I love how the internet can lead you to wonderful wonderful things.

I also love how sites can sometimes carry beautiful ideals with them.

Recently I discovered 20×200, a website created with the idea that great talent doesn’t always come with steep prices.

Every Tuesday one new photograph and one new work on paper is added to the site for purchasing in three sizes:

Small: 200 prints for $20
Medium: 20 for $200
Large: 2 prints for $2000

The site was created by Jen Bekman, who runs an eponymous gallery in New York City, and the photography contest Hey Hotshot!

What delights me most about this site is that it serves as a reminder that “expensive” does not equal “good.” By giving three different pricing options to the buyer, it allows individuals to obtain work that formerly they may not have been able to afford.

By making work available to anyone via the internet, 20×200 gives us the opportunity to see new pieces each week while also reminding us that people who love talented work come from all over the economic spectrum.

This is especially welcome as we work towards building a microconomy of our own via our creativity and are at times walking the divide between those who have and those who haven’t.

The work above is “Manshroom,” a collage by Amy Ross.
The work below is “The Faceted Couroucou,” archival pigment print by Carrie Marill.

This month’s whiplash them is fibre inspired jewellery - to find out more about how to enter - go to the whiplash page - to post your link go this forum thread and also see and comment on the other entries.

The themes for whiplash are always just a starting off point - a way to get you started and get your creative juices flowing - perhaps inspire you to try a new craft or to find new ways to utilise your already amazing skills in a particular craft.

Fibre and mixed media jewellery is a wide theme and open for plenty of interpretation. Fibre can be felted, crocheted, knitted, spun or woven and mixed with other media too, mixed media - is pretty much anything all mixed together - usually mixed media might relate to paper and stone and fabric with found objects to create something a little 3D, collage and sculptural all in one piece. Lots to have fun with and experiment with here. what this theme is not - is traditional gemstone and wire jewellery - but of course traditional jewellery making techniques can be used to create something else.

Some inspiration:

this piece is from sea glass designs and is a piece of china sea glass, most likely from a teacup or plate that somehow found its way into the ocean many years ago.

this next piece is a crochet bracelet from milk

This felt and crochet necklace is from kjoo

this found object necklace is from lorimarsha

and this found item piece is from opulent oddities

button rings are from anna kate jewelry

and this indian spice ring is from beadkeepers

Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. Whiptips archive here. Ask your whiptips questions at the ‘tips and tricks’ section of the forum - right here.

Nancy asked this question over at the forum - if you can help out then please head on over to the forum and add your answer to this thread.

I’m looking for a US source for those metal springy things that close the kind of change purses that open when you squeeze the sides of the top–hey, at this point I’d be happy just to know what they’re called!

How to Make Books: Fold, Cut & Stitch Your Way to a One-of-a-Kind Book, written by Esther K. Smith from Purgatory Pie Press, with illustrations by Lindsay Stadig and photographs by David Michael Zimmerman and published by Potter craft.

This is one of those books that is a pleasure to hold and touch and you just want to keep on feeling it. It is weighty with a solid brown cardboard cover with red vintage hand set type for the cover and each chapter title page (by Dikko Faust of Purgatory Pie Press), it just looks and feels good. This is one book that I really enjoy the matt textured paper, the images come up slightly faded with a vintage feel to the colours - it fits really well with the hand set type throughout the book.

The author, Esther K Smith, has a lovely natural writing style, not too teachery, but still with lots of advice to impart. The chapters go through the various types of ways to make a book by hand - without using presses and lots of fancy equipment and glue. These are folded books and stitched books with lots of variations and examples. I was immediately taken with the very first chapter - ‘Instant books’ such a simple idea - folding a single piece of paper to make an instant book, zine, sketch book, note pad. I immediately made one from a scrap of paper, then I showed the children how to make them too and they spent the evening at home making little books and writing poetry, doing sketches and other secret children’s business. My 5 year old boy was so impressed with himself that he took his books to school the next day and taught the teachers and the class how to make them and now a whole bunch of pre-school kids are making their own books and writing and drawing their secret business.

