Meet the Neighbors: Craftstitute

At the Aurora Shoe Company, we passionately support small business and handmade and local goods. As a visitor of our blog, we thought that you might feel the same way. In our Meet the Neighbors series we're featuring businesses and people who reflect our own values and whom we feel lucky to call neighbors and friends.

I walked into Craftstitute in Ithaca knowing that I'd like it.  The craft school, which opened its doors exactly one year ago, offers a huge range of classes and workshops, ranging from edible things like cheese and coffee, to slightly more obscure crafts like indigo fermentation and a meditative line drawing class, appropriately named Zentangle.  Of course, there's lots of sewing, knitting, dying and various other making in between.   It's the kind of place where people of all levels and abilities can come together to enjoy shared passions or to learn new ones.  Some of the workshops progress over multiple sessions, and others are in and out, with a piece of your own handiwork to walk out the door with. 

Craftstitute aims to bring people together to create community around creative pursuits, but also to work at re-building a sense of self-sufficiency that our culture has grown away from.  The sewing machines at Craftstitute are named after beloved grandmothers, a touch that seems quaint and sweet, but also ironic and empowering.  If grandma didn't have to rely on countries half way across the world to clothe or feed her, maybe we don't have to either.  

Robin, who calls herself one of the Co-Ringleaders showed me around during drop-in crafting time (which is free) and chatted while she worked on some knitting along with her own small business venture, MiMBY (short for Made in My Back Yard).  The bags are made from fabric that she often dyes or block prints herself, along with full grain leather straps made from our own scrap leather.  She offers classes, teaching people how to make these bags, and also offers them for sale on her Etsy site.  

Every sewing machine at Craftstitute is named after a beloved grandmother. 

 

Thank you, Robin, and everyone at Craftstitute, for recognizing the value of handcraft, and for bringing this fabulous school to our community!  

You can keep up with class and workshop offerings by following the link above and by joining the Craftstitute Facebook and Instagram pages.  

 

Fashion Revolution

Yesterday was Fashion Revolution Day, and though we didn't know it at the time, people all over the world were posting pictures of their clothing, tagging their makers, and asking "where was this made?".  We didn't get called out, but we'd love to show you anyway.  This shop, this small structure, in this little town, surrounded by farms, corn fields and a few grape vines, this is where your shoes were made:

Birds of a Feather: Nukumori Designs

It's the end of March.  Spring has officially begun, but here in upstate New York, I think we all feel like we're stuck in a never-ending winter.  Boston may have gotten more snow, but we have had a very long, very cold, and very home-bound winter.

So.

When these super cozy baby-wearing coats from Nukumori Designs came in the mail, and we had a sunny day to work with, we got over the idea of waiting for spring and got out there, baby (or maybe a two-year-old big boy) in tow to snap some photos. 

Nukumori is Japanese for warmth and it was immediately clear that these sweet coats and pretty scarves deliver warmth both literally and figuratively.  Elias was thrilled to share a jacket with Mama and they both LOVED the cozy snuggles. 

Middle English in Navy - they always look great with jeans.

This is the coolest package I have ever received.  Each coat came individually wrapped.

Middle English in Moss - this color varies a bit and can look quite brown in bright light.

Emily, owner of Nukumori Designs, is a long-time customer of ours and we were thrilled to partner with her for this photo shoot.  We've been wearing our babies for as long as we've had them, and love her jackets for the warmth they have added to our lives.  Thanks, Emily!

Small, Local Handmade Gift Guide: Hand Knits

There's a reason I'm starting with the knit gifts - those who take their knitting seriously know that holiday knitting begins in July.  BUT... those of us who have waited until after Thanksgiving for the holiday "inspiration" (read: pressure) to strike, still have plenty of gift-worthy options to consider.

For example...

A gorgeous infinity cowl pattern or any of these exquisite knits by Elena Rosenberg.

A cute little knitted hedgehog by Yarnigans on Etsy (it ships for free!)

Simple and classic wool mittens for every person on your list (these are very local and unbelievably affordable).

An adorable child-sized hat on Etsy.

This less-tricky-than-it-appears mug cozy (the pattern is FREE at yarn.com).

The perfect slippers pattern by Elizabeth Murphy on Ravelry

Or, alternatively, for that friend or family member who has always wanted to give it a try...

A Learn to Knit Kit from the always stylish, Purl Soho, and a budget friendly version from Fiber Wild on Etsy.