E-Mail This Article to a Friend DIY Bazaar Bizarre: bigger, better, and in book form BY DEIRDRE FULTON

When it comes to gifts, homemade trumps store-bought any day. Knowing this, a bunch of Bostonians founded the Bazaar Bizarre in 2001, providing creative craftsters with a forum in which to sell and show off their handcrafted, offbeat, and punkish goods. The event was a huge success, and grew in popularity when it spread to Los Angeles and Cleveland.

This year, Boston’s Bazaar Bizarre event will be held in the giant Cyclorama on December 11. And now the town’s best one-day flea market comes in convenient book form.

Thanks to Bazaar brain Greg Der Ananian, you can try your hand at quilting, printmaking, and bookbinding projects with Bazaar Bizarre (Viking Studio, $16.95). The tome will teach you how to really do it yourself, complete with shopping lists, detailed instructions, and crafting soundtracks (listen to the Misfits while you make a craft tote, the Ramones while you pour your own anarchy soap, the Smiths while you knit a winter cap).

"Contrary to the popular conclusion of an uncritical observer," Der Ananian reminds his readers, "BazBiz isn’t out to destroy grannies with all our punk-rock nonsense." Rather, it’s out to honor granny by taking crafting to today’s level of funk. And perhaps by giving someone Bazaar Bizarre this holiday season, you’re more likely to receive something properly subversive next year.

This year’s Bazaar Bizarre will be held on Sunday, December 11, from 1 to 8 pm at the Cyclorama, 539 Tremont Street, South Boston. See www.bazaarbizarre.org/boston/ for more information.

Check out our Seasons supplement for many Bazaar Bizarre items.