Chronicle Books Blog

Next month, I’m heading to Ventura, California (new city alert!) for Craftcation, an indie business and DIY conference. There will be business panels, DIY workshops (will I finally learn to sew?), and parties. I’m excited for my trip south for several reasons, not least of which is to meet with creative people bravely going off on their own to do what they love most. It’s a topic that’s inspired me as I’ve worked on several books here at Chronicle, including Blog, Inc. and The Startup Playbook.

At the conference, I’ll also get to speak about craft publishing alongside some exciting names in the biz, including our very own Vintage Craft Workshop author Cathy Callahan. We editors have written on this topic before, so if you can’t join me at the conference, be sure to check out this awesome post for tricks of the trade. Key takeaways: set yourself up for success by doing your research, spending time making your proposal look (in addition to sound) compelling.

Beyond being inspired by savvy businessfolk and creative crafters, I’m hoping to sun it up (though who knows what the weather has in store), and to spend a few days in Los Angeles. I’m already planning to visit the new outpost of one of my favorite San Francisco shops, I’ve been told I must visit Urbanic for some cute stationery, and have an endless list of restaurants to visit (curses to Oh Joy’s amazing food features!). Do you have a favorite store/restaurant/park in LA that I absolutely must go to? Let me know so I can add it to my overloaded Google map.

And if you’re interested in joining me at Craftcation, head over to their site before registration closes on March 1st. I hope to see you there!

Lisa Tauber
Assistant Editor

I’ve talked before on this blog about being a bit of a craft dabbler. Mostly, I like putting the things around me to good use in an aesthetically pleasing way. But really, crafting is just a way to justify my hoarding habit. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not at A&E’s Hoarders level. I just have a little more trouble passing by that sidewalk sale/urban reuse center/estate sale/thrift store without stopping. And buying. But hey! At least it’s used and therefore cheaper and more ecological. Right? Right. So today I’d like to share a project with you. This project supports my personal mantra: Hoarding. It’s Not So Bad!

Here’s exhibit A: the back of a vintage suitcase I bought for $5 at a garage sale.

Since I completed this project a long while ago, this is the only before shot I have. The inside of the suitcase was lined with a beige silk that was heavily stained. There was also a stretched out elastic pocket that just hung sadly.

Unlike many of my usual garage sale purchases, I actually knew what I wanted to do with the suitcase when I bought it. At the time, I had just moved and had been wanting to create a decorative display in my room, sort of like a cabinet of curiosities, inspired by the extremely awesome Museum of Jurassic Technology. (Next time you’re in LA, check it out. Seriously, it’s a fascinating place).

Now close your eyes and imagine I cut the sagging pocket out and then sprayed gold dye all over the silk lining. I put thumbtacks on the top side to hang my necklaces, interspersed with some photobooth shots. On the bottom, I installed photos and other ephemera I’ve collected over time and voila! Exhibit B:

Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

I love having my necklaces organized, but didn’t want to buy and hang a whole separate display. So incorporating it into my suitcase was the perfect way to turn something decorative into something pretty AND utilitarian. Below my necklaces and photobooth shots is a photo viewer with a picture of my grandparents inside from the 70s. My grandmother was kind enough to hoard that one for me, and seeing it reminds me of her. To the right, an old school answering machine tape.

But I think the action is really on the bottom part of the suitcase.

The bottom left photo is held by a teeny plastic clothespin I found randomly and refused to surrender, despite having no use for it. To the right: a Tattly tattoo designed by Julia Rothman so I won’t forget I have it. Next to the tattoo is a butterfly I bought at a Portland market that never hung well, and above that, a magnifying glass/metrics converter from a flea market in Saint Petersburg, Florida.

Clockwise from top: three tiny vials filled with moss and pebbles I made but decided not to sell at the Chronicle Holiday Craft Fair (that’s a blog post for another time); one of my favorite photos; gold foil matches spotted and grabbed from the Chronicle Holiday Party at The City Club of San Francisco; a paint chip from the San Francisco reuse center SCRAP; and some plastic bubbles I thought I’d use to make magnets, but, true to hoarder form, have sat untouched.

Clockwise from top left: An aquarium fish from the free pile at Chronicle; an empty absinthe bottle I brought home from Prague ten years ago; a mold of my teeth created before a root canal; another would-be magnet; the weathered label from a bourbon bottle; and a tiny pencil reminiscent of the days when libraries didn’t just use computers.

