What makes A Different Drummer 'Different'?
The new technology is making it harder to define a 'craft' as truly handmade.
The method of jurying what is an acceptable craft for A Different Drummer Craft Event is not as simple it seems. Yes, being fussy about what makes a handcrafted item is keeping craftsmanship alive and accessible to everyone. The info below explains part of the jury process. There are always exceptions to any rules but these are the top ones followed.
Sublimated printing: the process of reproducing an image onto cloth or a hard item such as a coffee mug. If you are the original creator of that image and reproduce that image as a greeting card, art print, fabric item (pillow case, dish towel, clothing) it is allowed. Items made with local focus such as coordinates and local sayings (example - Call us when you get to the bridge) are accepted.
Manufactured clothing: Purchased clothing as a base to work on for color dying, hand painting or stenciling, block prints, silkscreening and embroidery is permitted. The item must be decorated at least 25% or more with your designs. Embroidered or silkscreened with solitary trademarked logos on clothing or purchased items such as tote bags and hats does not make it a handcrafted item, that falls under commercial goods.
Assembled vs Handcrafted: Imagination and creativity come into play on this one. Kit made items are not permitted as those are available for purchase by the thousands and reproducing someone else's work. Everything is supplied for you, you do not have to make any part of it (unlike a potter who can make ceramic beads for jewelry items). You assemble, glue or otherwise complete the kit.
That is not technically a handcrafted item as it is not your unique idea made from scratch.
The plastic tumblers, button pins, key fobs that come as blanks with machine cut/reproduced additions do not qualify as a craft.
Fairs are balanced by craft category & booth location
This is simple to explain. There are a number of spaces available and in order to 'balance' the fair, certain categories will have a limited number of booths . That is why the more popular crafts will fill very quickly with only 5-6 spaces available based on the number of applicants. You will not find the fairs being 'top heavy' in one craft compared to the rest. Everyone in each craft has a different approach and style to their work but will not be assigned a booth near another of the same craft. The more craftspeople signed in for the fair, the more folks in the various categories can be accepted as the fair can expand up to 60 booths.