The Makers Collective Mural

Over the past several years, we’ve seen a rise in popularity of murals here in Greenville, SC. Our team has always loved the idea of helping contribute to the public art scene, assisting with mural projects through the Stone Mural Project and Furman’s Art and Community Engagement class. 

When we were looking at office spaces last year, the blank exterior wall of this building seemed like it could be the perfect spot for a future Makers Collective mural. We were thrilled when our landlord agreed.

Before: the building in May 2019

One of our goals for 2020 was to paint that mural and to make it happen before our Spring Pop Up Shop opened. While we didn’t know yet what the subject matter and style would be, we knew that it needed to be different from anything else in Greenville and represent what we do as an organization: celebrate art and craft on a large scale.

After considering several design directions, our team decided to use our wall to feature a traditional craft medium in an enlarged or exaggerated way. As we considered the various types of art we see at Indie Craft Parade, our focus quickly narrowed to the category of fiber art as a subtle nod to Greenville’s textile history.

After: the building in May 2020. Photo by Brittany Hildreth

Working within the constraints of our 56-foot-long wall, we created a design that would capitalize on the built in (pun intended) structure of the cinderblock. We treated the wall like a giant piece of fabric, painting Xs to create an image.

The end result is a large scale floral cross stitch piece, with each ’stitch’ spanning the height of a cinder block.

Photo by Brittany Hildreth

Timelapse video of the painting process, captured by Alex Reynolds

A note from our designer, Lib Ramos:

When looking for inspiration for our mural, I referenced everything from early cross stitch samplers to needlepoint pieces that my grandfather made before I was born. One of the things I love about this subject matter is that cross stitch can be considered an old fashioned craft, but in reality, it’s connected to so many other types of art — both ancient and modern. Whether you think about mosaic tile work in the past or today's pixels on a screen, there’s a timelessness to how we break down and communicate imagery.

I also find it really beautiful that the image becomes clearer the farther you are from it. The Xs are really fun to see up close, but if you really want the full picture, you need to step back and look at it from a distance.

Credits:
Painting Crew: Jen Moreau, Erin Godbey, Lib Ramos, Brittany Hildreth, Evan Hildreth
Timelapse Video: Alex Reynolds
Designer: Lib Ramos

You can see the Makers Collective mural at 2909 Old Buncombe Rd, Greenville, SC 29609

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Holiday Fair Gift Guide: Part 1

If you're looking for unique and one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts this year, our Indie Craft Parade Holiday Fair can help! Featuring handmade goods from 29 artists, there's something for everyone. Starting with stocking stuffers and gifts for the little ones on your list, let us make a few suggestions to get you started!

Stocking stuffers clockwise from top left: handkerchief/scarf from Dapper Ink / Leather keychain from Billiam Jeans / Recipe cards from Ink Meets Paper / Sketchbook from Shed Labs / Ceramic cloud magnet from Crave Studio / Soaps from The Herb Garden

Gifts for the Little Ones clockwise from top left: Canvas crown from Lovelane Designs / Not-so-magic wands from Slab. / Boy's necktie from Cordial Churchman / Baby spoon from Block & Hammer / Baby booties from Pogoshop /

5 Year Posters with The Printshop

For this year’s festival, we wanted to make a special poster to commemorate our fifth year. We worked with the folks at The Printshop, Greenville’s newest makerspace, to create silkscreened posters for our event. We spent an evening at The Printshop with Andrew (husband of our co-founder, Lib Ramos) and Jeremy to print our 2014 posters. They walked us through each step of the process — from burning a screen to registering inks and we took pictures along the way.

It was so much fun to take our design from a computer screen to a final printed product and be reminded of all the work that goes into screenprinted art. As we often tell others, learning a new skill is one of the best ways to foster appreciation for it. Here are some of our behind the scenes photos.

Mixing inks to get the perfect shade.

Jeremy shows us how to pull a print.

The first color on drying racks.

Burnt screen for color number two.

Adding the second color.

Final prints drying in a row.

Fun fact: The Printshop founders were introduced at last year's Indie Craft Parade. In less than a year's time, they ran a successfully funded Kickstarter and opened the doors to our city's first community print shop. The Printshop is offering classes along with studio space and access to equipment for all kinds of printing processes like silkscreen, etching, letterpress, lithography and more.

Be on the lookout for more partnerships between Indie Craft Parade and The Printshop down the road — for example we're hosting a modern calligraphy workshop in their space mid-January!

2014 Anthropologie Display Workshop

In a few weeks, we’ll be partnering with our local Anthropologie to spread some early holiday cheer and get ourselves into the holiday spirit. Join us at the Greenville store on October 23 where we’ll be making gilded garlands for a large in-store display. You're invited to come out and spend time creating with us! All the materials and tools will be provided.

