CROSS COUNTRY CRAFT CHECKUP: montreal

Welcome to the first installment of Cross Country Craft Checkup, where the TCA checks in on crafty haps in other places in Canada. (See here for more info on the concept). We’ll begin with la belle ville de Montreal, a city dense with creative types living cheaply, keeping odd hours, and making awesome stuff happen. Thanks to Luce, Vanessa, Janick, and Melanie for their suggestions, and Worn Journal for their Montreal listings. Please do leave comments about your own Montreal crushes.

:::MONTREAL:::

Stores that sell handmade stuff
During a recent visit I was particularly bowled over by the number of stores selling independent designer-y stuff in the Mile-End area – many which are a venue for the store owners’ lines as well as other local makers. Check ‘em out:

General 54 54 St-Viateur W.
Local 23 23 Bernard St. W.
L’Arterie 176 Bernard West (Also home to Elle Corazon)
Headquarters 1649 rue. Amherst
Folle Guenille 4039 Sainte-Catherine Est
Crazy Lily 6300, rue Saint-Hubert
Lustre 4429 blvd. St-Laurent
Cul-de-Sac 3966, boul. St-Laurent
Le Marche Mtl 24 Des Pins Ave. E
Appartement 51 51 St. Paul Ouest
Galerie Noel Guyomarc'h Bijoux d'Art 137, rue Laurier Ouest
Indyish (online store)

Montreal Makers
Lotsa Mtl. designers are using recycled materials in their work. Guess their green rep is well deserved!

Clothing
Complex Geometries conceptual handmade clothing and jewellery
Morales clothing design (boutique at 5392 boulevard St-Laurent)
Papaya(Qc. City) clothing and accessories
Valerie Dumaine clothing design
ON&ON recycled clothing and accessories
Oom screenprinted clothing
88 Queen Street clothing design
Bodybag by Jude clothing design
Fairyesque clothing design
Moly Kulte recycled clothing, jewellery & accessories
Myco Anna clothing design
New K. Industry fair trade clothing design
Majolie knitwear for girls and boys
Sonia Levesque plus sized clothing design (boutique: 6303, Saint-Hubert Street)

Accessories
Posch recycled tees & bag (see the designer's great French and English sustainable design blog here)
Jen Ham sewn bags and patches
Pinpals felt and cross-stitched pins
Jihane sewn bags
Movement knit fabric hats and scarves
Rachel F. recycled fur and leather accessories
Ryoko Wada recycled kimono bags and accessories
Tetu tetu hats and accessories made from recycled materials
Lonely Cowgirls sewn accessories

Jewellery
Nea mixed media
Vanessa Yanow glass, felt, wire & zippers
Powerhaus
Zhubao wire, stone & wood
Missy Industry silver
astrik silver and beaded
Harikiri
Rony Design tulle, feather, and silver
Za.nu collage
Anne Marie Chagnon glass and metal
okzoo recyled plastic jewellery

Other fun stuff
Damed Dollies dolls and screenprinted clothing & accessories
La puce a l’agonie plush toys
Dame Plume stationary (atelier/store at 150, rue Saint-Viateur Ouest)
Ruby Faz magnets and stationary
Lampi Lampa lamps from recycled objects
Bure & Linon textile design for the home
Serigraphie Populaire (Seripop) screenprinted posters

Craft fairs
In a city this crafty there must be more…please share if you know of any.

October
Puces Pop (during the Pop Montreal festival) December

December
Indyish insta-boutique
Hot Cakes Craft Fair (formerly known as the Rusty Plum Bazaar)
SOUK@SAT
Roy Street Collective Christmas Emporium

Supplies
Some truly unique craft supply options in this city. My personal faves are marked with *s.

Oiseau Bleu 4146 rue Sainte-Catherine E ::: general craft supplies
Omer DeSerres: various locations ::: general craft supplies (French version of Loomis)
*Les Brodeuse 5364, boul. Saint-Laurent ::: embroidery supplies and workshops, plus a great little embroidery museum
Au Papier Japonais 24 Fairmont O. ::: Japanese papery - offer workshops in bookbinding, latern making, collage, etc.
Atelier Soleil 371, rue Roy E. ::: bookbinding supplies and workshops
Bure et Linon 1129 Belanger ::: coriedale and silk wools in natural and dyed colours for felting
Knitting stores in Montreal (note particularly *Magasin de Fibres L. B. Inc. (2270 Mt. Royal East) where you can pick out individual fibres and have them spin your custom yarn)
*Rix-rax 801, rue Gilford ::: buttons, trim & other embellishments
Rubans, Boutons 4818, St-Denis ::: ribbons & buttons

Galleries

The Long Hall 450 Beaumont (also an artist studio space/ community hub)
Roy Street Gallery 111 Roy St. E.
Belgo Building 372 Saint Catherine St W.
Zeke’s Gallery 3955 Saint Laurent
Le Centre des Textiles Contemporains de Montreal/ The Montréal Centre for Contemporary Textile 5800, rue St-Denis, #501

Etc.

Uncatogorizable but definitely worth a mention:

Projet Mobilivre/Bookmobile Project Travelling airstream trailer with amazing, submission-based zine collection. Montreal & Philly based.
Montreal Church of Craft The first Church of Craft in Canada (co-founded by yours truly).
Worn Fashion Journal Indie mag with alternative take on fashion and design. Profiles local artists and designers as well as covering general fashion & craft related topics. Montreal-based with coverage of Toronto & New York.

Image credits: Top: Vanessa Yanow zipper necklaces, indyish.com logo, Morales boutique & clothing, Pin Pals felt brooch, Damned dollie, Les Brodeuses logo, Projet Mobilivre/Bookmobile Project.