So, those these plans are still in the works, here’s how it looks right now…

Andrea and Penny will be silk screening once again. Right ladies?

Back to school clothes swap at Zilker Elementary

• Saturday August 28th
• 9am – 2pm
• Bring your old clothes
• Get some new ones!

We plan on having the usual, sorters, sewers and silk screening stations. If you feel like volunteering, please email us and let us know. We might not get back to you right away but we’ll definitely save your contact info. And if all you can do is swap, that’s fine too!

So don’t go shopping. And don’t throw away that bag of primo kids clothes! Save them for the swap and we’ll see you there.

Sometimes I reuse things from around the house – table cloths, cut off pant legs, t-shirts, etc. Oftentimes  too I sew with materials not ordinarily thought of as sewing materials: paper, event banners, tarps, burlap, plastic bags and, perhaps my most favorite of all for their great imagery, birdseed bags.

Next week, Saturday April 17th, from 7:30-10pm Come and discover ways to find, make and utilize these surplus and sustainable materials in your sewing projects. We’ll fuse plastic and try our hand at creating other new materials. There’ll be tons of supplies on hand ready to sew into bags, wallets, and whatever else your mind can conjure.

• When: Saturday, April 17th 7:30-10pm
• What to bring: sewing machine
• Cost: $28.00
• Where: Austin Amp 411 W. Monroe St.
• BYOB

Sign up here before April 16th or email me your interest or questions. Hope to see you there.

Bernadette

At Saturday’s workshop on the campus of Sri Atmananda school I learned so much about working alongside kids. I learned the art of being a collaborator as opposed to a teacher. I learned about trusting and truly enjoying the process. I learned the art of lashing. And l learned too that our kids are truly capable of building some really cool, strong, beautiful stuff. In a day. With minimal input.

Kathie and I both had our kids participate and it will surely be a life lesson they will not forget. And I would not be surprised too if the creation of one of these types of things suddenly starts appearing in our yards. Slowly, surely and straight to the top.

Gever Tulley has a Tinkering School in California and I just know that this weekend was step one in the start of Austin having one someday soon. Right Kami?

This Valentines Day we’re teaming up with local herbalist Ginger Webb and her amazing line of teas, tinctures and tonics known as Texas Medicinals. She is a super herbswoman who makes her herbal products with lots of love and tenderness – both for the plants she uses and for the people for whom she makes them. And not only does she make them WITH love, she makes them FOR love too – love elixirs and libido enhancers and heart chakra teas and more.

So, if you’re in Austin next week come join us as we sip on some of Ginger’s teas. Come sample her tinctures. And come craft with some other mamas making Valentines galore. We’ll have all you need there to make valentines to your heart’s content for all the folks who make your heart content.

• What: Tinctures, Teas and Craft Night
• When: Wednesday February 10, 7:15-10pm (PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE!)
• Where: 411 W. Monroe St. Austin, TX 78704 Austin Amp Warehouse
• Who: Those who want to craft communally and drink some yummy teas (sorry no kiddos at this one. only babes in arms please!)
• And: BYOBeer, wine or other. Please!

Perhaps you remember way back when we were asked to create a community craft project for the Obama Mama picnic here in Austin. It was a huge success. The flags were perfect in their idea of spreading hope and not political jargon. And they were positively beautiful to boot.

Since that original project, we’ve recreated this project in different ways for public creation – most recently for our friend Liz’s book release party for her amazing picture book All the World. For each occasion it has been fun, simple, and uniquely beautiful too – for each event has different people and therefore different flags with different messages.

After talking with Natasha in Vancouver, their project is off! And the website is up. And kids, schools, families will be participating in the event, creating the wish flags to hang in Vancouver when the all the world convenes there in February for the Olympic games.

So, I guess, in a sense, Future Craft Collective will be at the upcoming Olympics in Vancouver. How cool is that?

For these craft nights, everything needed to create is provided – the space, the materials, the tools and the scheduled time. Mamas just need bring themselves and a little wine or beer if so inclined. At the end, walk away, completed project and new ideas for life, living and the pursuit of happiness tucked safely in hand.