I found these instructions for the ‘instant book’ or otherwise known as an ‘origami book’.

The rest of this book is just as wonderful, with lots of new ways with old techniques and new ideas to combine different techniques too. There are gems like making books from cereal boxes, and using recycled papers as well as 3D books and different decorative and basic stitches to use. A real gem of a book.
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- All sorts of juicy papercraft over at Canon, masks, buckets, banners and more. Link and here, via
- Awesome masks and lollipop covers over at LJC FYI. Link
- Witch kitchen jars. Link
- Felt banner. Link
- Pumpkin picture holder. Link
- Make your own foam skull. Link
- A little late now, but for next year, make your own Halloween countdown calendar. Link
- Links to more great paper crafts. Link
- Halloween trinket wreath. Link
- Simple invites. Link
- DIY Fairy wings. Link. And some for your puppy. Link
- For a laugh, Extreme Pumpkins. Link
- Bat Dog. Link
- Ghost chair covers. Link and more projects and ideas, link
- Scary spiders. Link
- Ghost lollipops. Link
- Wonder Woman dress from ALine skirt. Link
- Knitted candy corn bag. Link
- Fall corn medallions. Link
- Teddy Boos. Link

The following found via Craft…awesome as usual:
- Skeleton paper doll. Link
- Candy corn fondant. Link
- Masks and sacks for your Blythe!! Link
- Crochet pig mask. Link

Of course, Martha gets in on the act. Link

And, get yourself a copy of MAKE’s Halloween Special edition. Link

Check out SquidBoo! Link

Thanks to everyone that sent in Halloween tutorials! Keep on sending tutorials in, Halloween or otherwise at whipup.tutorials[@]gmail.com.

Header graphic for this post created using Photoshop Brushes from 500ml Brushes. Link

Phase 2 of the continued campaign by Jill Bliss to keep Gocco alive. I recently, finally, succumbed and bought a PG-5. I’m yet to dive in and can’t wait to!

save gocco campaign
although our own signature collection here at savegocco has ended, you can still help save gocco! we suggest sending a gocco’d postcard to the president of the company, explaining why you feel they should continue production on gocco:
Akira Hayama
President & CEO
Riso Corporation
5-34-7 Shiba,
Minato-ku,
Tokyo 108-8385,
Japan

Link

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Interweave Knits, the editors picked their favorite designs and published them in a new book, The Best of Interweave Knits: Our Favorite Designs from the First 10 Years (Interweave Press, $24.95, available in bookstores and craft shops nationwide). Now it’s readers’ turn to tell the editors their favorites.

Interweave Knits Announces Readers’ Choice Awards Readers’ Favorite Designs from the Magazine’s First 10 Years Will Be Published in a Free eBook, The Best of Interweave Knits: The Readers’ Choice Awards Collection. Readers are invited to nominate their all-time favorite pattern from Interweave Knits online. Designs must have been published in Interweave Knits magazine between Spring 1997 and Spring 2007, excluding patterns published in the new book (view the table of contents online ).

A great design should be beautiful, be wearable for seasons to come, and above all, be fun to knit! I can’t wait to see which designs rise to the top as our readers’ personal favorites from the last decade

Eunny Jang, editor of Interweave Knits.

The nominating process continues till December 15, 2007. There will be a vote-off of the top 10 nominated patterns in January 2008 on KnittingDaily.com, and the top five patterns to receive the most votes will be published in a free eBook titled The Best of Interweave Knits: The Readers’ Choice Awards Collection. The eBook will be available exclusively on KnittingDaily.com for a limited time in Spring 2008 as the editors’ gift to their loyal readers.

About the book The Best of Interweave Knits: Our Favorite Designs from the First Ten Years (Interweave) edited by Ann Budd with an introduction by Pam Allen - former Interweave Knits Editor, includes 25 designs ‘that stand the test of time’ mostly sweaters and cardigans. These projects represent the work of more than 20 notable designers including Véronik Avery, Debbie Bliss, Norah Gaughan, Kate Gilbert, Faina Letoutchaia, Marta McCall, Charlotte Morris, Kristin Nicholas, Leigh Radford, ….

