Event Review - Chicago Craft Social

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Reported by Julie Tiu
Spring 2009, there was a website with craft-loving friends wanting to get together with other craft-loving friends. Never mind that it was held in a sort-of-hard-to-find church space behind a strip mall (there are lucky ones who know of or attend this church). Actually, the space is an amazing open area with a kitchen perfect for feeding the masses. There were projects for every whim and people bringing amazing goods from their kitchens to share while we made things... like we were going over to an aunt's house, except this aunt could have 100+ people over without breaking a sweat. Fun people + fun projects + plenty of space = three fun evenings over 2009!

It didn't take long for the Chicago Craft Social (CCS) to grow in number of fans, guests and crafts. There was also a little change of guard within the event coordinator circle, but the party went off without a hitch! We have Craft Social event producer, Amanda Edwards, project leaders and sponsors to thank for a crazy-good fourth CCS evening.

(Picture caption: Amanda Edwards calling a raffle winner)

CCS Growing Up

This being the fourth event, it was no longer the "pot luck" evening, which works out for a lot of folks. I didn't have to worry about buying or cooking something along with bringing my supplies (I led a project table), and then worrying about forgetting my Tupperware and serving utensil. Gee, think that happened? The event team used a super website, Eventbrite.com, to track registrants! What an great tool! Easy, pain-free, pay with a credit card... love it. Alright, so a few people may have been put off by the increase in entrance fee (previously food or small donation), but really, for the amount of resources and supplies, both project and event, you would pay more elsewhere.

(Picture caption: Ooh! Wee! Raffle giveaways! Everyone received one raffle ticket for the chance to win these amazing gifts.)

(Picture caption: Snack time sponsored by local bakeries and even Chipotle donated the chips and salsa)

New at this event, a special charity table. CCS featured PROMISE, Salvation Army's outreach program and initiative to combat sex trafficking and exploitation of children. The project table dedicated to PROMISE had a resin pendant necklace craft with Caravan Beads and Briolette Beads & More, all to be donated to the girls residing at Anne's House.


Crafts and the People who Love Them

With twenty-one project tables, this might be the most crafting I've seen to date... and I've been at all four Socials. Though, I think this time around the "Do-Your-Own-Project" areas might have been scrapped, so to speak, to make room for the extra tables. The comments trailing around the room says it all, "This is soooooo cool!" and "Where do I start? I don't know where I want to go first?"

And, whoa, were there a lot of newcomers! There's a sort of deer-in-headlights look crossed with sheer excitement. Or maybe it's sensory overload with the chatting over the "ka-chunking" of equipment, like the one at the Button Collages table by Pinbackattack. And, even if you didn't get to visit this table, the Pinbackattack crew was generous to include a few buttons in everyone's take-home-goody bags. My goody bag had a package of Zots adhesive dots and shiny new 5" Titanium non-stick scissors from Westcott, too.

Being a project leader has been loads of fun, but the drawback is there isn't enough time to actually make any of the other crafts. You could try to do both. I just took a few minutes at a time to check out what every one was up to:

Button Madness with Pinbackattack and Beth Engelman from Mommy on a Shoestring.


Want an upcycled T-shirt tote? People had a great time at this table!

Fabric Tape. Versatile. Easy. I could so get hooked on this DIY craft.


A little wool felt, a little thread. Felt Magnets by OhMa Felt


Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. Collograph Prints with Jessica Taylor Caponigro.


These make me want to pull out my fabric scraps! Hexagon Quilting with Hannah Barbosa and Vogue Fabrics


Oh, happy paper... Decorative Switch Plates with Siu Martinez.

Flip Flop Fun! with Arcadia Knitting. Makes me feel fuzzy-comfy just looking at them.

Cute little journals upcycled from paper scraps, magazines, and chipboard at Xpedx's Bound Journals table!

Painted Glass sponsored by Plaid with Craft Critique's Sarah Moore

Holy scraps, Batman... Quilted Cards with Stampology Chicago's Donna Krueger

Upcycled Mini Books hosted by Marisa Pawelko for Westcott

Beautiful Kusuduma Origami Flowers

 CBear is getting sticky with ModPodge! It's a Fabric Candy Bowl sponsored by ModPodge Rocks

Copic Marker Tutorial with Craft Critique's Simone Collins

A festive 4th of July Banner

Crayons and thread? Who knew! Crayon Embroidery, too cute!

My eco-friendly project: Newspaper Seedling Pots and Trays... love helping out the environment!

Mokume Madness! Making necklaces, pendants and earrings with polymer clay. Thanks to Polyform!

On my little walkabouts, I somehow missed the Tissue Paper Votive Holder table?! But, yes, there were crafters making those too!

What keeps me coming back, having been at all four Socials? Like so many with a busy life caring for others, I like to have some time to myself, and while I could so easily go to a local craft-mega-mart on a Friday night, I haven't. I look forward to the Craft Social for the variety of projects, for getting chatty with a new community of new friends, seeing the looks on the faces of newcomers when they meet someone whose blog they are following and being there when they learn a new skill. Cheers!
Well done, Craft Social, well done.

Are you ready to come to the next Chicago Craft Social?  Have you been to one?  Share your thoughts!