If you’re not able to attend the Summit in person, or are a lucky one or two day pass holder and still want to get in on the action for the other days you’re not in attendance, Etsy will be broadcasting a small selection of our super amazing schedule in the Virtual Labs.

We had so much fun doing this last year that we can’t wait to include all of you who can’t make it in person again this year! After the jump see the full schedule for the Summit of Awesome in the Etsy Virtual Labs.

Wednesday June 16

2pm PST Online Marketing Mistakes with Diane Gilleland
Don’t fall prey to these mistakes. Join Diane on a talk focused on common mistakes craft business owners make when they try to market in the online space. This includes broadcasting marketing messages in engagement spaces, blogging only about products, and failing to participate with other people in the online space.

Thursday June 17

1:00 pm PST Selling Online with Danielle Maveal
In this session, learn what it takes to make your products standout from the clutter that is the internet and run a successful online store.

2:30 pm PST How to pitch a magazine or blog with Kim Werker and Jena Coray
Every crafty entrepreneur loves press coverage, but you can’t wait for the press to find you – you have to knock right on the virtual door of media outlets and introduce yourself! We’ll discuss how to pitch your shop and products to blogs and magazines: which publications you should pitch to, the dos and don’ts to include in your intro email, what to expect, how to follow up, how to approach an editor or blogger about writing an article or a guest post, and much more. You’ll find the confidence you need to get out there and start showing the press how awesome you are!

3:45 pm PST Branding and Product Development with Ryan McAbery and Marlo Miyashiro
Need to take your business to the next level? This session will focus on branding your online presence, product development and pricing for profit. Participants are welcome to bring a product sample for a chance to discuss them after a short lecture.

Friday June 18

11 am PST Best of Etsy Success with Danielle Maveal
With over 3 million users, Etsy the online market place can sometimes be a bear to navigate. In this session, Danielle will review the best of the best of Etsy Success stories, chock full of helpful business advice and common sense solutions on how to make your shop run in tip top shape.

1:45 pm PST The Creative Community with Cathy Pitters, Torie Nguyen, Christine Claringbold and Rebecca Kerr
This panel will explore what a healthy creative community looks like; from craft fair organizers, nonprofit organizations and induvidual artists. Hear how each interacts and supports one another for a thriving artist community.

You get not only one but two parties throughout the weekend, a ticket to see the D.C. premier of Handmade Nation, access to the Make Something Awesome Area and a program jammed packed with learning sessions, workshop and demos.

Many of the sessions and workshops run concurrently, leaving you to make some tough choices as to which session to attend. So consider this post your guide to the Summit of Awesome. It will help you make the most of your weekend by outlining some suggested highlights you won’t want to miss depending on where you are in your crafty career.

About to Launch
Are you just starting out in the craft world? Looking to make some connections, get business advice and learn ways to get your business off the ground? Then don’t miss:

• Friday morning session – Street Teams. Why you should connect and collaborate with Jen Menkhaus and Megan Van Wagoner with B.E.S.T.
• Friday afternoon session – Am I a Business? How and when to form a business for your crafty endeavors with Cynthia Gayton and Paige Totaro from Volunteer Lawyer for the Arts
• Saturday morning session – Developing a Product Line. Deciding what to make and sell with Ali Dryer – Pistol-Stitched, Rebecca Juliette – This Chickadee
• Saturday afternoon session – Tax Implications of Starting a Business with Michael Kreps and Paige Totaro – Volunteer Lawyer for the Arts
• Sunday morning session – Craft Fair Booth Set up and Displays with Caitlin Phillips – Rebound Designs, Shauna and Stephen – Something’s Hiding in Here – DC9

Dabbler
You’re here mostly to make. You want to get your hands dirty and learn new techniques and skills and learn what the indie craft world is about. Then don’t miss:

• Friday morning session – Crafting a Green Craft with Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera – Urban Fauna Studio, Liz Grotyohann and Jeff Fein-Worton – Cosa Verde, Becky Streipe – Glue and Glitter
• Friday afternoon session – Fiber Workshop with Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera – Urban Fauna Studio
• Saturday morning session – Plate Breaking Demo with Juliet Ames – The Broken Plate
• Saturday afternoon session – Embroidery Workshop with Jenny Hart – Sublime Stitching
• Sunday morning session – Make a Small Book with Esti Gerson

Old Hat
You’re a veteran crafter looking to go to the next level and really kick it into high gear. Then don’t miss:

• Friday morning session – Crafting a Green Craft with Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera – Urban Fauna Studio, Liz Grotyohann and Jeff Fein-Worton – Cosa Verde, Becky Streipe – Glue and Glitter
• Friday afternoon session – Branding and Identity with Jeffrey Everett – El Jefe Design
• Saturday morning session – Navigating the Art world with Craft with Joetta Maue, Quincy Pearson, Sean Hennessey, Jaime Zollars
• Saturday afternoon session – Consumption and Sustainability. How DIY will Save the World with Sara Cotner – $2000 Wedding, Autumn Wiggins – Upcycle Exchange
• Sunday morning session – The Ins and Outs of Trade Shows with Rania Hassan – goshdarnknit, Sean Hennessey, Rhonda and Elijah Wyman- Figs and Ginger

