Knitknit Knits » Markets of New York

The Renegade Craft Fair Will Rock Your Crafty World

Well, folks, they’ve done it again! The craft fair wizards of Renegade are putting on an incredible event in McCarran Park this weekend. We spent a lovely afternoon strolling among the colorful tents, marveling at the beautiful, creative, witty, clever, and superlative designs. There are over 300 independent artisans from around the country, and I guarantee that you will be amazed by many-if not most-of the people you meet and the things you see.

Take a look at some of the creations that caught my eye, listed below and in the photo gallery above (all photos by James Wesolowski):

Delicate ceramic figures by Michiko Shimada, sharing a tent with ceramicist Beetle and Flor
Soft and funny handmade dolls with great expresses and even mustaches by Pinkypunk
Rustic birdhouses made from reclaimed wood by Eric Erf Wood Design out of Chicago
The Better Than Jam Co-Op features handmade fashion and accessories by local designers
Knitsybitsy works with Ecuadoran artisans to kit their hysterical sea creature toys
Ornamental Things brings her handmade jewelry all the way from Austin, TX (and the recent Renegade Craft Fair there)
Gold Teeth Brooklyn makes great and unusual gold teeth jewelry, and other cool things like pistachios, not to mention greeting cards featuring Peeps (and more)
Clay, Wood & Cotton has a collection of beautiful home decor items under their red tent, which they’re sharing with the super cute and clever KnitKnit Knits
Shara Porter prints lovely and familiar items, from hedgehogs and guinea pigs to bicycles and horseshoes, on leather handbags, wallets, and purses, many of them vintage
If you’re looking for chalkboard bedside tables to remind you of your To Do list every morning, check out Scraptones, who is also selling very cool decorative wooden blocks with architectural images printed on them
Illustrator Virginia Kraljevic’s “tent” is actually a small boutique full of wit and charm. She’s right next to the ever talented members of The {NewNew}
I picked up the cutest octopus necklace from Destroyed By Design. I may need to get that kiwi too. This artisan is sharing a tent with her fabulous sister and clothing designer AngelRox
Moth Written is selling really fun t-shirts with sayings like “I Love Brooklyn,” or “Kiss Me I’m Irish,” except written in Arabic, the idea being to foster a dialog between East and West. I almost got a “Peace” pin, but I opted for “Breakfast,” because nothing fosters dialog like toast and eggs (only not with your mouth full).

These are just a few of the thousands of handmade items at the Renegade this year. Put on your walking shoes, grab your sunblock and water bottles, and enjoy a day of inspirational shopping!

Better Than Jam Co-Op: Entrepreneurs Thriving in the Markets and Beyond

The markets of New York not only offer shoppers the rare opportunity to meet the people who make the things that we love; they also provide a place for creative people to meet, become friends, and start getting really big ideas. The Better Than Jam Co-Op in Bushwick, Brooklyn is one such idea. It is an exciting example of the entrepreneurial and creative spirit that takes root in the markets and grows into an innovative enterprise.

Printmaker and clothing designer Karin Persan opened the co-op just a few weeks ago, and she carries the designs from many of the talented artisans and designers who sell their products at markets such as the Brooklyn Indie Market, the Makers Market, the Brooklyn Flea, and others. The design quality and craftsmanship is outstanding, and Persan also aims to keep prices affordable. This shop is open 7 days a week, so if you can’t make it to your favorite market on the weekend, you can always stop by and do some shopping at the co-op on weekdays.

The current designers include Persan’s brand, Better Than Jam, as well as Joann Berman’s seriously fun and funky high-fashion pieces inspired by “green, hip-hop, skateboard culture, graffiti, Bushwick.” At the other end of the spectrum are the dainty and feminine handmade dresses of Melissa Bell NYC. KimmChi’s silk-screened apparel and the handmade clothing from the Soft Movement are stylish and comfortable.

Designs by Himane are about as environmentally conscious as any I’ve seen. The one-of-a-kind clothing is made from “hand-picked, locally-sourced, recycled clothing, donated fabrics, and broken umbrellas.” I actually recognized the fabric on one of their clever bag designs from an umbrella decorated with photo images of blue glass beads that I gave my sister Andrea. What, I ask you, are the odds of that?

There are also several wonderful jewelry designers, some of whom are featured in my upcoming guidebook. Caja Jewelry makes clean and clever hand-cut jewelry designs, including name plates ála Sex in the City, puzzle pieces, kitties, florals, or lungs. Knitknit Knits has whimsical felted and knit necklaces, earrings, and brooches. My mother loved the necklace from Andy’s House of Design that I got her for her 29^th (ahem) birthday.

The BTJ Co-op is in the up and coming Loom Building shops. The Loom is just getting going, with BTJ, a welcoming knitting cafe, an antiques shop, and some art galleries, with more to come.

Better Than Jam Co-op: 1095 Flushing Ave. (corner of Porter Ave.), a few short blocks from the Morgan St. stop on the L Train. Open every day from 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

Photo of the Day: February 26, 2010

Felted cameo necklaces by the ridiculously talented Nguyen Le of Knitknit Knits of the Makers Market at the Old American Can Factory, the Brooklyn Indie Market, and more. She’s giving a workshop on how to do needle felting at the Better Than Jam Designers Co-Op on Saturday, 2/27 from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM.

Two Downtown Holiday Markets

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There are two great handmade holiday markets just a block from each other downtown: The Bowery Bazaar and Brooklyn Flea’s Gifted Market

The Bowery Bazaar is a collection of designers and artisans selling their wonderful wares from small boutiques. An intimate shopping experience, the Bazaar is a good place to find many special gifts for the people on your shopping list. One of my favorite little shops features the playful and remarkable knit jewelry of KnitKnit Knits; fun throw pillows from Alexandra Ferguson with appliquéd messages like, “Be Nice or Leave,” and “Let’s Make Out”; and the colorful dresses with unusual screened graphics by Better Than Jam. Look up, and you’ll see embossed pinholes of light shining through lampshades by warpeDesign. There are a lot more boutiques chock-full of beautifully made gift items.

Just around the corner on E. 4^th Street is the Gifted Holiday Market, Brooklyn Flea’s home for the holidays until the locations at Fort Green and Brooklyn Bridge reopen in April.

The second you walk through the door of the former Tower Records store, the energy of this market gets you in the mood to jump right into the crowds flowing up and down the aisles. The first thing I did was pop a delicious chocolate cupcake with lavender icing from Kumquat Cupcakery. I picked up a really great T-shirt for someone on my list at Gnome Enterprises. The New New’s space is shared by several different and talented artisans. AdornmentsNYC helped me cross several challenging types off my shopping list. To save our skin from winter, I picked up a jar of Balm of Gilead from australianScent for my mom and myself. This concentrated face and body moisturizer smells divine. And there is so much more to see and buy.

Both markets have convenient hours, and many of the vendors accept credit cards. So head downtown and check out these two markets. Maybe you’ll cross everything off your shopping lists too.

Bowery Bazaar at 351 Bowery between E. 3rd & E. 4th Streets: Friday & Saturday 12P – 8P, Sunday 11A – 6P

Brooklyn Flea’s Gifted Holiday Market at 20 E. 4^th Street at Lafayette: Every Day December 16 – 24, 12P – 7:00 PM