We plan to have a small retail component at Assemble, you know magazines, sewing notions, patterns, hard-to-find fabric and BOOKS! Thanks to our friend Marisa from FLUFFLIFE we already have a whole list of books to stock the store with. Marisa said:

I have been meaning to send you these photos of all these amazing books that I thought you might be interested in for Assemble. Many I own, many I’ve read and loved, many I would love to own! But out of the many I’ve seen, I think these are the best of the best.

99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special

Bend-the-Rules Sewing: The Essential Guide to a Whole New Way to Sew

The Crafter Culture Handbook

Craftivity: 40 Projects for the DIY Lifestyle

D.I.Y.: Design It Yourself

Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt

Handmade Modern : Mid-Century Inspired Projects for Your Home

How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul

Making Stuff: An Alternative Craft Book

Second-Time Cool: The Art of Chopping Up a Sweater

Sew U

Lotta Jansdotter’s Simple Sewing: Patterns and How-To for 24 Fresh and Easy Projects

Assemble was crazy busy at last weekend’s Bizarre Market. Thanks to everyone who signed up for the email list, made a pinwheel, made a throwie, told us they were excited about Assemble and generally showed love and support. Also, thanks to Josh and Joe from Inertia for organizing the event.

Can you guess the most asked question of the afternoon? Yes! You win! “When are you opening?”

Well we don’t have an answer for that just yet, but we do have some pictures to share from the Bizarre Market. If you want more pictures than the ones below: Bizarre Market photos

Thanks for coming out to the Bizarre Market. Here are instructions and resources for making your own LED Throwies orginally created by Graffiti Research Labs. The idea behind throwies is to create a visual statement without defacing property.

How to make throwies (via Instructables)
LED Throwies at Wikipedia

Where to get supplies
1. 10mm Diffused LED
eBay is the best place I’ve found. Most likely they will be coming from China so it takes 2-3 weeks for them to get over seas. Search for 10mm Diffused LED

2. CR2032 3V Lithium Batteries
I bought mine from CheapBatteries.com at about $0.25 per battery. You can pretty much get these from anywhere batteries are sold. Try Batteries Plus on the Southside.

3. Tape
1-inch wide Strapping Tape is recommended. I just used duct tape and it worked fine. You can get both of these from the hardware store.

4. 1/2″ Dia x 1/8″ Thick NdFeB Disc Magnet, Ni-Cu-Ni plated
I bought mine from Amazing Magnets at about $13.00 for 25 magnets. You can use any type of magnets you want, they just may not be as strong as the rare earth magnets I used.

Environmental Statement
Assemble Lounge cares about the environment so we ask that after you are done with your throwies that you dispose of the parts in an eco friendly way. The batteries used in this project are can leak over time and be harmful to the environment.

+ Recycle batteries at Batteries Plus (904) 620-9992
+ Reuse magnets on your fridge
+ Save the LED lights for your next christmas tree

Other places to dispose of your batteries

There’s a crazy cool craft gathering tonight in New York City:

Museum of Arts & Design plays host to its own knitting circle. Draw inspiration from “Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting,” its exhibit of fabric art, or from your fellow stitchers. Among the scheduled crafty activities is “the Unraveling Gathering,” taking apart old sweaters to make new yarn. But don’t expect everything to be sweetness and alternative lace; there will also be a competition for the Craft Yarn Council’s “World’s Fastest Knitter or Crocheter” contest.

I think the “unraveling gathering” would be a good event for Assemble. Mackenzie and I both want to host events that reduce, reuse and recycle old clothing.

I will have some extra time in Atlanta and Orlando in the near future. Does anyone have a favorite place for crafts, crafting, fabrics, yarn, etc? Leave a comment, let me know! Thanks.

I have most of the supplies I need to put on my LED throwies class at the Bizarre Market on May 26th. I’m just waiting for my last shipment of LEDs. I’ve ordered most of my supplies online and had to get the LEDs from China. I’ll be scouring the city looking for local places to get the supplies. Don’t worry, if you want to participate in the class I’ll have supplies for about 10 or so people. I’m going to be selling throwie packs for people who want to make more after the class.

Mackenzie’s been looking for a fun class to teach at the Bizarre Market too. Fabric pinwheels have been flying around the house all day so I’m thinking it might have something to do with that.

Saturday night I met this great guy at the Digital to Physical art show in Springfield. Prince Ranier, aka DJ Caz, told me about his interest to teach a “history of hip hop class”. He described it as using selections of music to accompany the lesson and illustrate particular points about the progression of hip hop from it’s roots to where we are today. Last week Mackenzie met with three more teachers. A sewing instructor, a pattern maker/clothing designer and a writer “from a local weekly”. More to come on that in our next class update post.

We are still looking for more instructors! Don’t be shy, send us an email if you have an idea for a class or have experience in the following areas:

• alternative photography/cameras
• advanced sewing
• we need more knitters/spinners/crocheters!
• jewelry/bead making
• makeup/stylist
• embroidery/crewel
• hat making
• shoe making
• organic gardening/composting (lecture type class)

In addition to meeting with teachers, looking for teachers and ordering light emitting diodes from China, Mackenzie and I continued out quest for a suitable home for Assemble. We have eliminated Springfield and Downtown and are focusing out searches in Riverside and Murray Hill.

The community’s feedback on Assemble has been totally overwhelming. Thanks to everyone who has told us they are excited, given us words of encouragement or offers of help. It has kept us going in in the past few weeks.

