NextFab is a membership-based makerspace that provides shared workshops, education, and mentoring in woodworking, metalworking, laser cutting, 3D printing, textiles, jewelry making, and digital manufacturing tools. With over 500 members, NextFab offers a supportive community where you can learn new skills, build products, and explore making as a professional pathway. By choosing a handmade gift
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When Victoria Wright was getting married, her husband bought a made-to-measure suit for their wedding. The purchase was a lightbulb moment for her. She thought to herself “Why doesn’t this exist for women?” Now, she’s bringing a made-to-measure brand that does to Philadelphia. “Women have so many fit issues, I feel like every other day
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There’s a better place than the fridge for children’s art. Dorothea Gamble and Dagmar Mitchell of the Northern Liberties art boutique Trunc feel strongly about this—and are actively looking for young artists. “We want to get children in the shop,” says Gamble. She and her partner, Mitchell, both 65, pride themselves on selling art, furniture,
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When costume designer Heidi Barr looks out the window of her Wissahickon home, she doesn’t see rowhouses, paved streets, parked cars and tidy front yards. Instead, she envisions the Northwest Philly neighborhood as it would have looked 200 years ago, when lush fields dotted with farmhouses sloped toward the banks of the Schuylkill River. Back
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By Alex Mulcahy
MoreUmbrellas—designed as a convenient solution to getting caught in the rain—can be surprisingly unwieldy. On a stormy day, Philly sidewalks are filled with all shapes, sizes and varieties. But, when the wind is strong, the flimsy shields often can’t withstand the pressure, acquiring that all-too-familiar inside-out look. At that point, the city becomes an umbrella
MoreSa Va Fashion Brings buying local to a new levelby Lee Stabert
Upstairs from a posh center city boutique is a small garment factory. There is a hefty metal cutting table along the right wall and a couple rows of sewing machines. There is a machine that folds collars, and one that attaches clasps to pants.
Conscious consumers are spending wisely, and don't compromise on qualityby Stephanie SingerThe quest began two months before my sister’s wedding. I wanted to buy her the perfect gift, but unfortunately I was in a personal recession, between jobs and with shrinking funds. I decided to try my luck finding something used. Every weekend I scavenged
MoreSewing Green: 25 Projects made with Repurposed & Organic Materialsby Betz WhiteSTC Craft, A Melanie Falick Book, 2009, $24.95The stitch ‘n bitch scene has been making your grandma’s favorite hobby hipper over the years. But in this latest DIY guide to needle and threading, author Betz White showcases how crafty designers can rethink wardrobes and
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