We did our first display workshop with Anthro last year making garlands from recycled materials, and we're already looking forward to what they have in store for us this year.

The event is free, but you do need to RSVP because space is limited! Call the store at 864-242-4553 to reserve your spot.

Date: Thursday, October 23, 2014 Place: Anthropologie: 1 North Main Street, Greenville, SC 29601 Time: 6-9 pm Cost: Free, but RSVP is required

Featured Sponsor: Squarespace

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Squarespace makes it simple for anyone to build an incredible website. With their beautiful templates, your portfolio, restaurant, or blog will shine. Their integrated commerce makes online shopping a breeze, and managing inventory and print packing slips is so easy it's fun. The list of perks keeps on going, including free logo design and top-notch customer service.

Squarespace is designed for creative entrepreneurs, and their commitment to quality shows in everything they do. We're so glad to partner with Squarespace for the 2015 Indie Craft Parade festival!

Try out Squarespace for free! Make a beautiful website and see what happens next.

2014 VIP Tickets now on sale

It’s already that time of year again…VIP Gala tickets are on sale as of today! This kickoff party will begin our favorite weekend celebrating handmade goods.

If you’ve never been before, here are a few things you need to know that make the VIP Gala special:Lighter crowds: The opening night is your best chance to get to know the artists and get first dibs on their work. We sell a limited number of VIP tickets to make that evening special and allow ticket holders to avoid the crowds of Saturday and Sunday.

Giveaways: Our artists always go above and beyond in donating work to our giveaway baskets. We usually have 12-15 baskets worth over $100 each. Each basket will find their way home with a VIP ticket holder.

Free Food and Drink: Catered this year by Chef Peter and his team at Chef 360 Catering, the food is going to be out of this world. And in keeping with the theme of buying fine local craft products, we’ll be serving locally produced beverages including coffee from Greenville's newest coffee shop, Methodical Coffee, house blended teas and lemonade from Tealoha, and a selection of South Carolina made beers and ciders.

Live Music: And to top it all off, there's live music! This year we're excited to have local band Pioneer Fires playing for us during the VIP event. Their sound will be the perfect backdrop to the party. You won’t want to miss it!

The 2014 VIP Gala will be held on Friday, September 12 from 6 to 9 pm at the Huguenot Mill in downtown Greenville, SC. This ticketed event kicks off the festival weekend, and helps support our artists and the mission of Indie Craft Parade. Check out the full details on our website and get your tickets here!

2014 Artists Announced

We are excited to announce the 2014 list of Indie Craft Parade participants! Our fifth annual festival will feature 80 artists — 33 new and 47 returning. Mark your calendars for September 12-14 and come see us at the Huguenot Mill at the Peace Center. We know you can't wait to start shopping, so go check out the complete list on our website, and start making those wishlists!

2014 Call for Entries: Last Chance

This is it! Sunday, June 22 at midnight EST is your last chance to apply for this year's Indie Craft Parade. We do not consider late or incomplete applications, so if you've started an application but haven't finished yet, this weekend is your last opportunity to finish and submit!

For those who aren't applying, but know an artist who should submit their work, we've made it easy for you to send out an email introduction to Indie Craft Parade. Help us find the best handmade goods in the South!

Etsy Craft Party

The Etsy Global Craft Party is back! And this time it's hosted by our local South Carolina Etsy Team.

What is Craft Party? Every year, people from around the world come together on the same day in locally organized Etsy Craft Parties to create art and inspire each other. In 2013, more than 11,000 people took part in Craft Parties in locations across the globe!

The 2014 theme is Recapture: Bring new meaning to your photographs. Partygoers can bring a special photograph, perhaps one that carries personal memories and nostalgia. Then, with needle and thread or paint and pen, transform that old photograph into a new handmade heirloom.

There will be crafts, food, drinks, and some great giveaways on hand, so mark your calendars now. Bring an old photograph (or a copy of one) to transform, $2 to design your own coffee mug, or your own craft to work on. This is a great opportunity to network, meet local Etsy sellers and buyers, and make some fun memories. All the details are below:

Where: Due South Coffee in Taylors Mill 250 Mill Street Taylors, SC 29687 When: June 6th, from 4pm-6pm

RSVP to reserve your spot.

Spring DIY Roundup

If you're like us and can't wait for warm weather, you might be in the mood for one of these spring-y DIY projects we found on Kollabora. Find a link to each project at the bottom of this post.

Clockwise from top left: The Garden Skirt / Fresh Floral Wreath / Wildflower Seed Bombs / Houseplant Swag / Hanging Planters

DIY Tea Towel project

Since meeting Rachel Faucett of Handmade Charlotte at The Makers Summit, we're completely amazed by the depth of her both her blog and her product design. She's partnered with top crafting companies to create one of a kind crafting supplies that are unique as well as easy and fun to use.