Etsy Labs
http://labs.etsy.com

Etsy is a place to buy and sell handmade goods. It is quite possibly the largest online marketplace for buying and selling handmade goods. Etsy Labs is the brick-and-mortar component to the website. Etsy Labs has one simple goal:

provide a space where Etsy members can be creative together, learn from each other and share their skills. It’s a great opportunity to get out of your house and work on projects (and eventually quit your day job).

I really like the vibe of Etsy Labs and Mackenzie and I hope to create a similar environment at Assemble. Check out this short video from Thread Heads on Etsy Labs. There is an interview with the founder of Etsy and some video of the space. You can get a feel for how we want Assemble to be.

Mackenzie and I also want to encourage the community to make and sell their creations. Here are some of the ways we want to help local artists and craftsters sell their stuff:

• In store consignment
• gallery space for artists
• Assemble online store
• Craft events and fairs
• I am looking into doing a class on using Etsy to sell the things you make

Saturday Mackenzie and I met with two potential instructors, James Green and Amanda Mahan. We talked with them for about an hour out on the patio at the Main Library. James and Amanda have planty of great ideas and Mackenzie and I both think they will be great teachers. James is planning on teaching screen printing and Amanda plans on teaching, among other things, sewing your own diapers. Each of these two class examples emphasize making your own stuff instead of buying it.

Looking for store space has been, to this point, one of the most discouraging things about getting Assemble started. We do have high expectations for our space in terms of location, size and atmosphere. Unfortunately, cool factor and rent are directly proportional. For every dollar save on rent, the cool factor on your place goes down.

We are slowly moving along trying to make right decisions about where to put the store and what type of space to lease. We’ve looked at space in Murray Hill, Whiteway (Park and King), Five Points and Downtown. We are finding that for a 1000-1500 sq/ft space in one of these areas we are looking at around $1700-$2800/month.

We feel like it’s just a matter of time before we find a the space we are looking for. Either that or we’ll get tired of looking and just pull the trigger on a close enough match.

I talked with Josh Jubinsky, part owner of Inertia Records and Books in Five Points, about two new events that will be happening at the store. For people who aren’t familiar with Inertia you can check out the post interview with Josh Jubinsky on Urban Jacksonville to read all about it.

In this interview Josh and I will be discussing the Bizarre Market, which takes place on May 26th, and Freeschools which happen all May. Let’s get to it!

Josh, will you explain the idea behind the Bizarre Market?
Well the easy answer is that it’s like a flea market. The not so easy answer is maybe what it means to me, or how I’m hoping this becomes more. Essentially, dialogues over similar interests with previously unintroduced people.

Older people selling punk records, and younger kids getting excited about them and getting to share stories about shows. People sharing crafts tips and designs. People inspiring each other.

Do you have anyone lined up for the bizarre yet?
Well you Assemble folks. A few crafty purse and stuffed animal makers, some screen printers, some people selling records. An older woman emailed me about engraving things with her engraver, she does custom dog tags etc. A person who embroiders things with like, as an example they gave me, bunnies saying “fuck you.” Some people in town with record labels, or starting labels, they’ll have their releases and information available. It’s still a month away, hopefully we’ll have enough space for plenty of great things.

Where did you get the idea for the bizarre? Have you been to a bizarre like this before? If so what was the most bizarre thing?
Well people had always mentioned doing a punk rock flea market. That’s what this is basically, but semantics was a problem for me when calling it that. I didn’t want the name to make it feel limiting. ie. “punk rock”, or even “flea market”. I’m not overly creative at times though - the name actually can from my friend Anna, who used to do a “Bizzarre Market” in Richmond. I never was up there at the right time to go though. I think this will be different automatically, since it’s composed of Jacksonville locals instead of Richmonders.

The bizarre market has a punk, diy kind of feel to it. Do you feel like the inspiration for the bizarre draws on some of the ethics of these two genres?
Well it’s aruably a fringe culture kind of feel - I mean, we all know words like ‘punk’ and ‘DIY’ are loaded with cultural, economic and personal connotations. The word bizarre isn’t really convoluted by any of these factors at all, perhaps only by the word being changed from bazaar in this context. I do think one draws on upon the other, but the I just wanted to use a fresh word - something to make people have less of a bearing when they are trying to figure out what to expect.

You are doing a lot of great things at the store these days like speakers, the bizarre and the newly introduced Freeschool. Can you tell people what Freeschool is all about?

Freeschool, is just what it sounds like. It’s free, and hopefully you’ll learn something. We did it last summer and have classes on silk screening, bike repair, ceramics, plumbing, nonviolent communication and various speakers. We’re just getting this one and so far the only real addition of topics is a composting class. It’s basically about sharing knowledge and creating interactions.

Freeschools
Composting, June 19th
Teaching and traveling abroad, May 15th
Fix up your bike, May 22nd
Bizarre Market, May 26th

Assemble at Bizarre Market
Assemble will have a table at the Bizarre Market. I’m planning on teaching a class on building you own LED throwies and Mackenzie will have some handmade items to sell.

Classes will play a vital role at Assemble. Last week they demanded a lot of thought and planning. Here is a sampling of the classes we’re in the process of confirming. What do you think?

• How to open an online shop I (basics of setting up a website)
• How to open an online shop II (customize your website with HTML)
• Printmaking (make your own cards/stationery)
• Printmaking (editions class)
• Drawing I
• Sewing I (make a tote bag)
• Grammar/punctuation
• Sewing cloth diapers
• Crocheting puppets and toys
• Screenprinting
• Toddler crafts
• Preschool crafts
• Birthday parties

Other random things we did this week: talked with Josh Jubinsky about commercial real estate, killed the whole Assemble business idea, revived the whole Assemble business idea, added email update form to the website, added assemble flickr photos to the blog, organized meetings with more teachers next week, and checked out commercial space in Murray Hill.