Below you’ll find details on both future and past events and classes that I create, host, and teach at New York Public Library.
If you’d like to learn more about any of my events, please write to me. I’ll be happy to discuss:
- hosting your group or class visit to the Library to learn about the library’s DIY- or book-arts related resources
- my current roster of events at the Library
- my library-based DIY outreach and programming, or handmade material culture collection collection development with your organization or institution
- your ideas for classes
About Custom and Public Classes:
I create classes both for the public and for special group visits, on topics specially designed to meet the needs of the group. Past topics have included the craft of the book, finding vintage craft and DIY library resources to fuel your creativity, a survey of print design, book history, and historic knitting publications. Below are details on a few.
Handmade Then and Now: The Stitchery Edition
In this free class, fans of vintage patterns for knitting, crochet, sewing, and embroidery learn how to find new inspiration within the Library’s books, magazines, and digital collections.
Handmade Then and Now: The Paper Arts Edition
In this free class, attendees learn how to search the Library’s books, magazines, and digital collections to uncover ideas and information on origami, paper sculpture, book making, and other paper arts.
About Handmade Crafternoons:
Launched in 2009, Handmade Crafternoons are an ongoing DIY salon series for adults (co-hosted by Maura Madden) that connects working artists and crafters with library users through hands-on projects that draw creative inspiration from the library’s collections. Events occur monthly in the fall and spring months, and each event draws an audience of up to 70 attendees. Each handmade crafternoon is built around a theme, a special guest, and a hands-on project. For each event, I create a customized selection of books and magazines to provide inspiration and information about the theme of the day, the guest, and the hands-on project.
Fall 2012 Series:
September 15, 2-4pm: Get down to the business of DIY with Kelly Rand of Hello Craft
(event details here)
October 13, 2-4pm: Sarah Goldschadt shares designs and how-to’s from her new book Craft-A-Day
(event details here)
UPDATE 10/27/2012: CANCELLED, TO BE RESCHEDULED–November 3, 2-4pm: Denyse Schmidt talks about modern designs inspired by quilting’s traditions
Spring 2012 Series:
Handweaving with DIY Looms, with members of the New York Guild of Handweavers
(event details here, pictures of the event here)
Noah Scalin, author of Skulls, Unstuck, and 365, shared ideas for kickstarting your own creativity every day
(event details here)
Jennifer Paganelli of Sis Boom
(event details here)
Fall 2011 Series:
Handmade Stamps and Embellished Fabric with Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge (event details here)
Knitted and Crocheted Lace with Lisa Daehlin (event details here)
Bust DIY Day with magazine founders Debbie Stoller and Laurie Henzel (event details here)
Holiday Crafts with Brett Bara (event details here)
Spring 2011 Series:
Zine-Making with Ayun Halliday and Karen Gisonny (details here, and the day’s booklist here)
Paper Dolls and Fashion with Liesl Gibson of Oliver + S
(details here)
The Artful Bird with Abby Glassenberg
(event details here, additional avian inspiration here, and the day’s booklist here)
Valentine Making with Martha Stewart Living
(event details here, and a peek at the vintage valentines that inspired the Martha Stewart projects here)
Fall 2010 Series:
Emerging Designers’ Knitting Circle with Melissa Wehrle and Kirsten Kapur
(event details here)
Simply Sublime Winter Sewing with Jodi Kahn
(event details here, and the day’s booklist here)
Make Your Own Map Day with Connie Brown and Matt Knutzen
(event details here)
The Exquisite Book with Julia Rothman
(event details here)
Spring 2010 Series:
Alabama Chanin with Natalie Chanin
(event details here, and the day’s booklist here)
Bring-Your-Own-Craft Day with Maura Madden
(event details here, and the day’s booklist here)
Hand-Stitched Mice with Kata Golda
(event details here, and the day’s booklist here)
Book Arts with Esther K. Smith
(event details here, and the day’s booklist here)
Fall 2009 Series:
Modern Women of Sewing with Heather Ross, Denyse Schmidt, and Liesl Gibson
(event details here, the day’s book summary here, and Heather Ross’s library-inspired skirt here)
Handmade Books with Mike Perry
(event details here)
KnitKnit Day with Sabrina Gschwandtner and Teva Durham
(event details here)
Alternative Crafts with Jessica Vitkus and Hannah Rogge
(event details here)