So you see, hoarding is not so bad! Take a cue from me and arrange all of the items you’ve hoarded in a deliberate manner. Then you can call it art.

Lisa Tauber
Editorial Assistant

This past weekend, Chronicle set up shop at the Bazaar Bizarre craft fair. Just in time for the holiday shopping rush, Bazaar Bizarre is a handmade craft fair that attracts a really creative bunch of people, making it the perfect place for me to scope out craft trends, meet new talent, and chat with Chronicle Books fans!

There’s our booth on the right-hand side of the photo. See that person standing behind the books table on the right? That’s me!

I was excited to see so many kits for sale across different craft categories. As a craft dabbler myself, I like the idea of buying everything I need in one package – no big investment needed. Then, once I’m really hooked (ha!), I can start stocking up on serious supplies. (Witness the surplus of large bags of charcoal and succulent soil in my house from my terrarium phase).

Following are some of my favorite kits. These punch-out robot characters from Piperoid had a host of imaginative characters and formats.

Needle felting is making a comeback this year! The kits and creatures from Woolbuddy were so sweet. And while I wasn’t lucky enough to see the life-sized giraffe in person, someone tipped me off to its existence and I found it on the Woolbuddy blog. Pretty amazing, huh?

NifNaks also had some adorable creatures (Pet rocks! Brilliant!) and were selling kits of their own.

Scarlet Tentacle’s Frida Kahlo embroidery kit first caught my eye, but it was the very R-rated Beefcake Coloring Book that had me chuckling long after. It’s always nice to see humor injected into crafts.

I was also really impressed by Hello Hanna’s products. Their Wishing Tree was so lovely. I can’t wait for the right occasion to buy one for a friend.

And of course it was fun to see how our World’s Smallest Post Service author displayed her kit.

There were tons of other booths at the fair worth mentioning, these are just a few that stuck with me. And while it’s really hard to pick favorites, I can’t help but be completely taken with the below jar of softie pickles that our Marketing and Publicity Manager, Lorraine bought. Such a simple idea to store these in a Mason jar, but it makes the package all the more adorable!

Lisa
Editorial Assistant

Last Sunday, I took a leisurely stroll around the Mission Indie Mart, a monthly DIY fair here in San Francisco. I’ve been going to this low-key craft fair since I moved to SF four years ago and have watched trends come and go (I’m looking at you owls and moustaches), have seen stores test out the waters at the Indie Mart before opening brick and mortar locales, and I’ve bought many a lovely vintage dress, piece of jewelry, and quirky card from the Indie Mart’s various vendors. At Chronicle, craft fairs, indie art shows, and independent boutiques provide an endless source of inspiration as we think up our next exciting project. Here’s a roundup of some of my top picks from this month’s Indie Mart. If you’re not local, fear not! You can pick up these wares on Etsy.

The pottery from Village Clayworks is absolutely adorable. I don’t care if it’s passé to put a bird on it, I wanted these delicate and colorful dishes to grace my kitchen. After all, anyone who can make a cockroach look whimsical has my vote.

Loved these DIY Craft Kits from Random Nicole. Each kit includes everything you need to make headbands, pillows, necklaces, and more. The bright colors and collage-y look reminded me of Vintage Craft Workshop.

Being a word nerd, I couldn’t help but chuckle at these screen-printed Moleskine notebooks from StudioNico.

Flora Grubb had a make-your-own terrarium booth. Sure, terrariums have gotten their fair share of coverage and then some, but I can’t resist owning some pretty greenery that won’t immediately die when I forget to water it.

So there you have it: my faves from the Indie Mart. Of course, there were many more beautiful, creative, fun, and exciting products for sale. Were you at the Indie Mart on Sunday? What were the highlights for you?

Lisa Tauber
Editorial Assistant

I collect totes. Don’t we all? It’s not that I even mean to amass them. I’m not a careful collector like our editor, Jennifer, who constantly grows her Japanese miniature food assortment, and I don’t seek out various depictions of toast, but without trying, I have quite the colorful array of totes in my bag rotation.

