The holiday season might have crept up on YOU, but local craft show organizers have been hard at work setting up so many shows in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas. Every weekend between now and the end of the year you will be able to go and buy local and handmade. Crafty Bastards veterans can be found at all of these events so mark your calenders!

11/15, Holiday Heap, Baltimore MD
Holiday Heap is an indie craft fair featuring a jury-selected group of more than 50 of the country’s most renegade crafters, selling their own handmade jewelry, screenprinted apparel, stuffed toys, cermaics, knitwear, paper goods and so much more! Come this Saturday (November 15th) to St. John’s Church at 2640 St. Paul Street from 10am - 5pm for Holiday Heap. For more info, check out their Web site.

11/28-29, Bazaart American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore MD
A Holiday Marketplace of original creations by 50 regional artists and craftspeople. Painting, sculpture, papercrafts, metalwork, jewelry, textiles, mixed media, and other work that simply defies categorization. FREE ENTRY. American Visionary Art Museum, Jim Rouse Visionary Center 3rd Floor. More info.

12/6, Craft Mutiny Holiday Booty Market, Washington, D.C.
Start your holiday shopping off right, by buying handmade from the 20 coolest indie crafters in Washington, D.C. There will be snacks and music and free goodie bags to the first 100 shoppers! This cozy little show is at Hilda’s in the National City Christian Church on Thomas Circle from 12-6pm. This event is sponsored by Dekka and Chipotle. List of vendors coming soon at their Web site.

12/7, Creative Alliance Merry Mart, Baltimore, MD
No manic mall madness necessary! Do your holiday shopping at The Patterson from 11am-5pm! 35 + handpicked artists sell some the best of Baltimore-made items. Gorgeous turned vessels, elegant jewelry, whimsical stuffed critters, origami lights, felt applique, hand knits, housemade soaps, wacky fly swatters, photos in jars, totally cool totes, and mucho more. More info.

12/7, SquidFire’s 2008 Winter Art Mart, Baltimore, MD
Join Squidfire and many other vendors at the Lyric Opera House (110 West Mount Royal Avenue – Baltimore, MD 21201) on Sunday December 7, 12-6:30pm. Check out the vendor list on their Web site.

12/13, Craft Mutiny Holiday Trunk Show, Washington, D.C.
Get your last minute indie holiday shopping done with Washington, D.C.’s favorite indie craft collective Craft Mutiny, at Design Within Reach Georgetown (3307 Cady’s Alley N.W.) on Saturday, December 13th from 10am-5pm. Buy handmade goods and meet local crafters at this one-day event, hosted at the slickest home store in D.C. One-of-a-kind goods for sale include clothing, stationary, prints, jewelry, handspun yarn, plush items and more. List of vendors coming soon at their Web site.

12/14, BEST Trunk Show Double Dutch Boutique, Baltimore MD
More info coming soon!

12/21 Black Cat Rock-n-Shop, Washington, D.C.
Hunting for that perfect holiday gift? Looking to augment your hardcore collection with some essential records? Searching for the perfect T-shirt? Stop right there, my friend! Rock-n-Shop is where it’s all at. This twice-yearly junk sale offers more than the standard fare…for one thing, it’s not all junk. To reserve a space please contact Maegan.

> Top of the post image is of Scandinavian Reindeer - Set of 6 Gocco Printed Holiday Cards by papermenagerie.

Tina Seamonster’s new podcast, Hello Craft, is collecting your stories of making and buying handmade. That was a plug.

I’ve wanted to learn how to sew since I was young, but I’ve always shyed away from classes where you need to shell out big bucks to use machines that intimidate the hell out of me… so I say thank goodness for the DC Threads Sewing Lounge.

The DC Threads Sewing Lounge is a free program held on the second Saturday of each month at the North Michigan Recreation Center (1333 Emerson St, NE, Washington, DC 20017) from1-4pm. The first session will be held on October 11th.

Participate in a “sew-n-tell” hour where you can bring projects you are working on to share tips and exchange ideas, followed by guided projects that are fun and beginner-friendly. You’ll need to bring your own supplies, but sewing machines are provided, and best of all… the sessions are FREE!

DC Threads is a great resource for local sewers. Get info on their Lounge and local sewing classes, find out where fabric stores are near you, and lots more at www.dcthreads.org.

Celebrate summer shopping in DC with the Mid-City Dog Days of Summer Sidewalk Sale. This weekend-long event will take place on August 2nd and 3rd in Mid-City, the area surrounding 14th and U Streets NW.

This Sidewalk Sale is not only a great opportunity to eat, drink and shop at discount prices, but it also takes place during DC’s Tax Free Holiday, which is an awesome bonus!

Mid-City doesn’t have the frenzy of tourists that Downtown has, nor the shopping frenzy of places like Georgetown… and that’s a good thing for locals. Mid-City’s attraction is its ever-growing assortment of small restaurants and cute boutiques that ooze neighborly charm… and it’s the cute boutiques make this area a definite stop for weekend shopping.

We all know that shopping for affordable indie finds in the District used to be almost impossible…. but Mid-City has become a hub of sorts of eclectic clothing stores with handmade dresses and accessories from local independent designers, not-your-average shoe stores, funky shops that sell everything from magnets to one-of-a-kind glassware, and a Saturday Farmer’s Market that supports local growers.

Some of my favorite Mid-City shops that support local indie crafters and artists, or are just plain cool, include:

Dekka (1338 U Street, second floor)
Nana (1528 U Street)
Lettie Gooch Boutique (1911 9th Street)
Garden District Interior (14th and Church Streets)
Miss Pixies (1626 14th Street)
Pop (1803-A 14th Street)
Go Mama Go (1809 14th Street)

So get down to Mid-City this weekend for the Dog Days of Summer Sidewalk Sale. You’ll be in for some sweet shopping and a host of other free activities. For a full list of participating shops, restaurants, bars theaters and galleries, as well as discounts and events, check out midcitylife.com.