Today, we're excited to show you what we did with one of these products — adhesive stencils. We had so much fun making some custom tea towels with her stencils, and we wanted to share this fun tutorial with you. Here's a peek at the simple supplies you need. You can find the full tutorial on Kollabora.

Valentine Inspired DIY Roundup

Have you heard about Kollabora? They're an online community for makers, and we've been loving the wealth of DIY projects to be found there. In fact, we started our own page where you can easily find past Indie Craft Parade DIYs. We've rounded up just a few Kollabora projects that are inspiring us for Valentine's Day this weekend. If you're feeling crafty or just need some extra beauty in your life, these projects will get you started. Find a link to each at the bottom of this post.

Clockwise from the top: Coffee Filter Flowers / Treat Bags / Cupid's Donut Hole Arrows / Geometric Leather Heart Necklace / Crochet Slippers and Mini Heart

Learn to Knit

The next workshop in this year's series of events is Learn to Knit with Deb Potter. You may remember Deb and her beautiful yarn from our festival, or from our About video, where she gives us a tour of her farm.

If you've always wanted to learn how to knit, or maybe you're just a bit rusty, this is for you! And in the spirit of all things warm and cozy, what could be a better location for this class than a tea room?

WHEN: Tuesday, February 4, 2014 from 7 PM – 10 PM WHERE: Tealoha, 131 E McBee Ave Greenville, SC 29601 COST: $25

DETAILS: Come for an evening of fun where you'll learn the basics of knitting. Create a cup cozy using a skein of Deb's handpainted wool yarn and go home with a finished product at the end of the night. All supplies are included in the cost of the workshop.

Class size is limited, so grab your friends and register here.

Indie Craft Parade + The Children's Museum

 Next Saturday we're going to have a station at the Kids' Maker Fest--a special event with The Children's Museum of the Upstate. The whole day is dedicated to teaching kids about the value of making and the different avenues that people use to incorporate making into their lives.

From The Children's Museum:A maker is a do-it-yourself kind of person, who engages their creativity and knowledge doing hands-on projects. Some makers are science and technology oriented while others are more crafty. All makers share a passion for creating, and believe that if something can be imagined it can be made!

Highlights from the day include:

• --Make and launch your own paper rockets
• --A hovercraft demonstration & make a mini hovercraft
• --Coder demonstrations on SCRATCH and STARLOGO
• --Use your imagination and build with MAKEDO cardboard projects
• --Playdough circuit activities
• --Make a bristlebot
• --Play with large robots
• --Designing stamps with the Indie Craft Parade
• --Trebuchet launch

If you've never taken the kids in your life to The Children's Museum, this is the perfect opportunity. Not only will you get to see their amazing regular exhibits, but also kids have access to all the stations available with The Maker Fest. Participation in The Maker Fest is free with general admission.

We hope to see you there! It's going to be a great day.

Gift idea help

If you're still in need of a last minute gift idea for the creative person in your life, we might be able to help! Reserve a ticket for The Makers Summit or The Best Craft Party Ever (or both!) in time to give for Christmas.

 I If you're not familiar with The Maker's Summit, here's a quick overview:

The conference takes place Saturday March 1, 2014 from 9am - 5pm. Tickets include a light breakfast, lunch, keynote sessions, panel discussions, and one-on-one sessions with experts. The day is designed to connect fellow creatives while learning how to start or grow your creative business.

While the conference is geared toward creative entrepreneurs, the after party is open to anyone who loves great food, and making alongside others. The goal here is to simply celebrate the fun of making and meeting other makers. Learn more here.

There are 3 gift options to choose from:

· An all-access pass for both the conference and after party for $150.

· The conference day pass for $100.

· The Best Craft Party Ever evening pass for $50.

Reserve your gift ticket this week!

2013 School Scholarship Winner

This is always such an exciting time of year! Every November get to share some much needed funds with a Greenville County school's art department. If this is the first you're hearing of our school scholarship program, let me give you a brief recap. For the past 3 years, we've awarded a $500 scholarship to a local school who demonstrates both a need in their art program and a clear plan for the funds.

Every year there are so many good applicants. Reading through the numerous applications, we were again reminded of the great need in all of our schools to improve art resources. Yet we are also so humbled and amazed to know how much the teachers are able to accomplish on limited budgets. We certainly wish we could award everyone the scholarship funds. They all deserve it.

That being said, we are pleased to announce that the recipient of this year’s scholarship funding is St. Anthony of Padua School. This school largely serves the impoverished neighborhood surrounding the school in West Greenville. In addition to creating an art program for the students who attend St. Anthony's, the art teacher, Catherine Pate, has created an after school program to further student's art techniques and imaginative skills.

We're so happy to be partnering with this school. We're already discussing fun plans for artists demonstrations and ways to help the kids who attend St. Anthony's learn to love the arts.

