Crafty Queens
Your guide to local Etsy shops
44 DECEMBER 2 0 1 7
By ALLISON KRIDLE
Queens Knits
On her Etsy shop, Queens Knits, Flushing-raised knitter Christine Gibson
sells infinity scarves, cowl scarves and Queens-themed coffee cozies, which
have circular patches representing the various Astoria subway lines.
“I like to think my customers will get a hot cup of coffee from the deli or
coffee shop and pop a knit cozy onto it to keep their hands
cool and their coffee hot while riding the subway into
work,” Gibson said.
The scarves Gibson knits are a “labor of love,”
she said, since each cowl scarf takes her about
six hours.
“I like to keep mine on all day because my office
is freezing,” Gibson said. “Each one is knit
with two strands of yarn at one time, so it’s extra
warm and I knit them tight.”
Beyond Etsy, shoppers can find Gibson’s
work for sale locally at The Brass Owl, Q.E.D.,
Chateau Le Woof, Inside Astoria, and at craft fairs
such as the Astoria Tiny Market and The Queens
Craft Brigade.
EXPLORE YOUR BORO
As the holidays approach and everything in western Queens becomes frost-covered
and glistening in lights, the neighborhood is in high spirits, but the stress of finding
the perfect gift for loved ones can feel heavy. However, it doesn’t have to take a million
chaotic trips to Macy’s or Best Buy to find a cherished item; there are plenty of western
Queens artists and vendors who make unique gifts for under the tree.
These local creatives sell their goods on the artisan-focused online site Etsy to offer
everything from Queens-centric embroidered goods to fashionable jewelry. You won’t
need to leave your home on a chilly day to these support local businesses, and you’ll
know that your gift is one-of-a-kind.
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Photos courtesy of Queens Knits