Handmade Detroit

Show your craft pride

When Steph and I were at Craft Congress earlier this year, one of the best pieces of advice I heard came from Etsy’s own Matt. He said that you should always be wearing a piece of whatever you make so that you’re always promoting yourself. And he’s totally right.

Take a look at some of the Handmade Detroit gals for some ideas on examples. Perhaps on Saturday we might see:

• Steph of Phantom Limb ACTUALLY without a limb? (How true, yet painful, to her art!)
• Amy (with partner Val) of Makeout Goods wearing T-shirts printed with big, pouty lips? (Get it? Makin’ out!)
• Carey of Glass Action! sporting some of her cute heart charms?
• Bethany of Reware Vintage sporting some of her reworked vintage finds as smashing summer dresses?

And me? Well, I could wear a tie, or perhaps make a ball gown out of kitchen towels, but I decided to put my new love for freezer paper stencils to the test. Check it out.

BEFORE: I cut out my design (the letters “DUCF” and a fatty Michigan Mitten), and ironed them, shiny side down with a cloth on top, right onto my dress. I used fabric paint from Joann’s with utility brushes for a thick look. Let ‘em dry. Once the design is dry, use a warm iron to heat set the work by ironing on the back for just a few seconds.

AFTER: My true love  for the craft fair will start somewhere around my right boob and head south. Man, that wasn’t meant to sound dirty…

If you’re a vendor at this year’s DUCF, show your company pride! If you’re a shopper and a maker, have business cards handy and a few examples of your work on you. You never know who you might bump in to!