'Do it yourself' scene reviving Athens' arts and crafts movement
By Kristin Nehls, Assistant Entertainment Editor
May 22, 2008 | 1:20 p.m.
While many Ohio University students can be found bar or party-hopping on "thirsty" Thursdays, most are entirely unaware of the "do it yourself,” or DIY, craft phenomenon that is snowballing on the OU campus. Each Thursday at 9 p.m. in the Baker food court, the craft group Marti & Stewie — a name that spawns from craft guru Martha Stewart — offers free crafts to all OU students. With a smorgasboard of social events taking place on Thursday nights, the Marti & Stewie crowd holds its own with loyal crafters, as well as the occasional craft night attendee.
DIY crafts, however, have spread far beyond the means of Martha Stewart fans. It is, in fact, the indie culture that is taking the DIY craze under its wing and nurturing it to the point of its full potential, creating craft groups and social events all over the country.
“Stitch ‘N Bitch” is one such group. Having originated as the title of a series of knitting and crocheting handbooks by Debbie Stoller, these concepts have been taken out of the pages and have been integrated into the culture of college campuses. Stitch ‘N Bitch is now the name of various groups of local knitters and crocheters throughout the country who utilize the group’s time by sharing knitting tips and improving one another's work.
OU senior Melania Lavric has created her own Stitch ‘N Bitch group, wherein students can spend a Saturday afternoon knitting or crocheting with his or her fellow knitters, rather than scrambling to finish a project during or in between classes.
“A lot of people think knitting is just for 80-year-old women, but it's not,” Lavric said. “It is a hobby, like blogging or Facebooking. Knitters and crocheters just have something really cool to show for it.”
While some embrace the low-key atmosphere of a Stitch ‘N Bitch group, others approach this indie-esque DIY fad with a bit more intensity and ferocity. OU freshman Rika Nurrahmah, the student design chair of OU Fashion Associates, showed her creations during the Fashion Associates' May 3, 2008 fashion show. Nurrahmah presented an entirely new and high-fashion angle of DIY, modeling her uniquely made outfits and handbags, each one incapable of duplication.
“I wanted to be an artist when I was young, and I have always been huge into fashion, too,” Nurrahmah said. “I wanted to incorporate art and fashion and make something [innovative] out of this.”
Like most DIYers, Nurrahmah has her own personal online store where she not only puts her crafts up for sale, but she also documents her DIY adventures and experiences. Most recently she tells of the details of the May 3 fashion show.
While Nurrahmah’s choice of outlet is via Blogspot, such is not the case for the majority of modern-day craft makers. Etsy.com is the Web’s largest collaboration of DIY sellers, all with his or her own browsable stores and listings, varying from handmade postcards to diaper bags to vases. The Etsy search menu allows browsers to see the types of crafts that are being done locally in Athens, as well as in other cities and countries around the world.
OU sophomore Erin Schroettinger has utilized the Etsy Web site, creating her own online store in which she sells handmade journals. Her store portrays the growing worldwide trend of DIY crafts, as its first customer hails from Australia.
Schroettinger has taken DIY beyond the glitter, paint and yarn, though. Hosting her own weekly All Campus Radio Network specialty show, Schroettinger uses airtime to highlight another aspect of DIY culture—music.
With the strength and ease of modern technology, creating independent music has become a craft of its own, and Schroettinger is not letting this phenomenon go unnoticed. She mentions that most bands face the inevitable intervention of a manager or music label if they have any hopes of success. The DIY music scene, however, is nullifying that taboo.
“Growing up you always feel like you have to have somebody else doing something for you," Schroettinger said. "If you want to make music, you have to go to other people, but these [DIY] bands pretty much just pick up an instrument and get involved."
After befriending many a DIY musician, Schroettinger herself has explored the DIY music scene through her own acoustic project, Sealove.
The social network of people involved in the DIY craft scene creates the overwhelming correlation between DIY crafts and indie music. This is why ACRN itself is also getting involved in the DIY trend, embracing the craft scene at this year’s Lobsterfest music festival, to be held the first weekend in June.
OU junior Elodie Freeman of ACRN explains that ACRN’s interest originated through the DIY music that DJs like Schroettinger help to publicize. In support of DIY music and crafts, the Lobsterfest Craft Bazaar will be a one-day craft fair on June 7 of local craft vendors who will be accepted on an application basis.
Many vending stations at the Lobsterfest Craft Bazaar will boast an innovative and unique approach to current fashions. Most DIYers claim that if national brands are producing empty wallets or a lack of originality, creativity and innovation, DIY is the place to turn.
With so many aspects of DIY crafts creating a shockwave of culture in just one town, the worldwide effect that craft-making has on the world remains far from stagnate. As Etsy’s numbers grow each day and sites such as Myspace see escalating numbers of DIY musicians, the "do it yourself" scene now seems to be blooming yet again.
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