Craftadelphia

July 9, 2009 7:56 AM

I'm wondering how many Philadelphia MeFites would be interested in participating in a craft night.

I know we have some crafty Mefites in Philly and I'm picturing something along the lines of a stitch and bitch circle. There are a number of cafes at which we could meet, or I am also willing to open up my home and offer some refreshments.

Thoughts? Interest?

posted by piratebowling to MetaFilter Gatherings at 7:56 AM (32 comments total)

Does playing the ukulele count for anything?
posted by ludwig_van at 8:00 AM on July 9, 2009

Oh man, that would be awesome. I wouldn't have to fire up the HiFi.
posted by piratebowling at 8:02 AM on July 9, 2009

I think this thread (esp. when coupled with this other one) officially makes Philly the coolest mefi city. I like to do cross-stitch (hyphenated?) and would love to hang out with other crafty people....hopefully in a well-lit cafe? Concentrating on those tiny stitches hurts my eyes.
posted by lagreen at 8:35 AM on July 9, 2009

lagreen, I am all about the cross-stitching. And yeah, I totally agree with you on the need for good lighting.
posted by piratebowling at 8:48 AM on July 9, 2009

I will bring my yarn and knitting needles and wiggle them around while we chat. But, before the end of the evening, I'll undo the knitting and rewind my ball of yarn. I'm still waiting for Odysseus' return, after all.
posted by greekphilosophy at 8:56 AM on July 9, 2009 [1 favorite]

I know how to knit very badly without producing anything other than a crumpled giant square, and would love to participate, I think, as long as no one comments on my knitting.
posted by bunnycup at 10:16 AM on July 9, 2009

Surely one of the benefits of such a social occasion is that you can get some coaching from others more skilled than you, bunnycup.
posted by orange swan at 11:35 AM on July 9, 2009

Perhaps, but that might expose how shy I am in public.
posted by bunnycup at 11:56 AM on July 9, 2009

If you're not comfortable with receiving instruction from the other attendees, I'm sure they'd respect that, bunnycup. I can't imagine anyone being rude enough to take it upon themselves to critique your work.

[wonders how a craft-off night would fly in Toronto]
posted by orange swan at 12:09 PM on July 9, 2009

You and me bunnycup - we'll stick together and "work on our scarves" which is what I always say I'm working on, even though it never resembles anything other than an anemic dish towel. Nobody will be the wiser.
posted by greekphilosophy at 12:32 PM on July 9, 2009

You aim so much higher than me - I just tell people I'm making potholders for my Mom (who actually weaves her own potholders from shredded old shirts). Sometimes I deny I'm knitting at all...
posted by bunnycup at 12:49 PM on July 9, 2009

My mom always told me to avoid strangers with needles.
posted by sjuhawk31 at 1:05 PM on July 9, 2009

Oh man, I'm so jealous - I totally should do one of these in Seattle. X-STITCH OR DIE.
posted by tristeza at 1:47 PM on July 9, 2009

Yeah, seeing as how I've given up on anything other than scarves and baby hats when it comes to knitting, you will definitely get no critique from me.

And if I did, you all could flag me as noise. To the death.
posted by piratebowling at 1:49 PM on July 9, 2009

Hm - I wonder if we could pull off one of these in Atlanta. Good thing I gave up weaving - it's not exactly portable.

lagreen - I can only cross-stitch if I'm wearing a camping headlight. Otherwise I can't see any of it!
posted by catlet at 3:25 PM on July 9, 2009

If someone teaches me to knit, I will also wiggle needles and gossip with greekphilosophy while you for-reals crafty people craft.
posted by desuetude at 5:19 PM on July 9, 2009

I have lots of knitting needles and plenty of yarn (which I'll never actually make into anything), so I'll bring along a bunch and we fake crafty (or is that just being a different kind of crafty?) can play with those! I will teach you to knit (poorly) desuetude!
posted by greekphilosophy at 6:07 PM on July 9, 2009

I have a wall hanging I've been working on since before my daughter was born. Yes, she will be 5 in August. I'd like to finish it before she's 10!
posted by chihiro at 6:47 PM on July 9, 2009

Anemic dish towel, another Metafilter band name.
posted by Pax at 7:04 PM on July 9, 2009

Texas, anyone?
posted by lysdexic at 8:15 PM on July 9, 2009

The last crafty thing I did was probably in elementary school with Popsicle sticks (ack, firefox made me capitalize Popsicle!).

I would come, too though just to see the anemic dish towels and scarves. Hey, I can make paper snowflakes. Scarves + snowflakes = MeFi Christmas in July!
posted by polexa at 9:57 PM on July 9, 2009

Yeah, very interested. I was taught how to knit once (only standard, I can't pearl or whatever) back in the day; I'd love to see if any of it stuck in my brain. I am pretty certain my lovely lady will want come along as well.
posted by Deathalicious at 12:34 AM on July 10, 2009

This all sounds very promising. The only thing I need to figure out is where to find a well-lit cafe that will stay open late-ish. My first impulse is to say Chapterhouse, at 620 S. 9th street. They're open until 10 pm and have pretty good lighting. Other places that I can think of close around 8 (an even earlier on the weekends!)

Are there other suggestions? And are there nights that are more doable for people? Fridays tend to be really late nights for me, so that is my only not-so-good evening.
posted by piratebowling at 6:36 AM on July 10, 2009

With the promise of some instruction, I'm game. I learned to knit when I lived in New England, and I haven't touched my needles in about four years. I'm not sure I could even cast on without assistance. I do have lots of needles and yarn that I'm happy to bring though.
posted by gladly at 7:00 AM on July 10, 2009

I'm suburban - Bucks County - now and it has been almost 10 years since I lived downtown, during most of which I was a Brooklynite. So I have no suggestions, but am game for whatever/whenever.
posted by bunnycup at 8:22 AM on July 10, 2009

I have a house in south philly that I can offer as well. That way we would not feel as if we were overwhelming a tiny coffeeshop. I have knitting needles and yarn and absolutely no idea what to do with them; I'd be perfectly willing to offer my house as craft-space in return for the lessons on how to knit bumpy, lumpy scarf.
posted by 8dot3 at 8:37 AM on July 10, 2009

i would definitely participate!
posted by misanthropicsarah at 10:43 AM on July 10, 2009

Thursdays are great for me, Mondays, too. And Sat. and Sun. if that works best for other people.
posted by lagreen at 11:29 AM on July 10, 2009

oh my god. I'm in Philly! and there's a craft night? and I might get to do crafts with orangeswan?

::swoons::

satellite cafe in west philly is open until 10. house party sounds awesome! (though sadly, i can't provide the house, since I only sort of live here) yay!
posted by puckish at 7:21 PM on July 10, 2009

puckish, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't think Orange Swan was offering to show up. I think she was popping her head in to see what was going on in general.
posted by piratebowling at 8:17 PM on July 10, 2009

::regains consciousness:: too bad.
posted by puckish at 4:36 AM on July 11, 2009

OMG, yes! I would so be into that! I'm not much for knitting tho, maybe we could try different crafts at each meeting? I'd be happy to host sometime, too.
posted by dancingfruitbat at 2:06 PM on July 12, 2009 [1 favorite]