What do crafts, technology and fashion have in common?
To author and former freelance writer Carla Sinclair, it seems only natural that all three would come together in a new quarterly she edits called Craft, the sister publication to the more masculine Make, a journal of do-it-yourself techie projects for hackers. That’s because crafts have become contemporary again, according to Sinclair.
After falling into a Sleepy Hollow for the last 30 years, crafts have reconnected with the creative impulse that once animated them. Young crafters bring a contemporary aesthetic — albeit one that sometimes has a retro feel — and are not afraid to use unusual materials in innovative ways. Hence, instructions for making a programmable T-shirt that uses light-emitting diodes in place of beads, a “jet-age” garden, a wooden skateboard customized with leather lacing, crocheted robot dolls and a felted iPod holder.
So why all the interest now? “Our culture is so dominated by mass production and so mass-produced,” said Sinclair, who lives in Los Angeles. “If something is handmade, usually it’s expensive and sold in a little boutique. People have an interest in things that help them express themselves and be more of an individual. Crafting lets you express yourself in ways that you can’t when you go to the Gap.”
The Internet has helped revive handiwork by connecting crafters to one another and to materials. Not to mention that after spending all day in front of a computer screen, it’s nice to do something tactile, said Sinclair.
The new title comes from a somewhat unexpected source, computer book publisher O’Reilly Media of Sebastopol, Calif., whose techie cred is high among programmers. When Make editor Mark Frauenfelder, who happens to be married to Sinclair, started getting lots of craft submissions, the magazine was born.
Craft is one of a long line of slightly unorthodox publications to come out of the Northern California Bay Area, from Rolling Stone to Dwell. Its lengthy masthead includes a number of media veterans, such as sex activist and ‘zine publisher Susie Bright. With a cover price of $14.99, Craft will be mostly supported by readers, although the 164-page first issue carries 11 pages of advertising.
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Make is already profitable with a circulation of 85,000, according to Sinclair, who is hoping Craft will reach a bigger audience and go monthly. The first issue debuted with a printing of 48,000. Its virtual editorial team, which is scattered all around the country, includes five full-time contractors and staffers. Both publications also have Web sites (Make’s blog is one of the 100 most popular, according to blog tracking site Technorati), and Craft offers a free pattern to download every week.
As for Sinclair, she is a self-described “craft dabbler,” which means she currently has five unfinished projects lying on her bed. “I’m better at writing about other people’s great work,” she said.