Happy Friday everyone!

Today’s post is the second installment on the basics of crocheting. Just like last time, you will need a crochet hook and some yarn, string, or twine.

Here are a few links:

1. This is a great site that gives you a run down of the basic stitches. Note, the ‘one and a half stitch’ that I reference in the video is actually called a half double crochet. The abbreviations for the stitches are listed, too which are used in patterns. (By the way, Quintuple stitch!)

2. This next site is near and dear to my heart and not just because of that sweet roses gif. I reference this site far more than I care to admit, but it is a comprehensive list of intricate stitches.

3. Here are a couple of my favorite stitches.
Afghan or Tunisian Stitch (This one requires a specialized hook, but look how pretty it is!)
Popcorn Stitch
Granny Square

4. Here is a video from a man who makes some incredible work. Check out all of his videos for an inspirational romp with crocheting.

Have you thought about starting a daily project?

Looking around my studio, trying to find inspiration for today’s new daily piece, I see plenty of papers scattered about. I’m a list maker. If you visited my studio you would see a lot of these slips of paper are filled with lists. I make shopping lists, to-do lists for the days/weeks, and a favorite of mine, life lists.

Last year I read the blog Hula Seventy by Andrea and was so inspired. Every year she creates a list of things she wants to do before her next birthday. A light bulb went on in my head. Instead of creating a life list of things that have long been hanging over me, I should be creating a yearly list. This way each item has a deadline. No, it won’t be the end of the world if everything doesn’t get crossed off, but it is more likely to get done then just saying “someday….”

What was on this year’s list? Well, things like riding in a hot air balloon, creating a tabletop ecosphere and hitting up multiple photobooths. This year I also decided that I wanted to take a crack at creating a new piece daily and posting it to my etsy shop for an entire month. August was that month.

So, what have I done for my month long challenge? I started by creating guidelines and limitations, which I felt would help me accomplish my goal. I decided for myself that each daily piece would be of a uniform size and would be created on the same material. I enjoy working with many materials so I just kept it open to all two-dimensional mixed media. I took some notes prior to the month on concepts I might like to use if I am stumped.

I have done some “on the whim pieces” where I try not to over-plan, but just move quickly and rely on my natural sense of composition and color. While on other pieces I have tried out new methods that I’ve wanted to explore before, like stamp making and paper cutting.

The idea of creating daily might be overwhelming. It doesn’t need to be. Start with a small goal, maybe just working daily for a week. Try sketching in your journal or knitting on your WIPs for 20 or 30 minutes a day. You will find that when you’ve reached your goals that you will gain momentum and ambition to do more. You will start to find inspiration in more places, and look with excitement towards your daily creative time. Your creativity will flourish with each passing day.

Check out Robyn’s daily artwork for August in this Flickr slide show.

Two lucky crafters could win one of the books in the Making Stuff series; Making Stuff: An Alternative Craft Book or Making Stuff for Kids.

Re-released to coincide with the publication of its sequel, Making Stuff has tons of projects for both the seasoned crafter and the craft dabbler. The beginning of the book lays out the basics so you’ll have no problem crafting any of the 50+ projects that include making a notebook out of old records covers, sewing a smock-dress, or making origami lights.

Black Dog’s latest book, Making Stuff for Kids, contains 176 pages of craft projects geared for 4-11 year olds, but packs enough kitschy coolness for kids of all ages.  Parents are even provided more advanced projects such as knitting and sewing, so they can craft for and with their kids, but at a more grown-up pace.

Kids’ projects include making cereal box theatres and soft toys, to creating paper flowers and making smiley house pin boards — a project by plush crafter extraordinaire and Crafty Bastards vendor Heidi Kenney, of My Paper Crane. Kenney’s house also adorns the colorful cover.

Wanna Win?
Entering this contest is super easy! Just make a comment on any Hello Craft blog post from today through August 31st, and you’ll automatically be entered to win.  You can double your chances of winning by recording your craft story on our Handmade Podcast, or by registering for our upcoming Field Trip to the Biggs & Featherbelle warehouse in Baltimore.

Exclusive Discount!
The nice folks at Black Dog Publishing have offered Hello Craft readers an exclusive discount of 50% OFF(!!!) both of the Making Stuff books. To take advantage of this offer, simply email Jessica at jess@blackdogonline.com and mention the code HELLO CRAFT OFFER. This discount is good thru August 31, 2009.

Tina Seamonster and her crafty clan will be testing out the projects in the latter book, so stay tuned for her official review of Making Stuff for Kids!

Learning Sessions

Am I a Business? How and when to form a business for your crafty endeavors. Representatives from the Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts will walk you through the ins and outs of buisness formation, including the different business structures and the pros and cons of each.

Branding and Identity. So you have a logo, now what? In this session learn how your brand is so much more than your logo. Successful branding cross cuts all aspects of your business from products, marketing materials to cultivating customers. Discuss these important branding principles and more.

Consumption and Sustainability. How DIY will Save the World.  Along with the happiness of creating, crafters often have a crisis of conscious and wonder if they are just buying into our consumerist society. This panel will discuss how you can live your values and how individual and collective action can have a positive impact on the planet.

