At Brooklyn Craft Camp , there are more pop-poms, paper flowers, and Project Runway winners (read: one) than you've ever seen in your life.
A warm welcome.
Brooklyn Craft Camp is the brainchild of the multitalented Brett Bara (she's a crafter, designer, TV host, and author). "I had the idea to try to connect more people with crafts instruction in an approachable, fun way," she told BuzzFeed. "I called all my favorite authors, designers and crafts experts from the NYC area and asked them to teach classes, added in great food, good music, cocktails and fun decor -- and Brooklyn Craft Camp was born!"
It took place all day Saturday in the basement of a church in Greenpoint (the neighborhood where Lena Dunham's character lives in "Girls," although sadly, no Lena Denim dresses were made). It consists of four 90-minute class sessions you sign up for in advance, on everything from printmaking to beading to embroidery. 101 people attended this year; some were full-time crafters with blogs and Etsy stores of their own, while some were math professors and oyster distributors and publishing professionals happy for a day they could devote entirely to some of their favorite hobbies. (And some were a hybrid of both.)
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New buddies.
This pattern comes from Craft A Day, a book by author and crafter Sarah Goldschadt. In between class sessions, Craft Camp attendees were invited to drop by Sarah's station to make quick and easy projects like this one.
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These bunny ears, another pattern from Sarah's station, are the perfect size for an Easter egg that needs an upgrade.
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A Project Runway winner.
Season One winner Jay McCarroll gave the keynote address at lunch. "I was a fat kid," he told the assembled crowd, "which is basically how my love of sewing started." He now designs fabric and does the best Tim Gunn impression I've ever seen in my life.
He spoke frankly of the fashion world and of building a life out of creative pursuits: "It's hard to make a career out of something a lot of people see as a hobby," he said, adding later, "There's so much bullshit in the world. Just wear yoga pants and Crocs."
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