Kate Themel at Ragged Cloth Café has a very thoughtful post about the economy and making art. She’s speaking about quilting, but the ideas are relevant to any creative art/craft/making in tougher times.
Clearly, the economy has slowed down. Many people have lost their jobs and some have lost their homes. More than once, references have been made to The Great Depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Most Americans had to cut back drastically on their expenses. In many households, buying fabric for colorful and decorative quilts might have seemed impractical. But many beautiful quilts were made during this time period and not all were made by wealthy women. How did they do it? What can we learn from that era that can be applied now?
Is your crafting being affected by the economy? Have you come up with creative/frugal solutions?
12 thoughts on “Crafting in Hard Times”
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While I haven’t come up with any creative solutions, I am trying my best to stick with that age old crafty resolution to finish works in progress and only work from stash. I started by finishing a few small, close to finished projects. I was so excited that I finished three projects this year, I am attacking the bigger projects with more excitement than I was able to muster before.
I agree with Wonderfallz, working with what you have is the best solution for me. And I find it helps with creativity, too, to have limited materials to work with.
When I run out of material that I need, the first place I go is to the closet. I look for things that are outgrown or things I will never fit into in this lifetime. I then use the fabric from these clothes and incorporate it into my design. A thrifty way to save and recycle all at the same time!! You would be surprised at how beautiful some of the fabrics can be together!!!
I have committed to using nothing but my ample stash in 2009 for quilting/sewing, etc. I look at all the projects and patterns I have stacked up – I’m going to try and do one a month!!
I’m part of a new yahoo group and etsy team called Hoarders Unite. For the whole of 2009, we will hold monthly challenges to creatively use craft items we have collected over time, and we are big on repurposing, too. We also have an exchange program for surplus supplies and we’re a friendly bunch, so look us up.
i’m not as avid a crafter as most, but all of my projects have been made out or recycled or reclaimed items! :) trading and borrowing with friends and family helps too.