Sharing the Love

When a group of talented crafters comes together for a Valentines Day party, the resulting handmade valentines are as hip as they are heartfelt.Back in 2003, when Maura Madden invited friends to her New York apartment to make valentines one afternoon, she never thought the gluing and painting would still be going strong after midnight. We just had an amazing time it was more fun than I could have imagined, says Madden, who embraced her childhood love of crafting that day. After that, she started getting people together for knitting, sewing, and jewelry making, and began inviting more friends and friends of friends. The events outgrew her apartment and moved to cozy bars and restaurants. Fast forward eight years, and Madden has written a book, Crafternoon, on crafting parties and cohosts Handmade Crafternoon, a monthly salon at the main branch of the New York Public Library.