Blogs
Books
Made By Hand: Searching for Meaning in a Throwaway World by Mark Frauenfelder
“From his unique vantage point as editor-in-chief of MAKE magazine, the hub of the newly invigorated do-it-yourself movement, Mark Frauenfelder takes readers on an inspiring and surprising tour of the vibrant world of DIY. The Internet has brought together large communities of people who share ideas, tips, and blueprints for making everything from unmanned aerial vehicles to pedal-powered iPhone chargers to an automatic cat feeder jury-rigged from a VCR.
DIY is a direct reflection of our basic human desire to invent and improve, long suppressed by the availability of cheap, mass-produced products that have drowned us in bland convenience and cultivated our most wasteful habits.”
Making Stuff and Doing Things by Kyle Bravo
“Topics include getting active, direct action, gardening, making a woodstove, solar box cooker, egg replacer, how to make wine, homebrewing, liberated lifestyles, squats, homeschooling, fixing a toilet, audio phone patch, how to make envelopes, shoe repair, silk screening, making rubber stamps, how to juggle, magic tricks, making puppets, how to patch your clothes, putting utensils on your keychain, how to sing, bird feeders, how to play guitar, putting out records, billboard improvement, how to fix your bike, basic car maintenance, building a bike cart, how to take pride in your body, how to sexually stimulate your partner, diy birth control, how to handle an overdose, self defense, knowing your rights, how to live a more fulfilling life, unschooling, starting a fire with friction, making glue from pine sap, making rope, wild food, natural remedies, fire logs from newspapers, rubbing alcohol campstove, composting, diy toothpaste, getting rid of fruit flies, greywater systems, composting toliets, making hanging and floating tents, saving money at the post office, making posters and stencils, packing for tours, places to dumpster dive, making a tape wallet, building a cart-bike, cleaning stamps, blockprinting, fixing a harmonica, diy flowerpots, avoiding dangerous household chemicals, preventing ear infections, how women can pee standing up, menstrual massages, and a few pieces for inspiration.”
Handmade Nation by Faythe Levine
“Today’s crafters are no longer interested in simply cross-stitching samplers or painting floral scrolls on china. instead, the contemporary craft movement embraces emerging artists, crafters, and designers working in traditional and nontraditional media. Jenny hart’s Sublime Stitching has revolutionized the embroidery industry. each year nikki mcclure sells thousands of her cut-paper wall calendars. emily kircher recycles vintage materials into purses. stephanie syjuco manufactures clothing under the tag line “because sweatshops suck.” these are just some of the fascinating makers united in the new wave of craft capturing the attention of the nation, the handmade nation.
Faythe levine traveled 19,000 miles to document what has emerged as a marriage between historical technique, punk culture, and the d.i.y. ethos. For HANDMADE NATION she and cortney heimerl have selected 24 makers and 5 essayists who work within different media and have different methodologies to provide a microcosm of the crafting community. participants in this community share ideas and encouragement through websites, blogs, boutiques, galleries, and craft fairs. together they have forged a new economy and lifestyle based on creativity, determination, and networking.”- Copyright Criminals
- The Take