Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design

"DIY is not only a term we use, but a lifestyle we live." -- Faythe Levine, in the introduction to her 2008 book Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design

If DIY is a lifestyle, Faythe Levine and Cortney Heimerl breathe it, sleep it, embody it. As authors of Handmade Nation and a documentary of the same name, these gals know a thing or two about the modern craft movement.

Both women boast backgrounds rich in creativity. Levine got her indie chops in the punk music scene in the early 1990s. She created zines, got into photography, and traveled. Heimerl grew up knitting, crocheting, and sewing. She earned a degree in printmaking and art history, then her master’s in cultural theory. They met and joined forces in Seattle, where each was crafting and selling her handmade wares.

As indie crafts fairs, blogs, and online marketplaces such as Etsy began cropping up all over the country and the Web, Levine and Heimerl realized they weren’t the only ones taking craft to progressive new levels. It was the beginning of something big. Really big. In an effort to chronicle the burgeoning movement, Levine traveled more than 19,000 miles through 15 cities to interview key makers and shakers in the emerging young craft community.

Her interviews and insights from the coast-to-coast voyage became the makings of Handmade Nation. Both the documentary and book are garnering rave reviews from crafters and critics alike. The New York Times recently lauded Levine as the “patron saint” of the modern craft movement.

In the midst of their busy schedules (Levine runs a crafts store and gallery, plays in her band, Wooden Robot, and is working on her next film; Heimerl, who recently became a mother, is researching a new book), the ladies took time to chat with Do It Yourself.

Do It Yourself: What are the major differences between today's craft/DIY movement and the crafting climate of a generation or two previous?
Faythe Levine: Speaking from my own personal experience, I feel like our generation has just grown out of the past experiences, with the largest difference being aesthetic. Also, the Internet has allowed us to connect with each other regardless of our locations, which has enabled our community to reach far and wide.

Cortney Heimerl: Today's DIY/craft movement has characteristics that were born out of the punk movement of the '90s, has an element of subverting mass consumption, accentuating political agendas, and I feel a lot of it has to do with the current economic situation. DIY in a lot of ways reflects the current social climate and that is something that the current movement shares with previous generations. Each time craft resurfaces, it takes on characteristics that reflect the climate of the time.

DIY: This also seems to be an economic movement. Young, passionate entrepreneurs are making money in nontraditional ways. Is this becoming a viable career path for crafters/DIYers? Is it sustainable?
FL: I'll start off by saying yes, I believe that living a DIY lifestyle does offer an alternative way to make a creative living.

But, when it comes to talking about sustainable lifestyles and viable career paths, I like to set the tone by reminding people that everyone has a different standard of living, and a lot of makers are coming from different economic backgrounds. So it becomes difficult to determine what is sustainable and how many people are "making it" because you don't know if that person who is "making it" has savings to fall back on or a partner with an income that can support them.

With that said, I have seen a lot of makers who are making a living with selling their work, but a more in-depth exploration of what that means would need to be done to get specific answer.

CH: I think that creating your own creative business could be perceived as a very romantic and idealistic notion, but the longer the indie craft community is around, the more viable the option to create your own business actually is. More people are becoming fans of the handmade aesthetic, which creates a demand, and with the continued growth of craft fairs across the nation, the continued growth of Etsy, and brick-and-mortar stores promoting indie crafts further, there are a lot of opportunities out there to sell your stuff.

There is also a trend of consumers being more interested in where their money goes. A lot of people are interested in keeping money in the U.S. instead of sending it overseas, buying interesting one-of-a-kind objects instead of going to a big-box store to consume goods made for the masses. All of this is in favor of the indie crafter.

It is important to address how challenging it is to have an indie business because you are the owner, the worker, the designer and the marketer, the PR rep, and the list goes on and on. The challenge both attracts and deters a lot of people, but if you do choose to have an indie craft business it offers you a freedom that no corporate job could ever come close to.

DIY: How big a role does the Internet -- the rise of sites like Etsy, Design*Sponge, Make:, crafting/DIY blogs, etc. -- play in this community?
FL: The Internet single-handedly helped the DIY art and craft scene boom. It has allowed us to connect with one another regardless of location -- to sell our work from our homes and spread the gospel of the empowerment of doing things yourself.
CH: The Internet connects the community. Crafters can be absolutely anywhere and still become involved in the scene. This encourages people who may feel isolated and alienated from the crafts that they have previously come into contact with. There are people out there who want to see what you make, and the Internet is a very affordable way to get out there, make connections, and feel inspired. All of the sites you mentioned before are eye candy -- inspiration, recognition, motivation. They are touchstones to see what everyone is doing and what could be done.

DIY: What advice would you offer a beginning crafter?
FL: Having a good balance of an online presence (participating in dialogue via Flickr, online forums and social networking sites) and being in touch with your local community (farmer's markets and craft groups).
CH: Start up a Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter, or all three. Get a Flickr account, a blog, an Etsy account, or all three. Take killer photos and make sure that all of your accounts are giving out consistent information (like where you can buy it, what is available, what's new, what did you do, what do you want to do, etc.) and use them all in concert to market, network, and exist within this community.

All of these things are free or incredibly affordable. When you get some sales it will build your confidence and help to mold your business plan. Look into stores in your area where you may be able to do consignment. Look into local farmer's markets where you may be able to have a table one day a week to meet your customers. Look into local indie craft fairs and apply. Get a business card! Do one or all of these things and try to continue to grow your business. Just remember that it will get tough and you will have to persevere like any job, but at the end of the day everything that you do is for you and for your personal creative journey. I couldn't think of a better job.

DIY: Where do you see the DIY/craft movement in 10 years when many of its founders have grown a bit older, and the next generation begins moving into this new community space? Any predictions and/or hopes?
FL: I see a lot of us continuing to lead the lifestyle we have chosen to live. I hope that we can establish an approachable community for newcomers to feel at home with and a "space" where people will continue to share ideas, process, and resources for living a creative life. I hope that the DIY community fills a space where the public school system is rapidly declining with the arts. I think a lot of the folks involved in the scene will continue to teach and do community-based programming.
CH: Of course I want the DIY community to continue to thrive and I believe it will. It will definitely continue to develop, and the face of indie craft will no doubt change many times, but as a crafty lady who cares very much about this particular movement, I can't wait to see where it goes.