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Greenwood’s Made Sewing Studio
This new SYO (sew your own) studio invites novices and expert seamsters to rent machines, take class
Sewing shouldn’t be just for pros—or just for those who own fancy equipment. So say the creators of Made, a fully equipped sewing studio and retail space in Greenwood (8408 Greenwood Ave. N; 206.552.9632; madesewing.com). Open since November, Made offers plenty of sewing machines to rent, worktables to spread out on and, in case you…
Burn Design Lab’s Eco Stoves
A Vashon Island company is saving lives—and the planet—one stove at a time.
In a design studio on Vashon Island, Peter Scott is cooking up solutions to big problems. His company, Burn Design Lab, is on a mission to reduce global warming and respiratory illness by creating highly efficient and affordable stoves that can replace the open-fire cooking pits used in developing countries. Those pits pump out emissions…
Personalized Pillows from PillowMob
A Capitol Hill company makes your face puffy--in a good way.
Forget Photoshop: If you can’t be there for family photos at the reunion this summer, send a head-size pillow with your face on it instead. Open since August and headquartered on Capitol Hill, PillowMob puts a high-res image of your lovely mug on a circular- or oval-shaped pillow ($25, includes shipping), sewn on-site. Creative pillow…
A Real Tricorder on the Horizon?
A health scanner similar to the one McCoy used on 'Star Trek' may be in the works.
Proving once again that science fiction can generate science fact (given enough time and money), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently partnered with Grand Challenges Canada (a nonprofit health organization) to pony up $38.5 million to fund the invention of a health diagnostic tool not unlike Dr. McCoy’s “tricorder” from the original Star Trek…
Jean Griffith, Seattle’s Patron Saint of Pottery
It took just one ceramics class at the UW to inspire this clay maven to cofound Pottery Northwest.
If you’ve ever considered taking a pottery class, heed this gentle warning from local clay maven Jean Griffith: “All you have to do is touch it and you’re hooked.” She would know. After casually taking a ceramics class at UW in 1957, the now 93-year-old Griffith ended up cofounding Pottery Northwest in 1966 and serving…
Bird Lovers: Head to Sequim this Spring
The Olympic BirdFest with the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society kicks off March 30.
WHERE: Sequim, Washington. WHY: For the Olympic BirdFest with the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society (3/30–4/1; times and prices vary. Dungeness River Audubon Society, 2151 W Hendrickson Road; 360.681.4076; olympicbirdfest.org). The annual celebration offers beginner and advanced birders the chance to search for such fine feathered friends as the yellow-rumped warbler and the elusive marbled godwit,…
Real Estate: Three Seattle Craftsman Homes
The iconic Seattle home makes a strong showing in three local neighborhoods.
Craftsman homes first started appearing in Seattle around 1900 as an offshoot of the British Arts and Crafts movement, which emphasized the handmade over the mass-produced, and design simplicity over the ornate Victorian homes of the era. Found in neighborhoods all across Seattle, especially Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Leschi, West Seattle and Wallingford, the Craftsman…
Melissa Vail’s Cheeky New Bracelets
A local designer's refreshing spin on the classic gilded tennis bracelet design.
Go giddy piling on Ballard-based crafter (and former Seattle mag publisher) Melissa Vail Coffman’s “badminton bracelets,” a cheeky take on the classic gilded tennis design. Hand-beaded with glass, silver and colored crystals, the slinky wristlets are available in an array of bead finishes, which range from antique to a diamond-like shine (in case you can’t…
Wraphabillement’s Wundercoat!
A savvy new coat line brings you outerwear that multitasks as well as you do.
When Elizabeth Roberts, a former Microsoft recruiter, philanthropist and busy mom of three, added yet another accolade to her résumé with a fashion line late in 2011, she blamed it on her iPhone. “Our phones work harder than ever and do so many different things,” she explains. “I started to wonder why none of my…
Deals on Rosanna Dishes
The popular tableware outfitter now has an outlet store in Georgetown.
Rosanna tableware fans, take a deep, cleansing breath: For years, Rosanna Bowles’ flash sales on her popular dishware sets have been the stuff of shopping legend. Legions of fans line up early to snag deals on glassware, mug gift sets and dinnerware—all while trying to avoid flying elbows. But we can shop sans shoving now…
A Yarn Bomb Hits Redmond
Seattle artist Suzanne Tidwell festoons Anderson Park trees with festive knitwear.
If you spent any time in Pioneer Square’s Occidental Park last summer, you noticed the trees were a bit warmer and cozier than usual, their trunks wrapped in brightly striped sweaters. The trend—known as “yarn bombing”—is happening nationally, with avant-garde crafters knitting thousands of rows with which to wrap utility poles, parking meters, park benches…
Film: Spring Arts Preview 2012
A bird's eye view of the best film festivals and film series in Seattle this spring.
