ReadyMade: Instructions for everyday life

As the sun was setting on the day at the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago, I was eager to check out the last third of the show. There were still crowds of people filling the streets, so I grabbed an ice cold horchata (a cinnamon spiced rice milk drink), and went on my way. First up, my new favorite yarn shop.

It’s approaching knitting season (I am assuming I’m not the only person who has a hard time working with wool in the summer…) and if I didn’t have a large stash of wool at home already, I would have bought two skeins of that brownish purple to make myself a pretty new scarf. Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark of Kitchen Sink Dyeworks in Birmingham, Alabama literally dyes the yarn in her kitchen sink—a process that blows my mind since all of her wool is in variagated colors. There was a range of wool, from merino to part cashmere and bamboo, and each seemed like just the thing you’d want to have around in one form or another in the colder months. If you’re a knitter and you are interested in making that cuff, Mercedes has the pattern on her website, as well as many other great tutorials.

Chicago-based Susan Dwyer of Up in the Air Somewhere had a booth at the very end of the street, which meant that it was filled with streaming sunlight. Since many of her ceramics had gold leaf, the booth was practically glowing. The colors that she used on her other ceramics, which ranged from her Silo series (these are the votives) to dishes, drinking vessels and bowls. Very pretty, while being modern interpretations of traditional shapes.

Highlight alert! Okay, so for oh about three years I have loved Sofia Masri’s porcelain jewelry. I’ve been wanting to do a story on her work for  a while now, and I definitely want to own one of her pieces because there is just something about the style. Again, I didn’t know that she was going to be at Renegade (and actually, I didn’t know her at all- I’d just been doing a lot of stalking on etsy) so coming up on her booth was absolutely thrilling (not exaggerating). Actually, I totally wanted to buy myself something, but it was both super crowded and a little overwhelming. So I decided that since I can now affirm that yes, her items are as pretty in person as I’d hoped, I can take my time and order something online at my own leisure. These are some of her necklaces.

More porcelain! Amy of Red Raven Studios is using pattern in a way I haven’t seen before. She’s based in Pittsburgh and has been working with clay for the past eleven years. I was smitten with her buttons, though she also makes earrings (in pretty awesome shapes) with names like “Ladykiller” (awesome!) as well as the sweetest little birdhouses.

Another online friend of mine is Michelle Bruusegaard and I was happy to meet her in person as well and oogle her screenprinted scarves. Michelle also makes stationary (invites, save the dates, business cards, etc), tea towels and napkins. She’s a joy to work with (she made my business cards) and isn’t afraid of combining bright colors, which is a great thing in her hands.

Taryn Davis of Fernworks Fine Art was selling her jewelry, which had the remarkable ability of making me stop and take a quiet moment in the middle of all of the surrounding action. She incorporates a found object from nature—clumps of moss, a blade of grass, a feather—in resin to create each piece and it’s almost as if the item is suspended. Truly impressive. Taryn grew up in a rural part of the Appalachian mountains and I think she captures the energy of that region in her work.

Ann Manubay and Dabney Frake from St. Louis are the duo behind Mogo: Modern Goods from Scratch. They make brightly colored wooden pencil boxes, wooden block puzzles, crafting carrying cases, snap wallets and adorable kids tees and bibs.

I was very entertained by this table of postcards from Rebecca Ann Rakstad Rar Rar Press. Take a moment to give some of them a read (I personally like “Midwest is Best”, best).

Have to give a shout out to Des Moines’ own Leslie and Sarah of Urban Posture. The girls make screenprinted wearables (tees and scarves), tea towels, binders and office supplies, as well as adorable hair accessories. I enjoy their limited color palette of gray, blue, pink and yellow, all tonally similar to the blue you see below.

Truche had shiny “I heart New Jersey” (and other states) silver necklaces. Each pendant was cut in the shape of the state with a tiny heart in the middle. She gets bonus points for her excellent display, which looks like an old window frame.

And finally, to close I will leave you with a look at the ReadyMade booth, which was staffed by Ryan, our intrepid volunteer, and Bobby Mendelson, who did an excellent job representing the nyc office. Both were making quick work of signing up new subscribers, and watching fair-goers try their hand at spray painting frames with metallic paint from Design Master. Nice to have the chance to actually make something at a fair all about handmade creations—nice work guys!