For the Fall season the Collective craft nights will focus on holiday crafts – advent calendars and greeting cards.  All craft nights will be from 7:15-10:00pm. $25.00 per night.*

• Saturday, November 7th: Advent Calendar This is a two-part workshop during which we will create an advent calendar to countdown to your family’s holiday of choice – be it Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, Festivus or New Year’s Eve. Attend two workshop nights for completion as this project it will take 5-6 hours total. Mostly hand sewing with machine sewing optional. Another option is to come one night and finish up at home.
• Thursday, November 12th: Advent Calendar canceled
  
• Saturday, November 14th: Advent Calendar
• Friday, November 20th: Holiday collage cards or Advent Calendar
• LAST ONE OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON!!! Saturday, December 5th: Holiday collage cards or Advent Calendar completion Bring family photos to create your own holiday greeting cards or skip the photos and make cards to send or give as gifts. All materials provided.

If you can email futurecraftcollective@gmail.com ahead of time and let me know you’ll be attending, that’d be great.  Register here with Paypal** if that makes things easier.

*If money is an issue, please let me know. I’d be happy to work something out.

**A nominal paypal fee is added to the price of admission.

Last one was pretty fun. A bunch of mamas crafting, talking, sharing, having a drink and a crafty night out. This time we’ll be making Appreciation  Banners to up the appreciation ante in your home. These simply sweet banners will help you and your family focus on what’s working in your house thereby raising the gratitude all around.  So come craft with some other mamas, make something fun, drink a beer or a little wine and have a delightful mamas night out. BYOB. Everything else provided.

Where: Austin Amp 411 W. Monroe, Austin, TX 78704

When: Friday, October 2, 7:00-10:00 pm

What: Appreciation banners $30.00 per person or $50.00 for two

Why: Because you need a night out with some mama friends and why not make it a crafty one?

Who: Any mamas you know. Be they mamas in the literal sense or figuratively speaking. This is a fun project and can be applied to home, work or even presented as a gift to some family you know and love.

Email if you have questions. RSVP if you can. I’d appreciate it.

If you want to pay in advance, click here.

So Liz is having a big release party for her new book this coming Saturday at Austin’s Book People and she has asked Future Craft to participate!!! Kathie and I will be there to honor Liz’ latest and greatest picture book by way of a little Prayer/hope/wish flag making crafting. We’re scheming and dreaming up our vision for this honorable position thinking of colors and clouds and trees and all kinds of closely aligned images.

If you’re in Austin this coming Saturday and are up for a little party, a little crafting, and a reading and signing of what will surely become a classic, come to Book People at 11:30. We’ll see you there. We’ll be the ones with joyful tears in our eyes. Oh wait. That would be everyone who sees this book so nevermind on that.

We had half a dozen sewers on hand making yoga pants (the pattern for which you can find at this link) and tote bags out of t-shirts and revamping clothing into new and exciting fashions. As Lisa said, “They don’t know what’s not possible, so part of my job was making the impossible, possible.” And she was totally cool with that. Our machines were generously donated by Maurice at City Service Sewing Machines who loaned us 5 beautiful refurbished machines to use. They were/are available for sale so if anyone is seeking a good refurbished machine, contact me this week or visit Maurice at City Service Sewing Machine behind Cafe Mundi.

Our youngest sewer Zoe was working her own machine for HOURS on end, making bags, bags and more bags out of the many shirts that were brought her way. Way to go Zoe for making child labor look so good!

Our sorting crew was indefatiguable and sorted the hundred or more bags that came their way – sorting it by gender and size and sending it out to the appropriate piles. Amazing work girls!!! And I say girls because 80% of our crew were under the age of 15 and non-stop!

We extend big thanks too to Teresa Ponzoha, the Zilker Elementary school PE teacher who generously allowed us to invade her gymnasium just 2 days before the start of school. And to Mr. Thompson, the principal, who gave us access and set up the crew to get us in and out of the building.

So thanks to all who came. All who sorted, silk screened, sewed and swapped. Each role is integral and the beauty of it all coming together was like a well oiled machine. And thanks Leslie for these great pics…

Finally, thanks to Sweet Leaf tea for donating 5 cases of delicious iced tea for our amazing crew of volunteers. You certainly helped sweeten the pot!

For me and Kathie, this swap is like a dream come true. Everyone coming together, getting what they need, hanging out, sharing ideas, and piles and piles of second hand clothes. We might even make it bi-annual!

Remember too, if you want to run your own, we’ve got a tutorial here on our site.