer and quilter, has a large following in the sewing community, and she called upon caring quiltmakers to help create a work of art that would express hope, positivity, and unity in the face of this tragedy. She teamed up with the organization North York Arts and secured a bright, central space at the North York Centre, at the heart of the community where the attack happened. Today, June 25, 2018, the installation was unveiled. It consists of 71 banners, each one four inches wide and 22 feet long. They were created by people across Canada, the United States and Australia. Some came from quilt guilds such as the Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver Modern Quilt Guilds, while others came from individuals. Another group of eight banners on display was made by [...]
The nuts and bolts of preparing for a big craft show
by Adrian Lancashire A quick note from Devorah at Red Thread: For my first guest post, introductions are in order. Just over a year ago, my partner-in-crime / boyfriend moved here from France to live with me. He’d heard my crazy craft show stories from afar, and once he was here he plunged right into the stress and excitement of an artisan life. Here’s his take on what it’s like behind the scenes at our busiest time of the year… Now! I’m not a maker, but I live with one. Our living room is filled with clothing racks at the time of writing this. We built a new shed, the size of a small cabin, to manage overflow. I’m the helper. Luckily, I also do stage work. I feel at home around people who physically produce something, and I like that they dream it up and run everything themselves. Hands on “In war, no matter how much you plan and prepare and practice, when the big day actually arrives, you still can’t find your ass with both hands.” People who earn their living making things themselves prove that you actually can get organized and bring things to market. But that [...]
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 [...]
A Studio Tour
I’ve been running Red Thread for 11 years now, and am very excited to announce that I have finally moved it out of my house! The endless bolts and rolls and bins of fabric? Gone. The piles of paper patterns? Gone. All those racks of clothes in the living room? Gone. (okay, there’s still one, but I’m working on it) My new studio is a bright second-floor space on the Danforth that is bursting with colour. My studio mate Catherine of Sailorgirl Jewelry has been there on her own for years. I am ecstatic that she decided to share with me. Wanna see? Come on in! At the studio entrance there is a small lounge area for hanging out or enjoying a refreshing snack. This is the left half of the studio (my half) as seen from the lounge area at the front. The cutting table is where the work begins! That’s Catherine hard at work assembling jewelry on the right. The fabric is all in one corner. I am still bringing fabric (and clothing) in and figuring out how best to organize it, but it’s shaping up nicely. This photo was taken from Catherine’s workspace, behind her bead/assembly [...]
Summer Sewing: Notes from an unconventional camp
Now that school is back in full swing and the leaves in Toronto are starting to change (just a tiny bit), summer seems like a distant memory. Mine was full of craft shows, outings with my girls, and during the last week, a very special project: sewing camp! In my little house I held a full-day camp for ten kids aged 7-12 who really wanted to sew. Over five packed days we learned to embroider, hand sew, use a sewing machine, tie dye, and cut a pattern. We made book bags, zippered pouches, drawstring bags, superhero badges, stuffed creatures and pyjama pants. It was a blast; both thrilling and exhausting, an explosion of creativity. At the end of the week the kids decided that we should keep sewing through the year with short, project-focused classes: “Sewing Sundays.” I will announce these days shortly and you are welcome to join us! Here are some photos (and feedback) from our week. I hope you enjoy them. Practicing some embroidery My youngest student was just seven, and his quick mastery of the sewing machine was astonishing. “My daughter loved every second of the camp. She came home each day eager to [...]
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 [...]
How to buy clothes for a 3-year-old without losing your mind
Do you have a calm, compliant child who’s always in the mood for whatever needs to be done? Congratulations! The rest of us hate you. Go read something else! If not, I hope you find this helpful. Just click on the graphic to view it full-size. Please share! Brought to you by http://www.redthreaddesign.ca/
How to buy clothes for a 3-year-old without losing your mind
Do you have a calm, compliant child who’s always in the mood for whatever needs to be done? Congratulations! The rest of us hate you. Go read something else! If not, I hope you find this helpful. Just click on the graphic to view it full-size. Please share! Brought to you by http://www.redthreaddesign.ca/
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 [...]