They might seem a dime a dozen, but then why do so many of us hold onto our totes? Why can’t I, for example, just decline that free bag that comes with purchase? Maybe it’s because I love the tote’s simplicity: the perfect way it fits over my shoulder, its lack of fussy zippers or deep pockets, and that it seems light and roomy when empty, but has the impressive ability to be stuffed with food, books, gym clothes, beach gear, yoga mats, and more. Is it just me or are totes the clown car of sacks?

I digress. I think the tote’s prevalence isn’t just because it’s useful, but because it’s a visual reminder of things past. Whenever I’m back in New York City and pass Flying A, I think of the first tote I ever used, which had the store’s iconic A with wings printed on it. And my Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market tote brings me back to my days hawking tomatoes. The tote is proof you were there. It’s a ticket stub that comes in a beautifully simple package.

To end my salute to totes everywhere, here’s a tote project from 1, 2, 3 Sew: Build Your Skills with 33 Simple Projects. Given the tote’s splendid simplicity, it’s no surprise that it’s the easiest of the three bag projects in the book. So here’s to fondly remembering a time when “totes” were for carrying and there was no shorter way to say “totally.”

Excerpt from 1, 2, 3 Sew by Ellen Luckett Baker.

Photographs by Laura Malek

Fully lined, the market tote is roomy with tucks at the bottom and has long straps so you can tote it over your shoulder or on your arm. The burlap gives it a simple durability and the patterned fabric allows you to add your own sense of style.

Finished dimensions: 22″ x 19″/56 cm x 48 cm

Supplies
1/2 yd/50 cm burlap
1/2 yard/50 cm patterned fabric
1 yd/1 m cotton or canvas lining fabric
Matching thread
Fabric marker
Quilter’s square (optional)

Seam allowance: 1/2″/12 mm

Step 1: Cut fabric.
Print out the Market Tote templates here at 100% or use the tiled version available here. Cut out the templates and then cut out the burlap, outer, and lining fabrics according to the pattern templates. Sew an overcasting or zigzag stitch around the bottom and side edges of the burlap to prevent fraying.

Step 2: Sew outer bag pieces.
Pin and sew one burlap piece to a patterned fabric piece along the top long side, right sides together, as illustrated in figure A.

Press the seams open. Repeat with the other matching pieces.

Step 3: Sew bag and lining.
Pin the lining pieces right sides together. Sew the top straps together, then sew along the bottom and sides, attaching the lining pieces to one another, stopping 1/2″/12 mm from the curve where the straps will begin. See figure B.

Then repeat with the main bag pieces, being sure to align the seams. Press all seams open.

Step 4: Square bottoms.
Square off the bottom corners of the outer bag and the lining according to the instructions below, measuring 2″/5 cm from the tip of the corner.

Step 5: Press.
With the outer bag, press the outer edge of the straps (as indicated by the gray line in figure C) toward the wrong side of the fabric by 1/2″/12 mm. Repeat with the bag lining. This will prepare you for step 7.

Step 6: Attach outer bag to lining.
Turn the outer bag fabric right sides out, but leave the lining wrong sides out. Insert the outer bag into the lining so that the right sides will be facing one another. Pin together, being sure to match the top seams at the handles. Sew along the inside curve, as illustrated in figure C. Notch the corners to ease the curve.

Step 7: Finish.
Turn the bag right sides out through an opening on the side. Push the lining into the outer bag. Press and pin the side strap openings together, adjusting if needed so that the fabric is aligned. Edge stitch along the outer edges of the handles on both sides.

How-to: Square Corners
This technique can be used in tote bags, purses, or other projects where you need extra room. The bottom corners of the bag are flattened and sewn down creating width and turning a plain flat bag into a three-dimensional one.

1. To prepare to square the corners of a bag, your bag should be sewn right sides together and the seams should be pressed open.

2. With the bag wrong sides out, take one corner in your hand and pull the corner open to form a 90-degree angle in the opposite direction. The seams should be aligned one on top of the other. Press flat to form a triangle. See figure A. You can pin this in place and look on the right sides of the bag to make sure that your seams will be perfectly aligned.

3. With a quilter’s square or ruler, mark 2″/5 cm (or as directed) from the tip of the corner. Make a line straight across at this point, from fold to fold, as shown in figure A. Sew along this line.

4. Clip the excess triangle of fabric and sew over the raw edges with an overcasting stitch. See figure B. Repeat with the other corner.

Lisa Tauber
Editorial Assistant