crafts

Mulberry Street's Do It Yourself Series continues on October 19th at 6:30 p.m. We'll be constructing a paper magic folding box that is sure to please!

As some of you remember, this year's summer reading theme was "Be Creative!" Here at the Mulberry Street Branch, we participated by starting a summer Do It Yourself Series for adults. The program was held once a month and met with very enthusiastic participants. Mulberry's creative staff members transformed and revamped ordinary items into awesome and useful objects.

The first craft was a cereal box notebook using recycled cereal boxes and scrap paper. Who needs expensive Moleskine notebooks, when you can make your own!

In July we took old t-shirts and transformed them into tote bags! The library may have run out of plastic bags, but these easy to make totes hold all your library materials.

We got a little fancy in August with wearable button art. Using colorful buttons and felt, participants made fantastic brooches with these simple objects.

The staff and participants had so much fun this summer with our adult crafting programs that we've decided to continue the series into the fall. RSVP to our next craft on October 19th by calling or emailing the Mulberry Street Branch!

D.I.Y., or "Do it Yourself," is all the rage lately! On June 24th at 6:30 p.m. the Mulberry Street Branch launches its Summer Do It Yourself Series for adults. We'll be making simple books using recycled materials (bring an empty cereal box if you can). Just one way to Be Creative this summer!

Registration is required. RSVP by calling the library at 212-966-3424 or send us an email at mulberry_branch@nypl.org.

This week's a big one for the craft-conscious of New York City, because Handmade Nation--which is both a film AND a book available at the Library--comes to town!

This long-awaited documentary of the indie craft movement will have its New York premiere at the Museum of Arts and Design on Thursday evening. In addition to the screening, director Faythe Levine will be there to talk with artists Mandy Greer, Kate Bingaman-Burt, and Callie Janoff. As of this morning, the event is 80% sold out. So if you plan to go don't delay in purchasing your own tickets. The Museum will screen the film two more times, though without the panel discussion, on Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th at 2:00pm each day.

But there is more! On the evening of the 11th, Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn's hosting a great book launch event celebrating and exploring craft in America. Levine and Handmade Nation co-author Cortney Heimerl will be joined by Sabrina Gschwandtner of KnitKnit fame and Andrew Wagner, editor in chief of American Craft.

So, I recommend that you give yourself or a friend a very special valentine this week by checking out one of these events, or by reserving a copy of Handmade Nation at the Library. You can also learn more about the film, the book, and the creative people behind both at this awesome Design*Sponge interview.

It's time for all you would-be crafters and makers to come to the library! This Friday afternoon I'll be offering a free one-hour introduction to the Library's resources--both vintage publications and online sources--that I hope will inform and inspire you in your own DIY endeavors. I'll also bring along a stack of books and magazines to share, to give you a taste of what's waiting for you in the stacks.

The classroom opens at 3:00, and class starts at 3:15. There’s no registration and the class is free; just come on in and grab a seat!

Here are the details:
When: Friday, February 6th, 3:15pm
Where: NYPL's Humanities & Social Sciences Library, South Court Classroom
Questions? southcourt@nypl.org / 212-930-9284

I look forward to meeting you!

The latest issue of ReadyMade features a great DIY gift idea from Kimberly Scola: embroidered letters. The project brought to my mind a book on embroidered letters that I had seen earlier this fall. It’s called the Embroiderer’s Book of Design and it was published in London in 1860. Each page offers an alphabet in a differing style—some look as it they will require quite a bit of skill on the embroiderer’s part, but they are all lovely. I've posted four of my favorite pages here (above and below, below, and below):

So, if you are considering stitching up personalized embroidered gifts, consider the vintage lettering styles from the pages of this book. Happy holiday crafting!

To learn more about lettering, and monograms in particular, check out my post at Design*Sponge today on how to design your very own monogram. I’m the guest blogger there this week, where I’ve been sharing inspiring library resources.

At the Mulberry Street Library, we host a monthly craft program in the Children’s Room called Kids’ Crafts. Children ages 5 years and up are invited to come to the library to work on simple seasonal crafts, from paper plate turkeys in November to St. Patrick’s Day leprechaun puppets in March.

This summer we made all kinds of bug crafts in honor of the Summer Reading Program’s theme, “Catch the Reading Bug." In June, we made bouncy paper caterpillars with colorful construction paper. In July, we made clothespin butterflies with tissue paper and pompoms. And in August, we made bug buttons with our very own Children’s Room button maker!

This fall we've been working on crafts to celebrate the season. In September, we made paper bag backpacks to get ready to go back to school. In October, we did creepy fingerprint art for Halloween. And in November, we'll make leaf rubbings with the last of fall's leaves.

We’ve got the glue sticks, the scissors, the feathers, and the glitter... We hope you’ll join us on the first Wednesday of each month at 4 o’clock for some craft-making fun! Click here for more information about children's programs at the Mulberry Street Library.