Maine Crafts Association

Maine Crafts Association Shop Maine Craft is a c-corporation created through the restructuring of the Maine Crafts Association to be completed in 2022.
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Maine Crafts Association builds upon Maine’s rich craft traditions by nurturing a vibrant, supportive, inclusive craft community with educational programs and resources. The Maine Crafts Association a 501(c)(3) established in 1983 continues to offer craft-based educational, community-building and outreach programs to membership and the larger community. Shop Maine Craft now manages the programs, d

eveloped by the MCA, which directly focus on shopping: two galleries, several shows & markets and the webshop.

This week we had the pleasure of visiting two clay studios as part of our Craft Apprentice Program studio visits! On Wed...
06/12/2026

This week we had the pleasure of visiting two clay studios as part of our Craft Apprentice Program studio visits! On Wednesday, MCA and Maine Arts Commission staff traveled to Kennebec Clay Works in Augusta to meet with 2026 pair Malley Weber (mentor) + Michelle ‘Misha’ Oraa Ali (apprentice). Misha Oraa Ali Malley Weber Maine Arts Commission

We received an impressive tour of all the wild clays they have harvested & processed using geologic maps of Maine, meticulous samples of the shrinkage rates, various mixes of clay, slips & more. Next Misha will build their own 3D clay printer to combine with the use of their wild clay findings, and soon head to Watershed Ceramics for a residency. We can’t wait to see what’s next!

Apprenticeship Summary:
This clay-focused apprenticeship will advance apprentice Misha’s skills in harvesting, processing, testing, and creating work with local Maine wild clay while working with mentor Malley Weber. The focus includes responsibly identifying and harvesting clay sites, processing and cataloging materials, testing clay properties and additives, and developing reliable custom blends. Misha will apply these clays through wheel-throwing, hand-building, and clay 3D printing for both functional and sculptural work. Through 100 hours of one-on-one studio training, the apprenticeship supports the development of a sustainable and professional clay practice.

One week ago, we gathered at Maine Studio Works for STITCH: Runway Show + Style Market, our annual fashion fundraiser, a...
06/11/2026

One week ago, we gathered at Maine Studio Works for STITCH: Runway Show + Style Market, our annual fashion fundraiser, and we’re still feeling the energy, creativity, and sense of community that filled the space.

Thank you to everyone who joined us - whether you walked the runway, showcased your work in the Style Market, volunteered your time, or came out to support Maine makers. Your presence helped make STITCH a vibrant celebration of the talent, craftsmanship, and innovation that exists right here in our state.

Another round of applause for the six incredible runway designers:
Sharon Chandler of Sharon Chandler
J.M. Syron of Syron
Viki Christmas of LORELYNE—KINDNESS IS THE ULTIMATE ACCESSORY
Nanne Kennedy of Seacolors Yarnery (& our keynote speaker!)
Duane MacLeod of Duane MacLeod
Eleanor Anne Cox of P R I T L O V E

A huge thank you to Maine Home+Design for being our Media sponsor and supporting STITCH with gorgeous photography by Dave Dostie !

And one more thank you to all of the sponsors that make this event possible: Hay Runner, Woodhull, One Stop Event Rentals, Bespoke Branded Fit, Old Port Specialty Tile, Bixby Chocolate, Maine Studio Works, A Gathering of Stitches, Coffee by Design, Headlight Audio Visual & Southern Maine Community College.

Our hearts are full, THANK YOU everyone!

Yesterday MCA and League of NH Craftsmen staff visited Rooted in Clay studio in Rindge, NH to catch up with 2026 Craft A...
06/10/2026

Yesterday MCA and League of NH Craftsmen staff visited Rooted in Clay studio in Rindge, NH to catch up with 2026 Craft Apprentice Program pair Shana Brautigam (mentor) + Molly Ludlam (apprentice).

It was a joy chatting with the pair who have already hit the ground running! Molly has been producing tons of samples; trying new techniques for surface design, creating glaze samples of all kinds, experimenting with new throwing techniques and much more. We enjoyed watching Shana peacefully work on adding leaf impressions to her pots as she gears up for a busy summer. Catch her at the League’s annual Sunapee show for an impressive 23rd year in a row (!).

Apprenticeship Summary:
This clay-focused apprenticeship will advance apprentice Molly Ludlam’s skills in hand building, wheel-throwing, and wood firing under the guidance of mentor Shana Brautigam. Molly will expand her functional forms to bowls, platters, and teapots, explore surface decoration techniques like stamping, sgraffito, and underglaze painting, and participate fully in bisque and wood-firing processes, including kiln preparation, firing, and stoking. This apprenticeship offers hands-on training in both technical skill and creative experimentation in pottery.