FESTIVALS Seattle Jewish Film Festival (3/15–3/25), seattlejewishfilmfestival.org Irish Reels (3/17–3/18), irishreels.org Seattle Deaf Film Festival (3/30–4/1), deafspotlight.com/SDFF National Film Festival for Talented Youth (4/26–4/29), nffty.orgLangston Hughes African American Film Festival (4/14–4/22), lhaaff.tumblr.com Seattle International Film Festival (5/17–6/10), siff.net SPECIAL SERIES IF IT’S MONDAY, IT’S THE ’80s On Monday nights in March and April, SIFF is…
Theater: Spring Arts Preview 2012
The shows we're most looking forward to on stage this season, including the nomadic New Century Thea
First Date: A New MusicalCoproduced by ACT and the 5th Avenue Theatre (their powers combined, the theaters hope to reach wider audiences), this new musical comedy explores the inner monologues of two nervous youngsters trying to survive their first date. 3/10–5/20. Times and prices vary. ACT (A Contemporary Theatre), 700 Union St.; 206.292.7676; acttheatre.org Holy…
Visual Art: Spring Arts Preview 2012
So many visual arts events this spring are geared toward the big clay convention coming to town. Her
Gary HillThis Seattle-based video, sound and installation artist has been blowing people’s minds for decades, as evidenced by Glossodelic Attractors, an expansive survey of his work (or rather, his “psychotropic languaging vehicles”), which reveals his preoccupation with communication and the intersection of the corporeal and the verbal. 3/31–9/16. Times and prices vary. Henry Art Gallery,…
Literature: Spring Arts Preview 2012
Seven author appearances you won't want to miss in Seattle this spring.
Louise Glück: Acclaimed New York poet. Known for: Winning a Pulitzer Prize for poetry, serving as U.S. poet laureate (2003–2004) and penning unflinching, gorgeous poems. Reading: As part of Seattle Arts & Lectures. 3/15. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St.; 206.621.2230; lectures.org Alain de Botton: Funny and philosophical Swiss writer of keen…
Comedy: Spring Arts Preview 2012
Five funny ladies bring the laughter to Seattle this spring.
Funny ladies are in full force this spring, offering comedic readings, performances, dance and discussions on subjects ranging from smarty-pants to the deliciously strange. Sardonic: Longtime culture critic Fran Lebowitz—whose acerbic wit Martin Scorsese recently captured in his biographical documentary Public Speaking—shares her curmudgeonly commentary with fellow columnist Dan Savage.3/2. 8 p.m. Prices vary. Benaroya…
Music: Spring Arts Preview 2012
6 events and 3 new albums reflect the wide range of Seattle’s music scene.
Superstar soprano Renée Fleming joins the Seattle Symphony to stun the audience with her spectacular vocals (conducted by music director Ludovic Morlot) on a diverse mix of compositions by Maurice Ravel, Ben Gibbard, Leonard Cohen and others.3/16. Times and prices vary. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St.; 206.215.4747; seattlesymphony.org If you’ve been missing the retired maestro…
Border Crossings and Curveballs: Spring Arts Preview 2012
Refresh your cultural awareness without renewing your passport.
Marvel at splendid Egyptian artifacts excavated from the tomb of TUTANKHAMUN: THE GOLDEN KING AND THE GREAT PHARAOHS (5/24–1/6. Times and prices vary. Pacific Science Center, 200 Second Ave. N; 206.443.2001; pacificsciencecenter.org). Discover the films of 20th-century Indian filmmaker RAJ KAPOOR (3/30–4/12. Times and prices vary. SIFF Film Center, 305 Harrison St.; 206.324.9996; siff.net), an…
Dance: Spring Arts Preview 2012
Upcoming performances in contemporary and modern dance we want to see.
On the Stage at On the BoardsContemporary dance fans may as well camp out at On the Boards this season—it’ll be easier than driving home and coming back and finding parking for each of these stellar performances. 3/1–3/3 Portland dance company Teeth (which won the A.W.A.R.D. Show contemporary dance competition at On the Boards in…
Local Rock Stars of Clay
A national ceramics conference takes place downtown this month, so Seattle is showing off its tremen
For the first time, the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) is convening in Seattle (3/28–3/31), which means approximately 5,000 ceramics fanatics are descending on our city. In celebration, 183 venues—stretching from Bellingham to Tacoma, and ranging from art galleries to Harborview Medical Center to the windows at Nordstrom—are showcasing works of…
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