THE PURPLE THUMB 1887 Queen East 647-349-1009 thepurplethumb.net
With a name like the Purple Thumb, with its allusion to getting your hands dirty and DIY bruising, Jamie Grant’s Beach boutique is clearly devoted to the local and handmade. Forty-five Canadian designers are featured on the shop’s racks, and a good number of them call the immediate Queen and Woodbine neighbourhood home.
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Orange Juice Jewels offers budget-friendly costume pieces strung with colourful beads, while Holly Pagnacco creates statement earrings out of sparkling baubles and charms. House of Hsueh’s Benita Hsueh pieces together vintage fabric and found remnants to create a cute line of patchwork clutches.
A growing fair trade selection includes hand-embroidered toddler dresses by Mexicraft, and Lady Mosquito felt bags that completely unzip to pack flat.
Purple Thumb picks: The bestseller from the Kibo all-natural soap collection is the Garden of Eden bar with its mix of olive oil, lemongrass and lavender, $4 pastel-coloured sea pearls are strung on black wire to create a My Belle Bijoux bracelet, $35 So-Fine’s six-way dress flips inside out and converts into a skirt, $65.
Look for: A downstairs event space hosting classes and craft sales opening by the holiday season.
Hours: Monday to Sunday 11 am to 7 pm.
