Crafts men and women, welcome to your new support group.
Etsy, the shopping website for all things handmade, isn't just an online destination. At
Etsy Labs, the physical location of the website's offices in DUMBO, you can find a community workspace and, every Monday, a
Craft Night.
Every week, a new skill-sharing project is led, where the supplies, tools and know-how is provided, free of charge. Past projects have included making scarves and jam, etching jewelry, dying napkins and creating cards - skills perfect for hosting parties or crafting your own gifts for friends and family, which, you have to admit, is pretty handy this time of year.
Participants are also encouraged to bring their own projects to work on during these craft nights, as it's the perfect time to see the space, use the equipment and supplies free of charge, and learn a new skill.
Most of the events aren't announced until a day or so before the craft night. so to stay on top of what's going on at the Labs, join the Etsy Labs
mailing list to get updates straight to your inbox. You can also keep an eye on the
Etsy Labs column of the Storque, Etsy's blog, or its
events section. If you're a member of Meetup.com, you can also join the
Etsy Labs Meetup group. And if you're a fan of flickr.com, you can keep track of what's going on at Etsy on its
flickr page.
Don't live in New York? No worries. Whenever Etsy has an event at the office, it tries to broadcast it via webcam to the
Virtual Labs, so you won't miss a stitch.