My favourites in the book would have to be (there are three) - Marcel’s Sweater by Véronik Avery: a slightly fitted sweater with a lovely simple slightly raised neckline and textured knit based on traditional Indian designs. Cambridge Jacket by Ann Budd: a fitted mens zippered cardigan which use placed ribs for fit. Union Square Market Pullover by Kate Gilbert: with a gently contoured fit, slightly flared sleeves and an unusual neckline. You can see I like the simple lines and more fitted styles - but their are plenty more included lacy shawls and argyle vests, stripy scarves and a big felted tote. Also included in the book are ‘beyond the basics’ sections throughout that give step by step illustrated instructions on such things as casting on and binding off, increases and decreases, lace knitting and reading charts, and more. (see an online preview of the book here) What are your favourites? did they make it in the book - if not - why not have your say and vote for your favourite to appear in the online pattern book.

For those completely out of the loop - Interweave Knits is a quarterly knitting magazine with stylish knitwear patterns, inspiration and detailed instructions ranging from introductory to challenging and from traditional to cutting-edge, with a full range of sizing.

Written afterwards, a collaborative work by mafuyu and yoshikazu yamagata, two Japanese artists, is about the relationships between human and fashion, they say fashion can be a communication tool which has point of views of education, society, culture and environment. This work MY TOWN IN MY HOME was recently at “Arnehem Mode Biennale 2007″ in Arnehem, Holland on 1 - 30 June 2007. [via]

At the forum we ask what topics should be discussed at whipup. So far some suggestions include:

Liten would like to see more about street art and guerilla crafting.

JohannaM would like more debate about art vs. craft vs. design. … Topics to sink our teeth into!

Beautiful things asks: I think I could be interested in learning how to be more environmentally friendly at home when I craft. Not just recycling ideas - though I’d LOVE some good ideas of how to use some of the mountain of packaging we get these days! I hadn’t thought until recently about the impact I have when I use paint and dye, particularly on the water supply.
Dyeing with natural dyes seems far more complicated and hit and miss than just opening the packet or jar. And is it less toxic? Any ideas?

To answer this question or to get in on this discussion head on over to the forum:

This month’s whiplash them is fibre inspired jewellery - to find out more about how to enter - go to the whiplash page - to post your link go this forum thread and also see and comment on the other entries.

Some inspiration for fibre inspired jewellery. (fiber jewelry)

The themes for whiplash are always just a starting off point - a way to get you started and get your creative juices flowing - perhaps inspire you to try a new craft or to find new ways to utilise your already amazing skills in a particular craft.

Fibre and mixed media jewellery is a wide theme and open for plenty of interpretation. Fibre can be felted, crocheted, knitted, spun or woven and mixed with other media too, mixed media - is pretty much anything all mixed together - usually mixed media might relate to paper and stone and fabric with found objects to create something a little 3D, collage and sculptural all in one piece. Lots to have fun with and experiment with here. what this theme is not - is traditional gemstone and wire jewellery - but of course traditional jewellery making techniques can be used to create something else.

Some inspiration:

this first piece comes from cherylavenue etsy store and is faux suede with mohair and camel felted beads, hemp and glass beads.

This next piece is from the funky felter etsy store and is needle felted wool ring.

this next piece comes from tigerlilly etsy shop and is made from handmade buttons that are made from recycled bicycle inner tubes.

This next piece is a pendant made from handmade clay tiles from Jewelry by Evinglenside etsy shop.

