Handmade Culture: Maker Faire

In the year 2000, I read a book that terrified me, No Logo, which discussed the bleak effects on globalization on the way we live. It painted a picture that we were heading down a road drinking Starbucks Coffee and wearing clothes from the Gap and there would be no other choice. I was convinced by it, hoping against all hopes that we’d somehow figure a way to fight against it…and while Starbucks is still around the Gap has been replaced by Zara, and everyone has something from IKEA at home. We don’t live in a world divorced from choice… as you know getting things handmade is pretty darn easy these days thanks to the internet. I really think the internet has played such a big roll in cultivating handmade culture, because now it’s *relatively* easy for people to set up shop, to ask questions, to learn and share. It’s a whole new world we live in, ten years later. It gives me hope… it’s the one thing I turn to when the world seems to have a bleak future (hello global warming) that even when things look hopeless, something will open up and allow positive change to flourish.

This weekend, Natalie from Coquette (she also works for Craft: Magazine) invited me down to the Maker Faire. It’s a massive event, approximately 90,000 people attended this weekend… to see, experience and share what we can do with our two hands. It was kind of amazing. Cupcake cars, steampunks everywhere, a merry-go-round powered by bicycles, a Swap-O-Rama where you can alter thrifted clothes, and booths of hand made goods galore. It was kind of like visiting an Etsy mall if the mall were like Disneyland. Kind of crazy. I took a million pictures, but it’s probably best to keep it related to fashion!

Swap-O-Rama-Rama is more than a clothing swap, it’s also an event where they have DIY workshops and workstations where you can modify your new found clothing. Everyone who participates is asked to bring a bag of unwanted clothing for the collective pile and is able to take as much or as little as they want or can modify… it looked like everyone was having fun sewing, screen printing, cutting… etc. I wish I knew, I have a pile of clothes to give!

This brings me back… I did this to so many of my Barbies!

Sora Designs I really loved how she mixed vintage jewelry up to something new. Particularly the owl bottle opener necklace…now that’s something to wear to a party!

Intwined Who can resist a suitcase full of bows? Not me! She also had bow ties, and bow rings. Very cute.


Mister Funky Not related to fashion, but these monkeys are so cute… If I were a kid, they would be my favorite. Heck, I’m an adult, and they’re my favorite.
Oh, and here is a shot of Natalie and I… I don’t know what we’re talking about…Do I always look so delirious?

Tagged as: barbies, bowties, clothing swap, coquette, craft: magazine, crafts, diy, fairs, gap, globalization, handmade, ikea, intwined, Jewelry, maker faire, mister funky, monkeys, Necklaces, no logo, owls, Rings, shopping, sora design, starbucks, swap-o-rama, Zara