An explosion of handmade crafts is about to happen in a place one can only describe as a Mecca for fine design. That’s right, on October 17th, 2009 from 10am to 5pm, the Chelsea area of Manhattan will host the first ever “Crafts in Chelsea” festival where you can chat with local artists to learn the stories behind those one-of-a-kind gifts.

PS 11 and The {New New}, a NY Metro group of online Etsy Sellers, will take over 21st Street between 8th and 9th Avenues and invite you to bask in a smorgasbord of the best handmade crafts. From jewelry to handbags and more this festival will have the latest and greatest from the most talented artists in the New York area.  

That’s not all. When the kids tire of watching you drool over the eye-catching new fashions and “have to have” artwork, let them spend some time hanging with the animals. With a petting zoo, free food, games, an awesome bouncy castle and lots of other munchkins to play with parents can feel free to let the kids play while they shop for the finest handmade goods Chelsea has to offer.

Check out this list of Etsy shops participating:

1178 designs	JdavisStudio	Precious Dragon
A Studio by the Sea	Journalistic Tendencies	PrismPop
Abby Horowitz Designs	JTopolski	Pulp Sushi
AD Jewelry Design	Kara Mia Sofia	Pure Spa Squared
Adornments NYC	Keithyzq	Purple Flower Inc
Alexandra Ferguson	Kitty Jones	Purtybird
Art & Sould Gallery	La Mano Pottery	Sarustar
Baby Noir	La Pistolera	Sindige
Be Noticed Jewelry	L'atelier des bijoux	Softboild
Better Than Jam	LC Originals	Stellar Vision Creations
Blanca Lupina	Lingua Nigra	Stoopher & Boots
Bugged Out	Little Bunny	TepperWear
Caja Jewelry	Loella Medina	The Original Beadscarf
Central Bark Designs	Lovely Day Designs	TTinTin
Chavala Designs	Luis Fernando	Red Bridge Studio
Charlie & Sarah	McFlashpants	Rox Creations
Citybitz	Mellowbeing	Violette
Collective Elements	Metalicious	Virginia Kraljevic
Dainty Creations	Meya's Peace	Vyphuis Designs
Enchantragirl	Micci Designs Knitwear	Wabisabi Brooklyn
Ellis Designs	Molly Made	WarpeDesign
Eve Simone Photography	Muppetloon	Windows Of Agate
Face of Contentment Design	Mulry Jewels	Wish by Felicity
Firelight Jewelry & Designs	My Needle Habit	Woolly Boo
Gneissspice	New York Clocks	Ximi's Collage Art
Gramkin Paper Studio	Nordea's Soaperie	Yania Creations
Greenware Ceramics	Owliday Inn
Groundsel	Panda With Cookie
The Honey Pot Shop	elements for inspired living
Imani Miller Designs	Pisces Are Dreamers
Informal Elegance	PCharming
Isla New York	Posh Adornments
Jantar