Wear What When

SLIDESHOW The Seattle Etsian behind April and August, and her work. “I like using dress patterns because—well, isn’t there something about a dress that makes you feel pretty and special? Like you want to sit up a little straighter and watch the curse words? Maybe it’s just me,” says Helen Kulstad.

Helen enjoys escaping to her workspace in the basement, after a long day with the kids. “Besides my supplies for my pattern panels, I store old magazines, paints, pastels, loads of rubber stamps, and old photographs.”

“The graphic lines and typography make it seem like a work of art in itself to me. This divine paper can guide you in creating your destiny. By which I mean a darn fine outfit.”

“Displayed alone, I think you’ll find a pattern panel collage is eye-catching. A series of three or four? Simply fetching.”

April and August’s pattern artist, Helen Kulstad.

SLIDESHOW: “The art of soapmaking is knowing what mixture of oils to use in order to make a soap that is moisturizing and has a rich, smooth, and stable lather,” says Bloom, purveyor of all things sudsy at Seattle Sundries. Learn more about it in the slideshow here.

Like all handcrafted soaps, the color and shape of Bloom’s 3-inch bars can have slight variations. That’s how you know the bar has been mixed, cut, and trimmed by hand, rather than a machine.

Bloom marks each tin with a round, old-fashioned label. “My illustrations are a mixture of vintage images, pictures that I drew myself, and ones created for me by a graphic artist,” she explains. “I try to use art that is cohesive stylistically and also tells the story of each soap variety. I prefer packaging that triggers conversation, and maybe a chuckle here and there. I even have a plan in the works for a tongue-in-cheek election year soap.”

“My workspace is broken into three main areas: where I make the soap, where it’s cut and cured, and where I do the labeling and packaging. It’s a jumble of buckets, bottles, bins, and storage shelves, but it all smells great!”

After opening her Etsy shop in 2008, Bloom “branched out into custom soaps for weddings, special events, and private label customers. It’s all lots of fun for me. I really enjoy coming up with new ideas for packaging and products that are fun and functional.”

As Bloom notes on her Etsy page, “Because I produce in small batches, I have a great deal of flexibility. Talk to me about custom scents, colors, shapes, packaging or private label soaps for your event or business. I always welcome the chance to try something new!”

Because Bloom doesn’t make her own shaving brushes and blades (“I’ll stick to being an expert on soap”,) not all of her products can be sold on Etsy. Her shaving sets can be found on Amazon.com, and through her own online store. In the future, Bloom hopes to expand beyond the virtual world and open a retail space of her own.

With hand-knit soap sweaters, Bloom puts an indie twist on a classic idea (“Your grandmother would be proud” is her Etsy tagline). Used to increase lather, exfoliate skin, and help you use every last sliver of your soap bar, these little sweaters can also be hung on a shower hook for easy drying. Pretty cute, right?

SLIDESHOW: Modern baby gear by a Seattle Etsian. Here, one of Séguin’s reversible bibs, which she says wasn’t designed over night. “It’s definitely a process,” she says, “You don’t just wake up one day and say ’I’m going to make this! I’m going to sell it tomorrow!’”

Séguin creates from her Crown Hill home, which makes it easy for her five-year-old twin girls to tag along to work. “My work space actually began as my daughters’ play room. They still have a corner, but little by little I’ve taken it over with fabric and sewing goodies. They don’t seem to mind.”

Vibrant color is an important element of Séguin’s designs. “I’m not doing the pastel thing from ten years ago, when all baby stuff had to be light yellow, light pink, or light blue.”

Fabric selection is this Estian’s favorite part of the design process: “I absolutely love it. If I could figure out a way to buy fabric for a living, that’s what I would do.” Séguin gets her materials from fellow Etsy sellers, like Fresh-Squeezed Fabrics, as well as from more traditional textile stores.

Séguin resolved to open an Etsy account after a friend’s sister asked for a custom-made onesie at a baby shower. Now, her onesies often feature bold graphic images like owls or these cheerful gnomes.

When designing pieces like this tote bag, Séguin isn’t afraid to go off the pattern. “I’m an experimenter, an adapter. I don’t mind winging it, because there are a lot of ways to finish off projects so they make you happy.”

“The best side benefit of this whole project is that my children will grow up in an environment filled with beautiful fabrics, thinking ‘Oh yeah. I could make that!’”

For the next few months, Séguin will be focused on creating new fabric combinations to showcase her fledgling line of mini backpacks and tote bags.

SLIDESHOW: What to expect at the second BadWill Market on July 10. Here, lace collars (not shown: other reassigned vintage, DIY accessories, and salvaged old-school style) from Wear the Canvas.

Vintage clothing—and hats!—from Midnight Mart.

Moksha, the co-ed, world-sourced boho-vibing spot in the U District, offers vintage clothing.