Craft Fair Organizers
You’re here to learn how to organize a craft fair, connect with other organizers and how to make your fair really swell. Then don’t miss:

• Friday morning session – What’s a Social Network and How to use it for Good with Danielle Maveal – Etsy Success & Virtual Labs, Willo O’Brien – WilloToons
• Friday afternoon session – Event Sponsorship with Deb Dormody and Margaret Carleton – Craftland
• Saturday morning session – Selling in a Brick and Mortar with Urban Fauna Studio, Deb Dormody and Margaret Carleton – Craftland
• Saturday afternoon session – Organizing a Craft Fair with Al Hoff, Jessica Manack – Handmade Arcade, Christy Petterson – ICE, Kathy Malone – Brooklyn Indie Market
• Sunday morning session – Copyright and Trademarks, How to protect yourself and your work (Note this session will start at 11:30 am) – Megan Gray

These are just a sample of possible routes and highlights for you to follow. And no matter which session you end up attending we know that you will learn a lot and have a spectacular time.

Do you have your schedule already planned out? We’d love to see how you’re planning on tackling the weekend. Please share in the comments!

Some Background

Inspired after the first Craft Congress, Kim & I babbled the entire ride home from Pittsburgh about all the exciting things happening in the craft world and the awesome people we met.  And brainstormed different workshops and seminars for crafters like the ones we had attended.  We came back, babbled about the awesomeness to others and life went on (read Christy Petterson’s informative review on GetCrafty.com for more about Craft Congress 2007).

The following year, Kim & I flew out to San Francisco for Craft Con 2008, where we hosted a workshop on craft fair sponsorship.  We met many people doing amazing things in the craft world and acquired practical knowledge useful to any small business or marketer (read more about Craft Con 2008 from Autumn Wiggins on Crafting a Green World).  Inspiration came rushing back along with the desire to share this experience with other crafters.

Upon meeting fellow DCite Kelly Rand, we knew we had found a willing cohort and quickly conspired with Tina Seamonster to form Hello Craft.  We started meeting over the summer and set this as our mission:

Hello Craft is dedicated to the advancement of independent crafters and the handmade movement, as well as empowering small business owners and educating the public to the benefits of buying handmade and teaching the joys of making.

Hello Craft aims to bring together crafters and makers to learn and grow as a community. In 2009, Hello Craft will convene all interested in advocating for and advancing the handmade community at a summit that will take place in Washington D.C.

The future of making is in your hands.

So, for me, the Summit of Awesome is an old idea coming to life and I can’t wait!  It’s an opportunity to invite all the wonderful crafters, business owners and generally awesome and inspiring people we’ve met over the years to come to D.C. and not only share their experiences, but to meet each other.  This truly is the best part and I think one of the keys to the success of the indie craft community: it’s about connections and building relationships and learning from each other. The Summit of Awesome is a chance to learn, make and socialize without the distractions of minding a booth or filling orders and I sure hope you can make it!

Summit of Awesome Speakers (partial list)

We’re working hard to finalize the schedule and will post it here as soon as it is ready.  Here’s a taste of who will be speaking and hosting workshops to get you excited (this is by no means a full and final list).

• Maria Thomas, Etsy CEO
  
• Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera, Urban Fauna Studio
• Caitlin Phillips, Rebound Designs
• Shauna Alterio and Stephen Loidolt, Something’s Hiding In Here
• Kasey and Kelly Evick, Biggs & Featherbelle
• Danielle Maveal, Etsy Success & Virtual Labs
• Becky Striepe, Glue and Glitter
• Sara Cotner, $2000 Wedding
• Liz Grotyohann & Jeff Fein-Worton, Cosa Verde
• Jessica Manack & Al Hoff, Handmade Arcade
• Jeffrey Everett, El Jefe Design
• Rhonda & Elijah Wyman, Figs and Ginger
• Jamie Zollars, Paper Forest

There will also be demos and hands on workshops with these awesome crafters:

• Rachel Bone, Red Prairie Press
• Juliette Ames, Broken Plate Company
• Beth Baldwin, Tigerflight
• DC Threads
• Kristina Bilonick
• Esti Gerson

Plus, the DC premiere of the highly anticipated documentary, Handmade Nation will be Friday night and more awesomeness we can’t tell you about just yet.

Remember, space at the Summit of Awesome is limited.  So what are you waiting for?  Visit the Hello Craft Shop and register today!

Email hellocraftinfo@gmail.com with questions.  Join the email list or watch the blog for more Summit of Awesome updates and announcements.