CAP is made possible by generous funding & organizational support from Maine Arts Commission , Maine Home Design the exclusive Media sponsor of CAP, our neighboring partners and for support of the annual exhibition, plus funding from the Maxwell Hanrahan Foundation, and individual donors (thank you!).

⚡️ STITCH is TODAY! ⚡️Join us from 5-9pm at Maine Studio Works (170 Anderson Street, Portland) for an evening celebratin...
06/04/2026

⚡️ STITCH is TODAY! ⚡️

Join us from 5-9pm at Maine Studio Works (170 Anderson Street, Portland) for an evening celebrating Maine-made style, craft, and community - all while supporting the Maine Crafts Association.

of Seacolors Yarnery will kick off the evening with a keynote speech that you don’t want to miss!

At 7pm, experience a live runway show featuring six Maine designers:

• Marigold in Maine
• Syron
• Lorelyne Design
• Seacolors Yarnery
• Hold Fast Bespoke
• Pritlove

From bespoke tailoring and knitwear to contemporary fashion and wearable art, the runway showcases the incredible range of Maine design. You can learn more about each of the designers by visiting our blog (or previous posts!).

Browse the Style Market featuring 15 vendors offering jewelry, hats, bags, apparel, accessories, and more handcrafted goods.

Enjoy live screenprinting from featuring exclusive MCA designs. Bring your own items to print on: T-shirts, tote bags, bandanas, and button-ups work great!

Have a favorite garment that needs a little extra personality? Bring it to for live chain stitch embroidery.

Every ticket includes a beverage from with cocktails, mocktails, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic options available.

STITCH is four hours of creativity, connection, and handmade wearable craft. Come discover local makers, meet designers, support Maine artists, and celebrate the power of craft in our community.

Cover image: Look by 2025 Runway Designer Kazeem Lawal of

🎟️ Get your ticket and join us tonight!

📍 Maine Studio Works
170 Anderson Street, Portland, Maine
Doors open at 5pm | Runway Show starts at 7pm

06/02/2026

Maine Crafts Association is pleased to welcome Nanne Kennedy of Seacolors Yarnery to STITCH 2026 THIS Thursday, June 4th at Maine Studio Works, participating in three different roles!

You might know Nanne Kennedy as a hand spinner, seawater dyer, shepherd, farm-grown wool innovator, or knitwear designer–in fact, she is all of that and more. At STITCH, Nanne will be a runway designer, Style Market vendor, and our fabulous keynote speaker.

When Nanne thinks about her own work, she sees herself as a nurturer, someone who has developed relationships with the land and soil, with her animals, and with all of the folks who touch the wool on its journey from sheep to sweater. Check out Nanne’s profile to learn more about what makes her Polwarth wool special, her sustainable seawater dying, and the beautiful clothes she’s bringing to the runway. More importantly, come to STITCH so that you can meet Nanne and hear her story in person.

To learn more about Nanne, please visit our blog to continue reading her story: https://mainecrafts.org/stitch-2026-designer-profile-nanne-kennedy-seacolors/

You can find Nanne on Instagram

STITCH: Runway Show + Style Market
- Thursday, June 4
- 5pm - 9pm, Runway @ 7pm
- Maine Studio Works | 170 Anderson Street, Portland
- Purchase tickets: www.mainecrafts.org/programs/stitch/

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Visit our blog to explore more STITCH Runway Designer profiles!

05/29/2026

Maine Crafts Association is pleased to welcome back Sharon Chandler of Marigold in Maine to the STITCH 2026 Runway Show on Thursday, June 4th at Maine Studio Works!

Sharon is a retired art teacher turned quilter, slow fashion designer, and maker. She often gives fabrics and old quilts a second life by sewing them into apparel. Her collection for STITCH is inspired by the year of the horse, transformation, and growth.

Find Sharon at https://www.marigoldroots.com/

STITCH: Runway Show + Style Market
- Thursday, June 4
- 5pm - 9pm, Runway @ 7pm
- Maine Studio Works | 170 Anderson Street, Portland
- Purchase tickets: www.mainecrafts.org/programs/stitch/ (link in bio)

Video content created by

05/29/2026

Maine Crafts Association is pleased to welcome Viki Christman of Lorelyne Design to the STITCH 2026 Runway Show on Thursday, June 4th at Maine Studio Works!

Viki Christman is an emerging Hungarian-American designer whose sewing hobby has quickly grown into a true vocation. Viki designs vintage-style clothing, primarily for women and children. Currently, she is working on launching her first children’s collection and building a business focused on spreading kindness by choosing cruelty-free materials that don’t harm any living creature.