I should probably mention that former Project Runway contestant Blayne Walsh and his locally made men’s and women’s pieces are Bad Will members.

Officials Vintage specializes in deadstock and vintage sports stuff—Tampa Bay jerseys and Jets jackets—but they keep a few ironic 80s sweatshirts around, too.

SLIDESHOW: Luke Haynes began experimenting with hands-on functional art at age 13 with a knitting project. “A scarf that changed colors three times and sizes about eight. I never finished that project, knowing as it progressed I could do better, and that I didn’t really want a scarf whose edges were indefinite.” Here’s a look at his quilting projects.

Haynes often utilizes traditional quilt patterns—here, tumbling block—and a less traditional material—used clothes from Goodwill.

Another upcycled quilt for sale in Haynes’ Etsy shop.

In addition to using traditional patterns and not-as-traditional materials, Haynes creates quilts that might be described as photorealistic. In his Etsy shop description for this 98 × 52 wall-hanging piece, Haynes says, “This is from my Man Stuff series. The screwdriver in the image is one I used to make houses. As a male quilter, there is a lot of gender bias implicit in the community and the process of making. This piece pokes fun at that.”

Here, Haynes blends the two styles.

Haynes has shown his work in galleries across the country. This quilt is from a collection called “American Nostalgia,” which he made for his first solo show in California.

He’s come a long way from that unfinished scarf. Here he hangs a quilt in the new Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters.

SLIDESHOW: Beki Wilson’s Out of Line collection on Etsy. Here, the designer’s favorite look: the Key Influence Dress. “I wear mine all the time,” she says. “I love fitted pieces, of course, but it feels fresh and new to put on something roomy, and slightly oversized.”

She made her first design pattern at age 13. “My first piece was a pair of pants—kind of like knickers or a capri—made from an awesome red and yellow calico print.” Since then she’s taken small business classes and studied fashion design and garment construction at the New York Fashion Academy in Ballard.

Wilson calls a space close to the Seattle waterfront her studio. She loves that she’s near other small businesses and entrepreneurs, has plenty of space, and lots of natural light. But she hasn’t always had such ideal digs. She recalls, “I’ve previously had ‘studios’ in a kitchen, two garages, a living room, a dining room, an attic—where I had to run extension cords through the walls—and a basement.”

“I love black. If there’s a choice, I’ll take the black one,” Wilson says. And this preference tends to trinkle into her Out of Line palette selection with mostly darks and neutrals. But after a vacation to Florida, “I’m craving color.” Brights have started to pop up in her Etsy shop.

This top comes in multiple shades, including granite, sky blue, and turquoise.

Out of Line can also be found at Velouria in Ballard and Spun on Capitol Hill. You know, if virtual shopping isn’t your thing.

Here’s Wilson. She’s designed under the name Out of Line since 2000.

SLIDESHOW: Sarah Loertscher began working with metal in 2000. Now her all-metal jewelry is available on Etsy.

Loertscher describes her jewelry as “kind of clean, kind of chaotic! It depends on what piece it is…though all relate back to crystal structures and have a clean, minimal slant.”

“I’m fascinated with the way that something made purely of hard edges and angles can grow as organically as a flower,” she says. “And I love looking at diagrams, charts of any sort, and field guides. I’m inspired by a healthy mix of order and natural chaos,” says the jeweler. Not coincidentally, her studio is covered in colorful diagrams and filled with an eclectic mix of trinkets and stones.

The artist’s favorite crystal-inspired piece? “Right now it’s this brooch, which took a bit of inspiration from the Cave of Crystals in Mexico,” she says. Take a look at the cave on the National Geographic website.

You might be wondering, where does the name Lucy Machine come from? A dog, actually. “I used to house-sit for my friends Mark and Kate in North Carolina, who have a dog named Lucy. One day Mark mentioned that he needed to take ‘the Lucymachine’ for a walk, and I loved the way it sounded. It’s such a cool name! So when I started my Etsy site, I named it Lucy Machine as a nod to Lucy, Mark, and Kate.” 

In addition to her Etsy shop, Loertsher’s jewelry is also available at Fancy and Click! Design That Fits.

SLIDESHOW: Kate Sitzman of the Etsy shop Woolgatherings has a passion for technicolor.

Sitzman dyes her own yarn because she has a deep appreciation “for the uniqueness and beauty of hand-spun and hand-painted yarn,” and early on she grew restless with the choices typically available. “I found that I always wanted more and more colors and textures to choose from.” This zeal for color spread to other aspects of her life—she says, “I’m constantly painting and repainting every room of my house.”