If your school or a school you know of would like to participate in our scholarship program, please stay tuned. Applications are open every year in September and October. We want to know of the needs in Greenville, and we rely on you to tell us.

2013 Holiday Fair

It's hard to believe that it's already time to think about Christmas gifts, but we're less than a month away from our Indie Craft Parade Holiday Fair! Mark your calendar for this one-day event on Saturday, December 7th in The Village. Once again, it will be a neighborhood affair, with open studios, food trucks and much more!

Our Holiday Fair will be in a brand new space, with room for over 30 previous Indie Craft Parade participants. See a sneak peek of their handmade goods below and keep reading for a full list of artists.

Here are all the details.

What: Indie Craft Parade Holiday Fair When: Saturday December 7, 10 am – 6 pm Where: Midtown Artery, 1241 Pendleton Street 29611 Admission: $1 suggested donation, children 12 and under are free

2DCory Godbey Emily Jeffords Handprinted by The Matt Butler Shed Labs

3D Gypsy RakuPhoenixfire

Fiber by erin elizabeth Heartfeltlovelane Merciful Hearts Farm

To Wear Audrey LaineAuspicious Miss Billiam Jeans

Cordial Churchman

Dapper InkFlytrap

Olivia de SoriaSpectrum

Paper Ink Meets PaperThe Paper RabbitQuill and Arrrow

Everything Elsecanoojuxtaposition The Paper Posy Mercy Verity Oh Kay Annie Koelle Sweeteeth

The Tee Pee Co.Whispering Willow

Xenia Hospitality and Home Decor

The Ethics of Craftsmanship

When Lisa Congdon wrote "My Art was Stolen for Profit" earlier this week, we were outraged on her behalf. Several pieces of Lisa's art were reproduced without her permission by the wholesale supplier Cody Foster. Lisa is not only pursuing legal action, but she publicly called out Cody Foster and has garnered a good deal of support in her efforts to share the story. In every industry there are knock offs, but the craft world seems to be especially plagued by this phenomenon. Whether it's an artist creating work that's uncomfortably close to another artist's or DIY tutorials about how to make something just like what so-and-so sells, the disrespect for creativity is the same. In this instance, Cody Foster regularly purchases items from independent artists and then resells a mass-produced version of the item to retailers. The revelation that Cody Foster has done this for years is maddening, and yesterday it got even more personal for us.

Sarah Mandell of Once Again Sam shares our hometown of Greenville and is an Indie Craft Parade alumni. Her felted curiosities are playful, unique, and take hours to create. This year, Cody Foster is selling owl ornaments almost identical to the needle-felted owls Sarah has been selling for the past three years at our events and many others across the Southeast.

image via indieripoffs

Today, we are officially joining Lisa's cry to spread the word and stand up for independent artists. Let your local retail shops know that Cody Foster has made a habit (and a business) of ripping off artists, most of whom can not pursue any kind of legal action. Write an email to retailers you frequent, or if you're a shop owner and have access to the Atlanta Market, stop by Cody Foster's booth in person and politely let them know your purchasing dollars will be spent with companies who respect artists.

Fast Company states it well in their article: "A wholesale company like Cody Foster might not fear lawsuits, but it can be imperiled when consumers start telling their friends and complaining to the big companies that buy from wholesalers."

Handlettered by Justin Hall for the 2013 Indie Craft Parade

We were thrilled to see retailers like West Elm and Fab drop Cody Foster wares in a show of support for artists, but there is still plenty we can do. Indie Craft Parade has reached out to our retail contacts about Cody Foster and we encourage you to do the same.

Lisa's post, among other revelations in the past few weeks, has confirmed in our mind the importance of education when it comes to ethical choices in the craft world. As a result, we will be including this topic in our 2014 Makers Summit lineup, addressing issues like inspiration versus copying. Plagiarism isn't tolerated in the academic world, and we don't think there's any reason the line should be blurred in the art realm.

Holiday Display Workshop with Anthropologie

We're excited to announce another fun Greenville event coming up very soon! We've teamed up with our Anthropologie store to spread some early holiday cheer in our community! Keep reading for more details.

More about the evening from Anthropologie:

Join Indie Craft Parade and the Anthropologie visual team to prepare shimmery baubles and paper festoons in preparation for the holidays. Each workshop attendee will help to craft a store display as well as a handmade treat to take home. We'll craft garland and ornaments from magazines, cardboard, caps, tassels and straws, all in the spirit of creating the extraordinary out of the ordinary.

Learn about Anthropologie's unique aesthetic vision, handmade craft and what's in store for the holidays! All materials and tools will be provided.

The event is free, but you do need to RSVP because space is limited! Email anthroevents@anthropologie.com to reserve a spot.

Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 Place: Anthropologie: 1 North Main Street, Greenville, SC 29601 Time: 6-9 pm Cost: Free, but RSVP is required