This next piece is called swing time earrings and they are made from beads wrapped with soft merino wool from lindsay streem designs

crocheted from red cotton dress 87 cm long, 50 cm wide arms >350 cm long

The artist: Marjojo from London - media: work made from paper, from artificial and real hair (crocheted, embroidered), material and cotton thread (crocheted and unravelled). Shoes, figures, dresses, images, other objects, drawings. About: ideas to do with a woman’s life, a girl’s life, using some of the techniques traditionally linked to a girl’s world. and exploration of memory as of physical experience. Not necessarily concrete memories, more moods and atmospheres, remembered attitudes, emotional states, anxieties, hopes, desires, desire… interwoven with elements from fairy tales, myths, old and new.

the arms: releasing, letting go - pouring down, pouring out, emptying out, depleting - reaching, reaching out, reaching beyond.
The colour red speaks something different: blood, rage, energy, power, fire, passion, flesh, heat, heart, love, wound, confidence. The arms maybe about the fear of all that, all that teeming life within without, the beauty of it, the terror of it, its constant flux, and at the same time the desire for just that. Crocheting speaks neatness, industriousness, woman’s work, as does the shape of the dress. The long coiling arms underline and unspeak and speak anew a different alive.

It’s really taken a whole year to finish, almost to the day. Worked on the dress with lots of breaks pauses interruptions. While its body grew slowly, stitch by stitch, towards its imagined shape, shrunk dramatically when I wretchedly unraveled the mass of stitches that made up the not-quite-right-looking skirt and then steadily grew again, it took on various spectral forms in my head, some of which I sketched down, each time changing its meaning slightly.

check out what everyone is making over at the forum - and add your link too - what is your current project?

sammi bag is giving away halloween PDF downloadable printable decorations to use to make halloween goodie bags and notebooks.

foxy art studio is making inchies - to find out more about these check out this PDF tutorial and pattern from quilting arts.

Get Made: SF Craft Mafia’s Annual Fall Shopping Extravaganza

October 21, Mafia Made 2007 will showcase the diverse work of over 40 clothing, accessories, jewelry, craft-related businesses, artists, and designers.

Mafia Made 2007 | October 21, 2007, 12-5pm @ Hall of Flowers (Golden Gate Park, 9th and Irving) | Free to the public, $1 suggested donation to benefit SF SPCA | Come early for goodie bags for the first 100 shoppers and stay for a raffle of fabulous, crafty prizes!

hand-making competition
The competition aims to support small hand-making businesses and to encourage craftspeople to ditch the 9 to 5 drudgery and pursue their handicraft passion.

October 15 - blog action day was an outstanding success, how exciting to see all those blogs with one mind on the one day - what power and pull the blogs do really have.

some stats
* 20,603 Blog Participated
* 23,327 Blog Posts (Google Blog Search)
* 14,631,038 RSS Readers

* 19 of Technorati’s Top 100 blogs participated

* The Blog Action Day story was not only featured across the blogosphere, but was also picked up across all forms of traditional media from TV stations in Greece to radio stations in Spain to newspapers in New Zealand.

* Blog Action Day was officially supported by the United Nations Environmental Programme.

Blog Action Day will be returning in 2008, bigger than ever. If you’d like to be notified by email in about August 2008 of what’s happening, just enter your details below. - to be notified by email of next years event - go to the site and sign up for the newsletter.

Picture from true nature.

Fashion week Buenos Aires. Isn´t a good idea to make a jacket with fabric yoyos?

Semana de la moda en Buenos Aires.¿No es una buena idea hacer una chaqueta con yoyos de tela?

drawn has a bevy of great projects to get stuck into - like this colouring book for graffiti artists : and I heard about the Norwich School of Art and Design 6000 heads project - see some at flickr

Jeffrey Yamaguchi has a new book coming out - the sequel in his working for the man series its called ‘Working for the Man: Inspiring and Subversive Projects for Residents of Cubicle Land’. Congratulation Jeff. And you all really must check out his website - and his story at the storque on side projects - the benefits of side projects and where to find inspiration or tell others about your projects. Check out flickr groups - whats your project and brought my lunch and make sure to check in to 52 projects for more inspiration everyday - can’t think of a project - read some others projects to get you cracking.

submit your doodle to the moleskin project - [via]

Andrea from Letitfly wrote: Hello! I was lucky enough to end up with two copies of the great new book Craft,Inc. and have decided to give one away to another artist/crafter! check out her blog to find out how to get your hands on a copy.

