Fall has arrived, and with that comes the next round of Handmade Crafternoons at the Library. This weekend's our first event! My co-host Maura Madden and I will welcome special guest Kelly Rand, Program Director at Hello Craft.

Kelly will talk about Hello Craft’s efforts to support independent crafters and share some of the savvy advice she put into her book Handmade To Sell: Hello Craft's Guide to Owning, Running, and Growing Your Crafty Biz. So if you've wondered what you need to know to launch your own crafty business, join us! We’ll also, of course, get busy as we hand stitch felt business card holders and receipt organizers. And as usual, we’ll have supplies on hand as well as a spread of crafty books from the Library’s collections for browsing.

If you've not attended a Handmade Crafternoon before, you can expect a fun, free, and easygoing social afternoon with creative companions at the library; the chance to make something by hand; and an opportunity to learn a bit about the Library's collections. And if you're interested in the rest of the Fall 2012 lineup, here are the details: October 13th with Sarah Goldschadt, and November 3rd with Denyse Schmidt! 

Here are the details on September 15th's event:

• This is a FREE event, but reservations are welcome because space is limited. To reserve your spot, please write to handmade@nypl.org with your name and the date of this event.
• What to bring: We will have a variety of felt, embroidery floss, and needles on hand, but you are welcome to bring the following if you plan to use specific colors to make your receipt wallet and business card holder: three 8x11 inch pieces of felt in colors of your choice, embroidery floss in colors of your choice, and an embroidery needle.
• Where: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Margaret Liebman Berger Forum (on the Second Floor, Room 227)
• When: Saturday, September 15th, 2012, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.