Jan 13 2009
Online Crafting Communities - Part 1
Crafting is better when shared. The internet is a great social gathering place. What better way to share a love of crafting than inside one of the numerous crafting communities available online. They provide a place to connect, collaborate, learn, and educate. Crafting communities grant likeminded artists, designers, and crafters the ability to communicate and share their joy for their work. For this post, I’ll just start with three of the top online crafting communities:
Craftster.org
Craftster.org is an online forum. It was created in 2003 as a place for crafters to share, post pictures, and even provide step by step instructions for their creations. It is geared toward the more adventurous crafts and crafters. They have a few fun slogans including, “Craftster. Uncork the possibilities,” “Knit fast. Die warm,” and “Craftster. Cheaper than therapy.”
Projects and blog posts are organized by:
o Category
o Date
o Whether a picture is posted
There are also a number of forums and blogs listed so it serves as a gateway to a number of other fantastic crafting sites and sources of information. Craftster also includes a calendar which tracks crafting events all around the world. Membership is free and users are encouraged to create a profile, to participate often, and to spread the word. Premium membership is also offered with a few additional percs. Upgraded membership is called ‘Friends of Craftster’.
As I am putting this article to bed, the main page of Craftser states that there are 164674 Total Members. Currently running with scissors are 451 Guests and 71 Users. Also, “There are no tea cosies without irony”.
I just signed up. See you there. Look for me – I’m Impaws!
Here is the link: Craftster.org
Get Crafty.com
Getcrafty.com, Home of the Craftistas, is a comprehensive online crafting site. The L.A. Times states that this “was the first website to bring together the new generation of crafters”.
Getcrafty.com operates as a directory and lists:
Crafting forums
Crafting blogs
Stories
Pictures
Wiki
They also have their own forum, chat room and blog. It’s a fabulous, welcoming community of people who love Martha Stewart however do not aspire to be her. They believe in the joy of making things, of crafting, rather than the joy of perfection. The founder of the site, Jean Railla, also wrote a book titled “Get Crafty: Hip Home Ec”.
Membership at GetCrafty.com is free and users are encouraged to blog, chat, swap, and share. Membership includes a free blog, free newsletters, a free online picture album and tons of online crafting fun. You will also find me here as Impaws. My only dis about this site is that it is pale blue on white. The text is tiny. These tired old crafting eyes find it difficult to read.
Do check out the article on felting with cat hair.
Crafters Community.com
Crafterscommunity.com is another full service online crafting community. It offers a crafters directory, a list of top crafting sites, a banner exchange, and a pen pal service. There is a forum, featured crafts are listed and updated often. Featured crafts include pictures and step by step directions. Projects are also listed by holiday and type of project. For example quilting, paper craft, beading etc. The site offers a forum, chat room, and photo sharing. There is also a comprehensive list of projects which is updated regularly by members and facilitators. Membership is free and each month members receive an email with:
o Fun Craft Projects and Ideas
o News and Happenings
o Free Contests
I’ve joined three of the social groups there. Again, find me ast Impaws. This group is a simpler kind of ‘ning’.
To make the most of online crafting communities you might want to start by choosing jusst one community to connect with. Establishing a rapport with other members takes time and requires participation. To simply register and read the posts is fine however people who take this approach are missing out on the social aspects of an online community. A crafting community is a great place to make friends, learn, and to share crafting knowledge.
Watch for part 2.
Great to know! I’ll have to visit those places sometime. Thanks for the links!