Copyright and Trademarks. How to protect yourself and your work – With the lightening fast speed of the internet, it is even more important today to protect your ideas. Learn the how’s and why’s of copyright, trademarks and the difference between the two.

Craft Fair Booth Set up and Displays. Are you displaying your creations in the most effective way? Does your booth seem well stocked and inviting or just cluttered and jam packed? In this session learn how your set up and displays can help you sell at fairs and extend your brand.

Crafting a Green Craft. While eco-friendliness might seem like a fad, these crafters know better. Learn how easy it is to be green from all angles of the craft world including making and selling. This sessions’ highlights include sourcing greener materials, marketing your greener side and why all crafters should embrace environmental sustainability.

More session descriptions, plus workshops and demos after the jump.

Customer Service. Crafting with a Smile. Please and thank you. Hi, how are you? Everyday manners that your momma told you to mind. Learn how these simple things can help you sell your craft both online and in person. Session highlights include selling techniques, how to handle dificult customers and how engaing your customer can lead to long term relationships.

Developing a Product Line. Deciding what to make and sell. So you can sew, knit, print and glue. But that green pipe-cleaner caterpillar isn’t selling. In this session learn how to use your strengths and passions to create a cohesive product line. Highlights include price and time consideration, market niche and progressing your line forward.

Event Sponsorship. Looking to take your crafty event to the next level? Learn how sponsorship can help build relationships with the community and help with your finances. Session highlights include how to approach potential sponsors and the pros and cons of big and national vs. small and local.

Going out on a Limb. Learn from two successful indie businesses who have made the jump and went out on a limb for their art. Hear about their trials and triumphs and learn from their mistakes and inspirations.

Navigating the Art world with Craft. Feel there’s a clear line between the art world and the craft world? Well think again. Hear from these artists and crafters on how crafters are crossing the line into galleries and museums.

Organizing a Craft Fair. It says it in the name and this cracker jack panel will impart their knowledge on how to do just that. Highlights include exploring different fair models and event planning basics.

Selling in a Brick and Mortar. Hear from two different brick and mortar models on how to sell your wares in a real live shop. Highlights include store selection, honing your approach and business relationships.

Selling Successfully Online. With over 2 million users on Etsy alone, not counting numerous other online shops, learn what it takes to make your products standout from the clutter that is the internet and run a successful online store.

Street Teams. Why you should connect and collaborate. “Etsy Teams are groups of organized Etsy members who network, share skills, and promote their shops and Etsy together.” Learn how on the ground collaboration can help progress you as a crafter and the community as a whole.

Tax Implications of Starting a Business. April 15 has come and gone. Did you start a business or launch your product line? Did you get a refund? Or owe the government? In this session, learn how your craft business is viewed by the IRS and how this effects your yearly return.

The Ins and Outs of Trade Shows. Trade shows are a whole different animal with their own sets of rules and culture. Are you ready to wade into these unknown waters? Learn what you need to know before setting your sights on this level of selling. Highlights include wholesale pricing and what to expect from buyers.

What’s a Social Network and How to use it for Good. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Etsy Labs, Craftster, Blogger. Learn how online tools can be used to market your craft and help you connect to the larger crafting community.

Workshops and Demos

Embroidery Workshop. Split stitch, french knot and back stitch. Confused? Don’t be. Join Jenny Hart in this hands on session as she guides you through the beginings of the beauty that is embroidery.

Fiber Workshop. A combination demo and DIY project, learn how to needle felt a small bird and how to spin on drop spindles with Urban Fauna Studio. A spinning wheel will also be available to experiment with.

Fun with Duct Tape. Kristina Bilonick will guide you through the amazing properties of duct tape to create a CD/DVD holder.

How to Photograph your Work. Lights, camera, action! Sherry Insley will share her tips and tricks for how best to photograph your work. Bring your camera and learn how to stage, frame and light your craft.

Make a Small Book. Unlock the mysteries of book binding with this workshop on book making. Esti Gerson will help guide you through paper selection and paper cut avoidance to help you create a small book.

Plate Breaking Demo. Juliet Ames breaks plates and creates wonderful jewelry from the shards. Learn about her process and technique in this crack up of a demonstration.

Screen Printing Workshop. Learn a simple screen printing technique with Christy Petterson, then try your hand at it yourself and print a design onto a handkerchief. Bring a cotton t-shirt, scarf or tote bag if you want instead.

Sew a Felt Broach. Felt, needles, thread and great step by step instruction from Beth Baldwin equals a broach made by you.

Sewing Demo. Learn the basics of machine sewing. DC Threads will guide participants in the construction of either an easy tote bag or an “eye pillow”. Leave the session with a finished project in hand.

Simple Mold Making . Get your hands dirty with Adam Maron and learn how plaster and clay are utilized to create molds for fun and nifty objects.

Whew!  That’s a lot of awesome.  Excited about a particular session?  Tell us in the comments.