The primary focus of her work is dyed fibers (yarn, wool, and silk), which she sells in a constantly evolving set of colors. “I’m more of an artistic dyer than a scientific one,” she says. “I don’t use recipes or formulas. I just mix and paint whatever comes into my head on any given day. That’s what keeps it interesting for me—getting to start fresh with a blank slate every time.”

She sells mostly mill-spun yarn that she’s dyed, but “occasionally I do sell some of my own hand-spun as well.”

She is a big advocate for quality material. “I love the fact that even the simplest pattern can look like a work of art if you made it with fabulous yarn.”

Her Duvall home has a separate apartment on the first level, which Sitzman describes as the ideal at-home studio. “The kitchen is a dedicated dye studio, the bedroom an office, and so on. It’s really a perfect set-up for this type of work, and it also allows me to be home with my kids.” It’s also close to nature, which she considers one of her greatest inspirations.

In addition to her Etsy shop, you can find Sitzman’s work at Kirkland’s Serial Knitters.

SLIDESHOW: Anne Sylte Bloom says her soap sweaters make perfect Mother’s Day presents. To meet four more etsyRain Craft Show vendors, click through the slideshow.

Amy Tappen of Alternative Designs brings her jewelry to the fair.

What piece do you think would make the best last-minute Mother’s Day gift?
Tappen: Well, if your mom is anything like mine, then a laser-cut metal sugar skull is sure to make her happy!

WWW: What piece are you most excited about selling?
It’s actually taken me a long time to get over wanting to keep all of my creations. So now I’m just happy to see all my work go to good homes.

Marja Huhta of Glass Elements is also bringing jewelry.

WWW: What piece are you most excited about selling?
Huhta: I love sharing brand new work with my customers, so I’m excited to introduce a lovely new necklace style called Silver Flow (pictured). When someone falls in love with a necklace like this, it’s like the glass found a path from my kiln all the way to the right person—all the creative energy I’ve put into it is truly being shared. 

What do you do to pass the time when things are a bit slow or quiet at a craft fair?
Here’s a secret most folks don’t know: We crafters love shopping from our fellow vendors. Give me a few free moments during the show, and I’ll swing by This Charming Candy’s booth to stock up on my favorite lollipops.

Susan Dziadosz of This Charming Candy is bringing her sweet treats.

WWW: What piece are you most excited about selling?
Dziadosz: We are most excited about selling our new Fruit Basket lollipops. Our craft show customers, particularly at previous etsyRain shows, often ask for more fruit flavors in our lineup. We’ve worked hard to come up with the best and still unusual fruit flavors possible: Watermelon-Basil, Triple Berry, Pineapple Heaven, and Guava Colada. We’ve had a great first reaction to them, so we hope they’ll be well received at etsyRain.

What piece do you think would make the best last-minute Mother’s Day gift?
The Lollipop Collection of the Month is a great Mother’s Day gift, particularly if your mom has a sweet tooth. She’ll get to try a different collection (Fruit Basket, Breakfast Tray, Celebration Time, Spice Rack, Adventurer’s Pack) each month. That way, she gets to try each of our flavors and be reminded of you for six months.

What are you most looking forward to about the fair?
We enjoy making more people happy with sugar on a stick! In all seriousness, we love it whenever we get to sell in person because we get to connect more with our customers. The best part is when they buy one to try, open it up to eat it, and come back for more.

Thea Starr is bringing her fabric flower creations (her Etsy shop shares her name).

What do you do to pass the time when things are a bit slow or quiet at a craft fair?
I am known for wandering around and snapping up pictures of my fellow vendors. I really try to sneak in a good walk around at least once at every craft show to take some pictures.

What piece do you think would make the best last-minute Mother’s Day gift?
You can’t go wrong with a brooch or pin, a flower that will last forever. It’s what I am giving to my own mom.

What are you most looking forward to about the fair?
I’m really looking forward to supporting the Intiman Theatre. (Since the theater has fallen on hard financial times, etsyRain plans to collect donations throughout the fair.)

SLIDESHOW: Claire Jauregui of Orange Twist has lived in Seattle since 2004, but you can see her sunny California origins in her cards.

Jauregui loves that ‘handprinted cards offer a tangible and tactile connection to a person, function as mementos, and are an affordable way to bring art into everyday life’. This card goes for about $4. Jauregui handprints our city’s famous skyline with white ink; it comes in a variety of colors, including ocean blue and raspberry.

The printmaker’s studio is in the master bedroom of her West Seattle house. ’It’s about 250 sq ft, has northeastern light, and two closets’. She uses one to organize her cards and packing materials, and the other to store her art. Jauregui also created semi-floating work spaces, which ‘allow me to work while standing and store screens and other essentials below. A table for my actual printing station and a found bookcase (used as a drying rack and storage) round out my primary printing area. I also have a card table I use as a sewing station when assembling my mailing envelopes or an additional drying area for large runs of cards’.

