Knitting,spinning, dyed yarn and fibre, felting and crochet too
Last years show was one of the wettest on record and was literally a wash out for many of the traders. This year it looks like the sun is paying us visit and I may well need a sunhat & suncream. The East Sussex Guild Weavers,Spinners & Dyers will as usual be demonstrating their skills with members from other local guilds. We will be in a marquee near the alpaca show.
I will be there on Sunday demonstrating needle felting and broomstick crochet.
The show is also open on Bank Holiday Monday.
This year I have the pleasure of taking part in a Vintage Christmas at the All Saints Centre, Friars Walk. With lots of warming handknits, vintage needles, patterns and tree decorations to tempt you. Open from 5pm til 9.30ish the fair will offer lots of tempting gifts with the added bonus of a cocktail bar.
Places still available at Made in Lewes, at the Needlemakers.
NEEDLE FELTED CHRISTMAS GARLAND
Wednesday 21st November from 7-9.30- £25.00 per person (2 places for £40.00)
Create your own eco friendly and unbreakable felt garland to decorate your tree or your door.
No previous experience required, suitable for all ages.
I will supply all the necessary ingredients, you bring imagination and enthusiasm!
We will be using Christmas shaped cookie cutters so if you have a special one please bring that too
Contact Jay 07845 143664
For folk over in West Sussex I am pleased to tell you there is a workshop planned for the 26th November at Make. Limited places so book soon! Make yourself some felt tree decorations.
7.30-9.30pm
£15.00 per person. Materials included.
Here is the link to their web page
http://makehorsham.wordpress.com/
Places still available at Made in Lewes, at the Needlemakers, on the following workshops
NEEDLE FELTED CHRISTMAS GARLAND
Wednesday 21st November from 7-9.30- £25.00 per person (2 places for £40.00)
Create your own eco friendly and unbreakable felt garland to decorate your tree or your door.
No previous experience required, suitable for all ages.
I will supply all the necessary ingredients, you bring imagination and enthusiasm!
We will be using Christmas shaped cookie cutters so if you have a special one please bring that too!
BUILD YOUR OWN SNOWMAN
Sunday 25th November 10am-3pm £48.00
Some experience beneficial but not essential! We will build a snowman/person using clean sheep wool. Use as a table decoration or place in the window. Knitting or crochet skills useful to make hat and scarf for snowman but not necessary.
All ingredients supplied but feel free to bring favourite yarn/needles.
There is a cafe on site but feel free to bring packed lunch.
Please email me knitwit95@gmail.com to book you place on any of the workshops. Or phone 07845143664.
Paul Martins Handmade Revolution will start on BBC2 tomorrow at 3.45. It is a 10 part series shown daily so I will be glued to the TV for the 10 days it’s on! With any luck you may see either me or my giant pumpkin in the title sequences. I have been told I shall be appearing in the 17th October show. I must have been in the background when Paul was chatting to Denise about knitting and crochet.
The giant pumpkin is ready to be adopted, he is fed up living in a barn! he has some smaller friends too!
Still reeling from the amazing event, this year over 7000 people made their way through the Corn Exchange to investigate all the fantastic goings on.
Last year I set up a make a ball event which was amazing, thinking I’d like let more visitors have a chance of learning to needlefelt I made over 100 balls thinking it would be fun (and quick) just to decorate the balls. Super Hero’s seemed like a good theme and thanks to my son the table looked amazing, covered in super hero posters there was lots to inspire everyone. I had made a few samples too.
With 3 volunteers we used up all the balls by the end of the day and had inspired many youngsters as well as quite a few not so young! I couldn’t have done it alone, my volunteers were literally thrown in at the deep end as I wasn’t quite myself having had a melanoma removed from my face just 2 days before! I was supposed to be resting!
I was staying in a little B & B in Kemp Town so had to get a taxi to take my huge box and just as big suitcase to the Corn Exchange where helpful volunteers were ready and waiting. All through the day we were plied with fresh water and a well received lunch.
Once again there was no let up, people just kept on coming! Needles kept on breaking, a few injuries were sustained (some from my helpers?) but the fun kept on happening!
Too pooped for the after party I caught the bus back to the B & B and ate my breakfast cereal before collapsing in a heap!
Thoughts for next year on a postcard please……
I’m preparing like mad for this years’ extravaganza in the Corn Exchange, Brighton. With over 50 interactive maker stalls, including mine, it is shaping up to be bigger and better than last year. Last year we made felt balls, this year I’ve made the balls which visitors will decorate in the likeness of their favourite super hero or anyone else! Comics will be available to use as inspiration.
Free entry to all, some workshops will be free but mine will cost a little. I will also have bags of fibre and spare needles to purchase.
My little car is being used to dry all the washed fleece that I need to make them as well as the balls. I think there are about 50 in there so far.
I have had a go at decorating my own ball, not sure what it’s supposed to look like but I had fun doing it anyway! I’ve called him ‘Felt Man’
I auditioned for the programme at the end June but was informed I didn’t make the final, I was however invited to the filming and asked to bring George the giant pumpkin too.
The Craft Club contacted me to see if I was willing to help run a knitting workshop throughout the day so more fun to be had. Sheena and family accompanied me and upon arrival we were shown the table under a tree where the yarn & needles waited for us. Denise arrived and after quick intro’s we set to work on knitting squares. Before too long I was asked to join the other makers for some filming. Paul Martin looked quite relaxed as he went over his lines but it took quite a few takes before the producer was happy. Thankfully it wasn’t raining! We had time to chat to other makers and moved around a bit to get the ‘introduction’ shots done.
Meanwhile Sheena and Denise were busy recruiting volunteers to knit or crochet a square or two. Grafitti knitters had decorated some lampposts and trees with bunting and pom poms and stalls were set up with demonstrations of wet felting, soap making and wood-turning. Denise showed me how to arm knit, fabulous when you’ve no needles!
By the end of the day we must have had over 30 squares all crocheted together.
I think the show will air in the Autumn, should be interesting! Look out for George in the introductions!
On Thursday Sheena & her boys came with me to the W.D.O.A.M. Sheena & I were to steward the amazing exhibition of the National Guild Weavers,Spinners & dyers so it looked like a long day for the boys- 11 and 14. I came up with a challenge, find and photograph ten items. Something brown, something flying, part of a building,part of a shepherd’s hut, grass,tree,sky,something with 4 legs, wood & stone. The youngest one was up for the challenge so off he went with my camera and about an hour later I saw the amazing results! I have put my ten favourites on flickr for all the world to see! These are my favourites