To learn more about Viki, please visit our blog to continue reading her story: https://mainecrafts.org/stitch-2026-designer-profile-viki-christman-lorelyne/

You can find Viki on Instagram

STITCH: Runway Show + Style Market
- Thursday, June 4
- 5pm - 9pm, Runway @ 7pm
- Maine Studio Works | 170 Anderson Street, Portland
- Purchase tickets: www.mainecrafts.org/programs/stitch/ (link in bio)

Video content created by

05/29/2026

Maine Crafts Association is pleased to welcome Duane MacLeod to the STITCH 2026 Runway and Style Market, on Thursday, June 4th at Maine Studio Works!

Duane MacLeod could best be described as a serial maker. His career was in healthcare, but he always loved to build things (houses and sailboats being two examples). So, fifteen years ago, when his daughter encouraged him to make his own overcoat out of a Japanese sewing pattern book, he was up for the challenge. “I didn’t know any Japanese, but I wanted to make a winter coat for myself,” he recalls. “If you told me then that I would end up going to tailoring school in the UK, I would never have believed you. But that’s exactly what happened.” Inspired by his coat-making odyssey (he made all the coats in the book, blogging the whole process), he became one of the first foreign students at the Tailoring Academy in Macclesfield, Cheshire, in the textile heartland of the UK. Now Duane runs Hold Fast Bespoke, a tailoring company based in Georgetown, Maine, where he makes fine custom jackets, coats, and waistcoats for clients all over the state.

To learn more about Duane, please visit our blog: https://mainecrafts.org/stitch-2026-designer-profile-duane-macleod-hold-fast-bespoke/

You can find Duane at www.holdfastbespoke.com

STITCH: Runway Show + Style Market
- Thursday, June 4
- 5pm - 9pm, Runway @ 7pm
- Maine Studio Works | 170 Anderson Street, Portland
- Purchase tickets: www.mainecrafts.org/programs/stitch/ (link in bio)

Video content created by

05/29/2026

Maine Crafts Association is pleased to welcome Eleanor Anne Cox of Pritlove for her debut at the STITCH 2026 Runway and Style Market, on Thursday, June 4th at Maine Studio Works!

Eleanor Anne Cox of Pritlove is a life-long sewist, complete with photographic proof of her early textile adventures. Eleanor comes from a long line of artists and makers, including her great-grandmother Winifred Pritlove, an avid seamstress, and her company’s namesake. After picking up the sewing machine at age 6, Eleanor was working for Maine fashion designer and 2025 STITCH keynote speaker Jill McGowan by age 15, before decamping for the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. After F.IT., Eleanor worked for several start-up brands, made it to Paris fashion week, and worked on costuming for films. Having seen so much of the fashion industry, including its many challenges with sustainability, Eleanor is excited to return to her hometown of Portland and build her slow fashion business in a community of artists and makers.

To learn more about Eleanor, please visit our blog to continue reading her story: https://mainecrafts.org/stitch-2026-designer-profile-eleanor-cox-pritlove/

You can find Eleanor at www.pritlove.com

STITCH: Runway Show + Style Market
- Thursday, June 4
- 5pm - 9pm, Runway @ 7pm
- Maine Studio Works | 170 Anderson Street, Portland
- Purchase tickets: https://mainecrafts.org/programs/stitch/ (link in bio)

Video content created by

05/29/2026

Maine Crafts Association is pleased to welcome Johnny Syron back to the STITCH 2026 Runway and Style Market, on Thursday, June 4th at Maine Studio Works!

Johnny is a multidisciplinary artist who works in multiple media, including wood, metal, and fabric. Primarily designing in leather, he creates silhouettes that he describes as “everyday art wear”: pieces that can be worn comfortably but that also make a statement. He believes that our clothing has a unique power to transform our society: “When we choose to change our outer appearance, we begin to change the traditional societal models and beliefs that bind our lives.” He envisions a future where, as he puts it, “a non-binary world is free of racism, sexism, and homophobia.”

To learn more about Johnny, please visit our blog to continue reading his story: https://mainecrafts.org/stitch-2026-designer-profile-johnny-syron/

Find more of his work at www.trueselfcouture.com

STITCH: Runway Show + Style Market
- Thursday, June 4
- 5pm - 9pm, Runway @ 7pm
- Maine Studio Works | 170 Anderson Street, Portland
- Purchase tickets: https://mainecrafts.org/programs/stitch/ (link in bio)

Video content created by

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Gardiner, ME

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+12072050791

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