Since 2009, she’s also been creating custom designs and printings for wedding cards and birth announcements. ‘I enjoy the challenge of creating something original within the parameters of style and color that clients provide’.

Her favorite piece? ‘Right now I really like my Old Fashioned poster. My longtime mate worked at a donut shop right after high school, so I have a special place in my heart for fried dough! I’m developing a line of posters, and this is the first of the bunch.’

Jauregui’s inspirations include absurdities, anthropomorphism, slogans, products, memories from growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, colloquialisms, color, food, vintage ad design, propaganda posters, and inside jokes.

In addition to graphic, colorful, and humorous, she also describes her cards as eco-friendly. ‘The use of recycled paper and/or paper made from sustainably harvested trees is a top priority of mine’.

Slideshow: George the grizzly bear pet cozy and more.

Kurdyla-Smith uses vintage kimono silk to create her KimonoStories wall art pieces. These began as a bi-product of the garments she was designing and sewing with the same Old World fabrics. She says she has always been an ‘antsy artisan,’— always after something different, new, and fun to stay inspired. ‘I am constantly fighting monotony and boredom, and always seek to stay inspired and have a fresh mindset. So I had started to create some subsidiary items, like the KimonoStories panels and the PetCosies, which were inspired by my dog.’

Kurdyla-Smith says she uses one of two processes to make her pieces. If she needs to create a run of products, for filling a wholesale order, she works assembly-line style. Otherwise she will create items individually one-by-one. ‘I like that it varies; I don’t want to be bored with the process in which I make things, and would rather have different work structures to juggle to keep things fresh.’ Here, her dog Nina Simone snuggles inside an alligator cozy.

A self-taught seamstress, Kurdyla-Smith recieved her MFA in sculpture so she could teach art in universities. After a couple more career changes,Kurdyla-Smith says, ‘I naturally figured out that what I wanted to do was to create for a living. As cliche as it may sound, I literally have always been creating something since I was very, very young — drawing, painting, sculpting, and especially sewing, with my grandmother who was a seamstress. Creating things, fixing things, putting things together has always been what has brought me the most joy and fulfillment in my life.’ Here. one of her kimono silk art panels.

Kurdyla-Smith’s tiny lovebirds pin cushion hints at her sculpting background.

‘I have always appreciated the art of taxonomy since childhood. My friends who visit my studio think I’m a bit of a maniac when it comes to organization. A tidy space makes the process of production more quick and efficient. I love bins, boxes, labels — anything that will help me know exactly where to find what I need. Everything has a home in my studio. I also love to arrange things by color,’ says the artisan. Here, her studio.

RikaRika owner Rika Kurdyla-Smith with Nina Simone, her dog and sometime-product model.

SLIDESHOW: For Cecil + Edith, Armour repurposes grain sacks and quality leather. ‘I love how they have a useful history. When they become market bags, they’ll live on to have a useful future.’

Armour opened her Esty shop in March of 2010. She said she opened up when she realized her penchant for sewing had ‘surpassed the number of friends and family [she] had to force [her] handmade gifts upon.’ Depending on the piece and her sewing mojo, each bag takes about three to four days to complete. Well, for the most part. ‘A leather tote I am currently working on has taking me about three weeks to complete not because it’s so hard, but because I keep getting sidetracked by certain Canadian home improvement shows.’

Armour’s collection of raw materials.

On unlikely tools: ‘My favorite tool, believe it or not, is the common band-aid. I wrap it around certain fingers to keep that heavy-duty nylon thread from tearing into my skin. It seems sad to throw away grain sack fabric that has survived for over 70 years so as much as possible, I try to use my scraps. This one has found a use as my needle holder.’

When defining success, Armour says, “My business is still in its infancy. Any little thing that goes well is a success. Did I make something I like? That’s a success. Did someone heart my shop today? Another success. Did someone make an inquiry? There’s another. Did someone make a purchase? That’s another. All these little successes make me feel like things are moving in the right direction.”

Armour also makes leather bags. ‘When I first discovered I could sew with leather, I was so excited that I lost a lot of sleep over it.’ For this Etsian, there’s nothing like the real thing. ‘I’m inspired by the feel of the good stuff in my hands. If I’m going to spend hours working on something, I don’t want to waste my efforts on cheap fabric or fake leather. It’s got to be the best I can get my hands on.’

Armor’s business is named after her grandparents. Of one in particular she says, ’She’s extra-conscious about trying to do things right. I’d hate to let the family down.’ Part of doing things right is packaging and wrapping the bags in a thoughtful and careful manner.

‘My boys and I spend a lot of time walking around,’ says Armour, shown here with one of the little guys. ‘The colors of nature inform a lot of my work as does the desire to tread lightly upon it by using and repurposing found objects.’