Nowadays, there’s a blog for everything, and the specific niche of punk crafting has opened up a wealth of information only mouse-clicks away. Presented here is an quick guide to the best punk craft blogs on the ‘net, as judged on 3 main criteria:
Interface: Does the blog look professional? Is it simple to navigate and easy to follow? Does it seem credible? Is it easy to understand grammatically and mechanically (professional understanding of the English language is not necessary, but consistently good capitalization and common expressions are helpful)?
Crafts Suggested: Does the blog suggest crafts relevant to the niche of “punk crafting?” Are they of reasonable manageability (you shouldn’t need a Ph.D from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to complete these crafts)? Are they of reasonable cost and accessibility?
Overall Content: The blog should not be full of R-rated language and should not present crafts, posts, or other content, that are offensive toward people of a certain race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation (you’d be shocked what gets posted on some sites).
Sound good? All right, let’s dive in!
THE TOP THREE
CraftPunk
Managed by BlogSpot user “Ellenod,” this is an excellent example of an good punk crafting blog to follow. Simply put together, the lack of flashiness and showiness only adds to this site’s ambiance as an online journal devoted to punk crafting. The interface is simple, presented under a banner heading depicting a photograph of a street sign proclaiming, “CRAFT PUNK PKWY.” Below this on the left-hand side (and taking up most of the page) is the list of postings reaching down to the bottom of the page, with a link to older posts below. On the first page alone are posts about “T-Shirt Surgery) in which a t-shirt is made into a halter top, instructions on making pop tab jewelry, and a whimsical sleep mask bearing the legend “Working on my next novel…”
On the right hand side is a sidebar with links to other crafting or “craft-related” blogs, though most of these are rather decidedly “un-punk.” Below this is a link to learn more about Ellenod, and archival links to all blog posts. Here inlies this blogs only (albeit significant) weakness. Ellenod appears to have written extensively and prolifically throughout much of 2008, but has not posted in two years since that time. The plethora of posts available are what makes this blog worth being on the list, but keeps it from being the number one pick.
Cut Out and Keep
An excellent crafting website with an overwhelming majority of “punk” crafts, CutOutAndKeep is not exclusively a blog. The website includes a crafting blog, along with other features available through its easy-to-use interface. The top of the page under the title heading is home to seven different tabs, including “Blog,” Projects,” and “Craftopedia.” The projects page is beautifully designed with lists of the different crafts including thumbnail pictures with attached ribbons that declare each project a “how-to”, a “creation” that has been made or found, or a “version” of a project found on another website. To the left are three sidebars that let you search for crafts according to category, popularity, or actual crafting process, as well as a detailed site map on the bottom.
The blog contains such posts as “DIY The Look: Taylor Momsen” which picks apart the “Taylor Momsen look” into easy to find pieces (it is organized as a how-to guide to get her look). Also under the blog are instructions for making “S’mores Sandwiches,” other “DIY The Look” posts, and a wealth of other suggestions.
The only thing keeping this site from being my number one choice is the fact that, though most everything about it screams “punk crafting site,” it is not billed as such, and there are a few crafts that may be considered to “cutesy” to warrant punk craft status. By all other accounts, however, this is one punk craft sit that rocks.
Indie Crafts
And now here it is, the best punk crafting blog my extensive research could find. Managed by Laura Henry, this blog has it all. The left hand side is devoted to sidebars organizing the site’s contents into craft categories, seasons, and holidays; “Hot News” in the crafting world (some of those stories sound pretty juicy!); large, broad categories ranging the entire CraftGossip site, not just Indie Crafts; “Older Craft News” with a dropdown box that allows you to select news items featured previously; “Sites We Love,” pretty self-explanatory; and a search function. Also featured on the first page (as is customary in the blogging world) are the most recent posts (including a bento-themed laptop case craft), advertisements for crafting suppliers, and other tabs for things like giveaways, advertising space, and newsletter subscriptions. Indie Crafts combines the best features of Cut Out and Keep and CraftPunk into one sight. The only downside (and I don’t even consider this a minus on the scale) is that on the front, the site does not give off the air of “punk,” per se. Once you delve into the depths of the page, however, the crafts are decidedly punk-worthy. Thumbs way up to this one!
MORE BLOGS TO VISIT:
Surprisingly, there is not an excess of punk crafting blogs on the internet. It would be nearly impossible to find more than are listed here without creating a new one. The last two on this list, in fact, dabble slightly in Gothic crafts, although the most death-centered sites were left off this list. Nevertheless, three more blogs and sites worth visiting.
Mooky Chick
A fun and funky punk crafting site, Mooky Chick has dozens of craft suggestions on the first page alone (including a candy dish made from an old vinyl record, and a DIY on home piercings). There are also tab links to pages on feminist punk topics, beauty, and style, and even more how-tos. The interface is easy to use and aesthetically pleasing. Definitely one to stop at!
Modern Goth
Modern Goth bills itself as a Punk, Goth, and Punk Rock crafting site. The interface is incredibly simplistic, but nonetheless pleasing. The sidebars on the righthand side are divided into “Recent Posts,” “Recommended,” “Pages,” “Tags,” “Popular Search Terms,” “Recent Search Terms,” a search function, RSS feeds, and a login link. Good craft ideas, as well as history and cultural information regarding Gothic and Punk lifestyles.
Goth Knitting
Goth Knitting, a Squidoo lens, has a bit of a darker focus than any of the other pages mentioned in this article. However, as a lens, it has links, articles, resources, pictures, and videos from all over the web compiled onto one of Squidoo’s many easy-to-use interfaces. Articles such as “Dark and Mysterious Knits for Dark and Mysterious Knitters” are accompanied by page suggestions such as “How to Make STEAMPUNK Jewelry” and book suggestions such as Punk Knits: 26 Hot New Designs for Anarchistic Souls and Independent Spirits, and Pretty in Punk: 25 Punk, Rock, and Goth Knitting Projects. All in all, a veritable gold mine of ideas you should definitely check out.
