[Nfb-krafters-korner] Still Seeking Training in Crafts forOccupation

Wed May 4 17:29:49 UTC 2011

I Eleni, I know how it feels to be frustrated.
There is something on the net called "Meetup."

This is an organization which somehow lists groups in your area, that people 
have organized with specific interests.

I have tried to find crafts groups in Baltimore also with no luck.

I don't know if this idea will be of help, but this is only a suggestion.

Sincerely,

Carol Siegel

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eleni Vamvakari" <magkisa83 at gmail.com>
To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 9:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Still Seeking Training in Crafts 
forOccupation

> Thanks for the suggestion.  I've been looking for individual teachers
> and groups for well over a year now, which is why I'm so frustrated.
> I actually contacted the only basketry guild near me and they were
> unable to help.  I e-mailed several basket makers and at least two
> chair caners, all local, but got no response.  I also e-mailed a
> decent number of schools for the blind, all around the country, which
> either used to teach manual trades or which looked as if they might,
> and not one of them wrote back.  Thanks to Joyce, I'm now in contact
> with a master broom-maker, who is also skilled at several other
> crafts, including chair caning.  He is extremely knowledgeable and
> helpful, but he's a bit busy at the moment so is not able to devote
> time to teaching me.  I guess I'll try searching again and see what I
> find.
>
> All the best,
> Eleni
>
> On 5/3/11, Annette Carr <amcarr1 at verizon.net> wrote:
>> Eleni,
>>
>> You might want to look into Groups and Guilds in your area that focus on 
>> the
>> various types of crafts you want to learn.  There might be classes, or
>> individual people who would be willing to teach or mentor you.
>>
>> HTH,
>> Annette
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Eleni 
>> Vamvakari
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 3:24 PM
>> To: List for blind crafters and artists
>> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Still Seeking Training in Crafts for
>> Occupation
>>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> I know that I haven't written in awhile but I now have a landline so can
>> join in on the phone chats.  In any case, I'm still subscribed to the 
>> list
>> and am still trying to find places which teach the crafts that I want to
>> learn so that I can do them for a living.  For those new here, My plan is 
>> to
>> make baskets, brooms, soaps and maybe candles and to give them to a 
>> program
>> called Pathways to Independence, which works with the New Jersey 
>> Commission
>> of the Blind.  They come to your house, pick up the products that you 
>> make
>> and then sell them at craft shows and give you all the money.  As some 
>> here
>> may remember, I was considering starting my own business.  I still have 
>> all
>> the e-mails from the discussion on how to do so and thank you for your 
>> help.
>> But I'm really nervous about all the paperwork, particularly taxes and
>> losing my benefits etc. if I don't make enough, especially since my 
>> earnings
>> will vary in the beginning and I have to account for materials, shipping,
>> insurance etc.  Of course, I could get help from SSI, but that in itself 
>> is
>> a long and very complicated process.  I was told by the leader of 
>> Pathways
>> that I'm legally allowed to keep all of my earnings from them, since they
>> and I are registered with the Commission.  So I'll use them to test the
>> waters so to speak and to make some extra money.  Note that I'm also very
>> willing to learn other crafts that I can then sell.  Keep in mind that I
>> know nothing of knitting, crocheting or sewing and have never seen colour 
>> or
>> anything else.  But that doesn't mean that I'm unwilling to learn.
>>
>> As I said some time ago, I found a huge list of furniture stores around 
>> the
>> country, which either cater exclusively to or which offer chair caning, 
>> and
>> some even offer basketry.  My hope is to work with one of these for a
>> regular income.  Many are in New York, and some are even in New Jersey. 
>> But
>> I feel a bit strange going to them without training.  I found only one
>> place, the North Carolina Center for the Blind, which teaches 
>> seatweaving,
>> along with basketry, bead work and a few other things, but they're not a
>> residential facility.  I've done extensive searches online but the most I
>> could find were centres which offered some arts and crafts classes for
>> pleasure or industrial arts, which, in it's modern context, apparently
>> refers to wood working with power tools and the like.
>>
>> My counselor is willing to help me, and indeed, the NJ Commission used to
>> offer programs for these crafts but no longer does so.  But he hasn't 
>> been
>> able to find anything and this is going on over a month.
>> So I'm really hoping that since several people have joined since I did, 
>> that
>> someone here can help me.  Joyce, I know that you're in a place which
>> teaches caning.  Is it residential and how long does it last?  Perhaps, 
>> The
>> Commission might be willing to pay for it.  Does anyone know if there are
>> plans to teach any of these here in the future?  If there isn't an actual
>> place where I can learn these things, would someone be willing/able to 
>> tutor
>> me or do you know a teacher, perhaps retired, whom I could contact?  I'm
>> sorry for being repetitive, but I wanted to sumarise my situation here 
>> for
>> those new to the group and to update my progress for the rest.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Eleni
>>
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>
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