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Arts & Crafts
A Noe Neighborhood Knitting Nirvana
There’s a new sisterhood at my work that’s been growing over the past year and it’s made up of knitters. I only joined this club a little over a month ago. I’ve always heard that knitting was a fun and relaxing activity, but I was a little skeptical of that claim at first. I thought that learning something that looked complicated like knitting would cause me to pull my hair out more than it would put my mind at ease. More
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Arts & Crafts
With all the creative folks who call San Francisco home, it's about time a shop successfully synthesized writings, art, homespun clothing, and accessories the way Needles & Pens does. Tucked away in the Mission, this gem of a d.i.y. store used to be the stuff of daydreams for Andrew Scott, a writer/designer who's been involved in the zine scene for years, and Breezy Strand Culbertson, a sewing machine queen. After returning from six months of travel, the couple decided to give themselves a job by opening a spot that incorporated their own interests as well as those of their artistic friends and the creative community in general... More
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Arts & Crafts
Keepin' it Real in the Lower Haight
On the corner of Haight and Steiner in a space previously occupied by drum and bass record shop The Compound and subsequently Future Primitive, newcomer Lower Hater brings distinctive flavor for all facets of the motley neighborhood and beyond. At once a clothing, housewares and furniture boutique cum art gallery, Lower Hater blends elements of hip hop to punk rock, classy to edgy, and retro to modern in a spot-on collection of goods that must be recognized as pieces of art. More
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Arts & Crafts
Big Fun for Vegans and Not-Vegans
You don’t have to be vegan to appreciate the wares offered by Little Otsu, a cheery shop on Valencia that specializes in sweatshop-free, vegan products, though you may leave with a welcome conscious scrutiny of your lifestyle and buying habits. With the plethora of cute, affordable ethically produced goods at hand, it’s easy to question why we bother with goods that are made any other way. More
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Arts & Crafts
It seems as though everyone's got a knack for knitting these days, and the trend goes well beyond your grandma and her purple-haired friends. The craft revolution is upon us and because of it, everyone's got a pair of needles in their hand or a skein of yarn in their bag. If you haven't received a hand-knit scarf as a gift, there's probably one in the works, especially with the holiday season right around the corner. Chances are, you're making one for someone else. Whether you're a knit one, purl two master or are wondering what a skein is, there is a store to meet all your knitting needs. More
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Arts & Crafts
Fodder for your Inner Child
Ever pine for the novelty stores of your childhood, those quaint little get-ups that could be found on every street corner and painted a proverbial picture of Americana and its essentials? I can see it now: glass jars dotted with gum drops, marble-top counters sporting multi-colored pens, fire engine red stools made for lazy lounging and imbibing ice cream sodas. Getting nostalgic yet? Um, probably not, unless you grew up in the 1950s. All the same, avatars of the five and dime stores of yore, despite exponentially inflated prices, are popping up everywhere... More
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Arts & Crafts
Anti-Chain Store Holiday Roundup
The simultaneously dreaded and excitedly anticipated holiday shopping season is upon us. Before you succumb to elbowing your way through throngs of aggressive deal-seekers at the mall, consider some alternative avenues for procuring unique and thoughtful gifts. The next two weekends will be key. Tomorrow kicks off KPFA’s Crafts & Music Fair and Sunday marks the next installment of Mission Indie-mart. Next Thursday, Dec13th, the charming smattering of shops on Clement between 4th Ave and Arguello will extend their business hours to 9pm. Next Saturday, Dec 15th, Bazaar Bizarre touches down in Golden Gate Park. More
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Arts & Crafts
Gifting, the age-old practice of giving stuff to others, is a year-round sport as the calendar is littered with various holidays and special occasions that require you to get out and spend. The specialty shops and boutiques along 24th Street in Noe Valley can help with this task. Shopping addicts from all over the Bay Area come here to take care of their gifting needs, no matter what the season, occasion or recipient requires. More
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Arts & Crafts
Satisfy Your Bead Needs
For any beading enthusiast or, for that matter, anyone looking to take up beading as a hobby, San Francisco has a variety of good places scattered around town to choose from. All seem to offer their own charms, but if you don’t know where to start, a good place to visit is Forbeadin’ on Church Street at 24th in Noe Valley. More
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Arts & Crafts
Candy Store for the Creative
Walking through an art store brings back memories of my hometown's sweets shop, with tubs of ice cream in a kaleidoscope of colors and large glass jars of candy stretching in a rainbow along the shelves. As I roam through the range of writing implements, paints, and papers, I want to touch and try everything in the store. San Francisco doesn't lack for places to satisfy these creative cravings, but Flax art & design is one of the best places to indulge your artistic appetite. More
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