Looking to do some crafty shopping or feel like flogging your crafty creations? Here are a few ways to get your fix.

Modern Times, one of our favorite independent bookstores in the city, will be hosting their first ever craft fair in August and there's still time to register to sell your crafty goods. For up to the minute registration forms and info check out their myspace page.
When: August 11th
Noon-8pm
Registration deadline: August 1st

We've already told you how much we love the SF Craft Mafia, meet them for yourself and do some crafting with them on August 12th at Stitch Lounge. The event will feature DIY activities, including jewelry making, clothing customization, and cupcake makeovers.

If you're in Oakland support bay area makers at Feria Urbana on August 3rd at the Oakland Museum of California, where you can buy goods from loads of local artists and designers.
When: August 3rd
5-9pm
Oakland Museum of California
Free

And don't miss the chance to do some shopping at the lovely Fort Mason Center on July 28th where Modern Economy, a home & lifestyle sample sale full of great local designers will be taking place.
When: July 28th
10:30am-3pm
Free

Know about a crafty event coming up? Tell us about it in the comments or email sfist.crafts@gmail.com and we'll post it here.
Crafty lady flyer for Modern Times by Janice Flux

Who needs the Sopranos when there’s the San Francisco Craft Mafia? That’s right, we said craft mafia. You got a problem with that? We hope not, because this group is taking over the city, organizing crafters of all stripes, helping to build up a community and a movement that’s showing no signs of slowing down.

The first Craft Mafia was formed by three crafty business owners in Austin, Texas in 2003. The women came together to offer support and inspiration to one another, help set business goals, and to make sure they kept having fun in what can be a challenging lifestyle and occupation. They were so successful the group began to grow, with crafters all over the country asking if they could use the same name. Today there are 47 Craft Mafia’s -- lovingly labeled ‘famiglias’-- spread out across the US and Canada with the original Austin Craft Mafia still acting as the legal main entity, and Craft Mafia’s across the country as official chapters. The mafia’s work together and very distinctively on their own, meeting up at Craft Fairs all over the country and working hard to promote and support the DIY lifestyle in their individual communities.

We were invited to sit in on the SF Craft Mafia's monthly meeting at the Craft Gym this past Sunday (yes there’s a craft gym in the city and we promise that’s a story for another post). We walked in mid-meeting to a brainstorm on some upcoming events the group is planning. We felt privileged sitting at the table with these powerful women who play such a key role in the delicious underbelly of the SF craft world. We listened in as they hashed out ideas and figured out the best place to get unfrosted cupcakes for a cupcake decorating station at their next event. These are smart, lively women and listening to them gave us a sense of security-- we couldn't think of a better fitted group to take on the responsibility of making sure the craft scene in San Francisco continues to thrive and grow. One thing became abundantly clear as we sat there, these women provide a necessary anchor for crafters and artists seeking out help and resources in their own endeavors. With members including: Jamie Chan-Herrera, owner of MaryJane’s Attic, Barbe Saint John, a mixed media artist who runs Saints & Sinners, Andrea DeHart aka Crafty Bitch, Jane Logan and Jackie Ortega, owners of Craft Gym, Leslie Yang, the woman behind Feisty Elle, Jessica Neaves, creator of Future Momo Jewelry, Wendy of My Windup Bird, and Hope Meng, Melissa Alvarado, Melissa Roeters, the owners of Stitch Lounge, the group has a tremendous amount of experience and expertise to offer up.