We have not had a WHIPLASH here at whipup for a couple of months. I am really happy to be bringing it back. For those who are unsure what this is - a recap:

whipup whiplash competition…

A daring venture into organised making across the world - a theme to inspire, a short time frame, a prize (or two).

our definition of whiplash “sudden involuntary forced movement in any direction, and the resultant rebound in the opposite direction”

In the past we have had a mini quilt theme - which was so very popular: here is one of the entries

Redwork in Germany

We have had recycled crafts - one of the entries included:

felting dog by mamaquilla

We have had gifts and decorations: one of the entries was

ruby crowned kinglet with her suede reindeer

one of the most controversial topics was alt crafts: never in my wildest dreams thought it would spark so much heated debate. I certainly didn’t think that Alt Crafting would be so controversial. It seems some people think they are lacking an ‘alterna craft’ gene, or think that Alt Craft is too abstract or too elitist, while others thought that Alt Craft means subversive and rebellious and are not interested in turning their craft into a political statement. While some appreciate being pushed into new directions and into thinking about the materials they are using, others are just happy doing what they always do. One of the entries was:

brain smatter with her Knitted, steeked and felted rocket.

and this time last year we had accessories as the theme - one of the entries was:

greeting arts - felted thimbles

Also check out wardrobe surgery theme and the hats theme.

WHIPLASH IS BACK and the theme is fibre & mixed media inspired jewellery

The categories have slightly changed:

1. project tutorial - this is where you give step by step instructions on how to make or do something nifty or tricky. It does not have to be an original design - but does need to have features that are your own. It can be a tutorial on making something you have designed yourself or it can be a tutorial on how to do some old crafty tricks passed down from your grandma or figured out for yourself.

2. project process - this is where you show off a completed project - it can be your own design or something you followed from a pattern - the point here is to describe the project and tell us how you did it - this is not a step by step tutorial - rather a description of how you felt, alterations or additions you may have made, challenges and choices you met along the way during the making of this project.

And so has the way you enter your link to your project: Read the whole thing at the whiplash page - but basically here is how:

1. We are now using the forum to link to entries - please put your link in this whiplash Oct/Nov thread

2. Make your item - you have one month from now entries close 15 NOV and must relate to the theme.

3. Post your item on your blog - include a link to the whiplash forum thread in your post - good clear photos and a good story will help your post be noticed, and then post a permanent link to your whiplash post at the whiplash forum thread at the new forums.

4. To enter you need to be a member of this site or the forum - if you are not yet a member then you need to register see the meta information in the side bar of the main whipup site page or the forum side bar. Once you are logged in you will be able to participate in the forum discussions and post your link at the forum.

If you don’t have blog you might like to use an image hosting service such as flickr.com. The same rules apply however regarding your explanation and photo quality and if you can’t add the whiplash badge then please link back to the whiplash site making it clear that it is a whiplash entry.

Quiltsrÿche [via layers of meaning] is a one-woman rock show - by Boo Davis, she is a designer, illustrator and quiltmaker living in Seattle. She loves the intersection of cute and evil and applying a heavy metal spin to the traditional craft of quilting is a natural merging of her two great loves.

A major issue for most designers and crafters is how to sell your stuff. Very few of us create stuff that is suddenly “discovered” and demanded for its great design and excellence of workmanship. Most of us have to be active and do something to expose and sell our craft.

An obvious possibility can be a stall at an art and craft fair. One of the largest fairs for arts and crafts in Denmark, called KIC, and takes place in a couple of weeks, October 26th - 28th in the centre of Aarhus.

The concept of this fair is developed by a group of craftsmen in cooperation with the local tourist organisation. It’s a commercial as well as an aesthetic and cultural event with participants from Denmark, England, Germany, Holland and Iceland working within the disciplines: jewellery, textiles, glass, ceramics and mixed media.

If you happen to live in Aarhus – or plan to make a visit – you can look here for further information of time and place etc.

If you live anywhere else: take a look around – are there any art/craft/design fairs in your area? If not – maybe you should pick up the glove, gather a group of colleagues and get one started! Agree upon a time and a place; maybe contact the local tourist and/or business organisations they might be interested in your project. Organizing a fair is great work – and great fun. Go give it a try.