Although tough decisions whether to dress up as Miley Cyrus from her raunchy MTV VMA performance this year, complete with a foam finger, or a zombie from the successful AMC TV show, “Walking Dead” for Halloween haven’t been decided, buying a $5 day pass to Crafty Bastards Arts & Craft Fair and getting a jump-start on Christmas shopping was a decision definitely worth making over the weekend.
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Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Crafty Bastards presented by the Washington City Paper for connoisseurs of all things novelty such as monster-inspired historical prints and maps, chic hand-crafted knit accessories, creepy stuffed animals and doggie bling was, “bigger, better, and craftier” than ever.
“If Etsy were a mall, it would be kind of like this,” said festival coordinator, Nikki Caborale.
Only a brisk autumn stroll from the NoMa metro station and in its second year across from Union Market, the fair blossomed into a weekend-long affair with bigger tents housing more independent artisans selling handmade wares. It also whetted shopper’s appetites with D.C.’s best food trucks and a selection of craft brews at the new Belgium Beer Garden, perfect for shopping breaks.
Urban and stylish shoppers, young and old, came from across the District and surrounding areas to engage D.I.Y professionals, hailing from all over the U.S., to discover and buy unique handmade goods, the variety that can’t be found in big box stores like Target.
“I like supporting original and individual craftsmen and buying unique things, so I was really excited to check it out and see things that I hadn’t seen before and support the artists,” said Laura McNeil, a shopper who traveled from New York City to attend the fair.
“It’s fun every time and it never disappoints me and it keeps growing and growing. It’s bigger this year, I think,” said repeat shopper, Rachel Wallach, a Los Angeles, Calif. native living in the District.
A lot of hard work goes into organizing Crafty Bastards each year, including a jury selection process that considers each artist’s mission statement, creativity, quality, uniqueness of materials, and decides who out of the 450 applicants will earn a highly-coveted spot to sell their goods in the festival’s 158 booths.
Despite Crafty Bastards’ competitive selection process, many of the vendors have participated in the fair since its inception, originally conceived to make Washington City Paper’s classified section come to life.
Crafters’ products continue to shock, awe, and evolve based on trends and their inspirations. Debbie Lee, 60 bugs owner, who sells products that come in the hand-embroidered variety, and Rania Hassan, goshdarnknit owner who sells Japanese gocco screen printed notebooks, lunch bags, and other knit-inspired items said they return each year to Crafty Bastards, even participating in the selection jury, because it is an event that has turned their hobby into a bonafide business.
The fair has also fostered an artist community in the process.
“There’s an aesthetic that the creators of Crafty Bastards have tried to instill and it’s a sense of making things from the sheer joy of making things,” said Sean Hennessey, a sculpture artisan who runs self-titled company, Sean Hennessey.
“I think you have to support each other in this community and everyone does and that’s sort of why I think I’m part of it, why I think I like it, and why I’m here,” he said.
Many of the artisans haven’t quit their day jobs, but they craft as a creative outlet and a way to connect with their customers.
“When people identify with and connect with what I’m making and they like it, then it inspires me to make more,” said Tiny Henry of Tina Seamonster that specializes in zombie themed small gift items.
However, getting into the D.I.Y. crafting business isn’t for the faint of heart.
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Here’s some advice on how to take your crafting game to the next level:
“Always have passion. Never give it up. Make sure that you love doing it because starting a small business requires a lot of sacrifices and a lot of hard work and if you don’t love what you do, then you’re not going to be happy,” says Virginia Arrisueño, a D.C. based full-time crafter and owner of DeNada, a company that sells luxurious knit accessories for men and women.
Still don’t know where to start?
Henry says don’t be afraid to fail.
“That’s how you learn, that’s how you grow, and that’s how you end up doing something awesome,” she says.
Henry says her company is a product of five failures.
“You have to make a lot of something. The mere fact of making something will inspire you to perfect it, will inspire you to make something better, to make it more unique. You’re not going to find your voice until you make a lot of things. Give it away at first, charge nothing for it. Sell it really cheap,” Hennessey says.
Jeffrey Everett, American University alumnus who majored in design and owner of El Jefe Design, a company that sells fringe culture merchandise, including posters and stationary, offers his wisdom exclusively for AU students.
“When you go out into the real world, make sure that your first job is (one) that you actually want to do and pursue because you’re building on the experience you have. Take classes that are outside of your major. If you’re an artist, take business classes. If you’re a film studies major, take some literature classes. You really need to know all angles of the profession you’re doing. You have to be very broad in what you do and you have to be really smart,” he says.
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