About

A Brief History

We’ve been doing our separate crafty ventures for several years, but it wasn’t until we became active online that we began to realize how many other cool, hip crafters and artists there were in Chicago looking for a chance to share their items in a large, public market. We wanted to create a Chicago-centric show that would give many people their first opportunity at being a vendor, including ourselves. In 2003, we did just that. We had such an amazing time and got such great feedback from people that we decided to keep on going. This is our ninth fantastic year, and we hope you’re interested in joining us either as a vendor, volunteer, or visitor. The more the merrier, so tell your friends.

Thanks,

Chicago Craft Mafia

 

The DIY Trunk Show Craftifesto: The Power is in Your Hands!

© Amy Carlton and Cinnamon Cooper, DIY Trunk Show co-founders

The DIY Trunk Show is an annual event that brings the best of the Chicago area’s alternative craft community to the people.

We believe:

Craft is powerful. We want to show the depth and breadth of the Chicago crafting community. Anything you want—clothing, jewelry, art, music—you can probably get from a real live person here in Chicago. And buying handmade, one-of-a-kind goods from your neighbor kicks the ass of buying mass-produced, slave-made corporate stuff.

Craft is personal. To know that something was made by hand, by someone who cares that you like it, makes that object much more enjoyable. And it makes you feel less lonely when you realize that you know the name of the person who made the bar of soap you use, the earrings you wore when you met that special someone, or the scarf that kept you from freezing while you waited for the train.

Craft is political. We’re not just trying to sell stuff. We’re trying to change the world. We want everyone to rethink corporate culture and consumerism.

Craft is possible. Everybody can create something—you don’t have to be an established business to make stuff. The DIY Trunk Show encourages new crafters by giving them a place to sell their work for the first time. We hold workshops to teach people how to make things. And we’re creating friendships and connections between crafters — being a small business owner doesn’t mean you have to work in isolation.

Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved. Chicago Craft Mafia