In this Talk Shop, Beth Salvini, co-owner of Greenwich Letterpress in NYC, shares her thoughts on owning a letterpress studio and shop with her sister, selling her parents’ merch, and turning business mistakes into gold.

Beth, and her sister/business partner Amy, come from a family of printers. Although their art backgrounds are slightly different, they turned their shared love and knowledge of letterpress art into a full time business in NYC.  In their Greenwich Letterpress shop you’ll find the sisters’ own designs on a bevy of print goods, all made on their family’s 75-year-old(!) Heidelberg letterpresses. They also help to promote this craft by selling printed paper goods from other talented small presses, and way-cute items from independent artists and designers.

Letterpress is truly a unique form of crafting. For those who choose to indulge in this highly rewarding, but not very well understood craft, it requires patience, attention to detail, and a natural gift for understanding design. Greenwich Letterpress sells and showcases this impressive art-form, and gets respect for mixing traditional techniques with progressive design.

Greenwich Letterpress is a super cool store filled to the brim with intricate prints, unique cards, and lots of humorous finds from the indie craft community. Whether you’re a graphic designer, or just someone who knows the value of making someone laugh out loud from a greeting card, this shop was made for you.

Tell us what Greenwich Letterpress is all about:
Greenwich Letterpress is a letterpress and stationery shop that my sister Amy and I opened in 2006. The concept was to have a retail space that showcased handmade goods both paper and other and to offer custom letterpress printing. Anything from wedding invitations to business cards and beyond.

Do you have any sort of background in crafting or the arts?
Yes. My focus in school was always fine art and I got my degree in painting. Amy started as an English major, but after school she focused on graphic design. We were able to bring the two worlds together when we opened this shop. Both of our parents are also creative, our Mom makes a lot of things we sell in the shop.

How does your business support independent artists and crafters and/or the handmade community?
We were lucky to open the shop while the indie craft movement was kicking into full swing. That meant there were craft fairs, websites, and blogs to scout for great stuff to sell in the shop. Sometimes we get lucky and amazing talent knocks on our door. Those are always great days!

Who are your favorite local designers?
Enormous Champion, My Imaginary Boyfriend, Foxy and Winston

How can local designers and crafters get involved with Greenwich Letterpress?
We encourage people to write us or send samples to show us what they got! I’m always eager to see new and awesome stuff. I have also been toying with the idea of having workshops in our space. If anyone has any ideas, I’m open to it. Getting people in the door to just look around at what we sell, items that they wont see other places in the city is very important. I think its inspiring, it definitely gives me ideas everyday.

What’s the most unusual item(s) for sale in your shop?
Felt “Meat Pillows” by Natalie Wright. We’ve had them from the start, she rules!

Any advice for those interested in opening up their own boutique?
Research. We would have done some things differently had we spent a little more time sorting out the concept in the beginning, but luckily we made mistakes along the way we were quick to remedy. Making mistakes is a big part of business, if you can deal with them and move on you’re gold!

Where do you shop, besides your Greenwich Letterpress, of course.
Kiosk in Soho is amazing. One of the most unique shops I’ve ever been to.

There’s a street fight between a seamstress and a screen printer… who would win?
Well, the seamstress could get cut in the fight and then stitch themselves back up, so they might have the upper hand.

Any exciting upcoming events or sales going on at Greenwich Letterpress?
Valentines Day and lots of new goodies for the spring!

Greenwich Letterpress is located at 39 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014.

Check out Greenwich Letterpress online at greenwichletterpress.com.
Buy one of their yummy designs right now in their Etsy Shop!

If you own a boutique, gallery or other place of business that supports the indie craft community, and want it featured in Talk Shop, email hellocraftinfo@gmail.com with Talk Shop in the subject line.

Think you might want to make some of your holiday gifts this year? The possiblities are endless, but where should you begin? My advice is to stay away from the craft store as long as possible and check out the internet first. Most pre-packaged craft store “projects” rarely provide you with a finished product that anyone would want, but the internet is full of instructions, tutorials, videos and kits made by real people who want to show you how to make something interesting!

If you are a beginner and are good at following instructions, there are many sites where they can go to get detailed instructions from seasoned makers. Keep in mind that you are not meant to make and sell these items, but to make and use or give as gifts. If you don’t want to follow a pattern or set of instructions, it might be better to not make something that you want someone to keep and use for years and years. Stick with smaller, peronalized items like holiday ornaments, photo albums, framed drawings. No matter what, don’t try to make all of your gifts yourself, concentrate on one or two and you are likely to make something interesting. You can buy handmade for the rest, by visiting sites like Etsy or checking out local handmade markets in your area.

Some places to begin.

Instructables.com is just what it sound like, a Web site full of instructions to make and do just about anything. It is seriously huge. If you think you are getting overwhelmed by it, they have put out a book full of their best projects. I found this awesome laptop bag project on Instructables. The bag core is made of high density foam, reinforced with paperboard. I was impressed with this project because laptop bags are expensive and often ugly, so the idea of making one that I can personalize is appealing. These instructions also came with a video!