Craft Summer School
It's been a resounding success and we will find a way to keep it all going.
Thank you to everyone who came along, got stuck in and made some amazing craft.
You loved.......
the fantastic choice of materials
space to work in
mooching in the shop
making whatever you wanted
not having to worry about the mess
making robots, castles, cars, pets, cards, pictures, bracelets, flowers ...
So, what next? Ghoul School happens on Saturday 27th October. Be sure to book as places at both sessions are limited. Until then we will try and keep the scrap school set up and offer the space to groups or for craft parties.
Feed your creative side
Friday 7 September 2012
Thursday 6 September 2012
Wednesday 5 September 2012
Yarn bomb update
Well, one week on and no word back from the Council. I think they may have gone into risk assessment meltdown over the whole issue and I'm carrying on regardless as the whole event is going to happen. Besides which I have it on good authority that it has reached the ears of our most Senior Police Officer and he liked the idea - provided we didn't cover up any road signs. As if.
This week has seen a steady stream of customers to the shop asking for instructions about what is needed for the yarn bomb. Not sure where they are call coming from but it seems to be the brigade who rose the the challenge of making 2,000 scarves for penguins for the Rotary Club fundraiser last year. Great to recruit these lovely ladies and looking forward to the amazing work of art that will grace the end of West Street come Friday 12th October.
We have been joking about knitting a set of handcuffs and a ball & chain, just in case ...
Anyone got a pattern?
Tuesday 4 September 2012
For the love of wool - Saturday 20th October 2012
Here is a link to Eventbrite for booking tickets
http://fortheloveofwool.eventbrite.co.uk/
The event is free but if you register we send you all the latest details.
Make and Take Away will be there offering drop-in sessions for feltmaking and needle felting.
Here is a link to Eventbrite for booking tickets
http://fortheloveofwool.eventbrite.co.uk/
The event is free but if you register we send you all the latest details.
Make and Take Away will be there offering drop-in sessions for feltmaking and needle felting.
Wednesday 29 August 2012
Not so secret yarn bomb
Following on from the highly successful craft summer school I have been putting together some events for the autumn and beyond while we wait for the outcome of the lottery funding bid.
As we have lots of yarn based resources and skills it made sense to base an open day around this and so 'For the love of wool' began to take shape. We had a 'yarn bomb' window display earlier in June (International Yarn Bomb Day was 9th June) but we never actually got to bomb the town. It seemed like a perfect way to publicise our open day on the 20th October, I mentioned it to a few people and everyone was really enthusiastic, keen to join in. Within a few days I had offers of live sheep, a time lapse photo shoot, You Tube video, knitters, support from the Leominster in Bloomers and a willing team of volunteers. Now its one thing to pop out under the cover of darkness to create annoymous wool grafitti but once more people are involved and you need some daylight to do the filming, it becomes another matter.
Whose permission do you need? Let's start with no one. "But you might get arrested" said my boss. "All publicity" I said. However, being a good citizen and keen to keep my job I used contacts and asked the Town Council. They thought it sounded like a lot of fun and would be good for the town, "but it's not our decision, you'll have to ask Herefordshire Council" I fixed a smile as I felt my heart sinking.
Three departments later......no one has heard of yarn bombing and think it sounds like something that probably shouldn't be happening. One woman said 'well, of course you realise it's illegal' but couldn't actually tell me how. Is it vandalism? Trespassing? "So what would happen if I actually just did it?" There was silence at the other end before she decided she needed to refer me to someone else, it was the Friday before bank holiday weekend and clearly not what she wanted to try and deal with.
As we have lots of yarn based resources and skills it made sense to base an open day around this and so 'For the love of wool' began to take shape. We had a 'yarn bomb' window display earlier in June (International Yarn Bomb Day was 9th June) but we never actually got to bomb the town. It seemed like a perfect way to publicise our open day on the 20th October, I mentioned it to a few people and everyone was really enthusiastic, keen to join in. Within a few days I had offers of live sheep, a time lapse photo shoot, You Tube video, knitters, support from the Leominster in Bloomers and a willing team of volunteers. Now its one thing to pop out under the cover of darkness to create annoymous wool grafitti but once more people are involved and you need some daylight to do the filming, it becomes another matter.
Whose permission do you need? Let's start with no one. "But you might get arrested" said my boss. "All publicity" I said. However, being a good citizen and keen to keep my job I used contacts and asked the Town Council. They thought it sounded like a lot of fun and would be good for the town, "but it's not our decision, you'll have to ask Herefordshire Council" I fixed a smile as I felt my heart sinking.
Three departments later......no one has heard of yarn bombing and think it sounds like something that probably shouldn't be happening. One woman said 'well, of course you realise it's illegal' but couldn't actually tell me how. Is it vandalism? Trespassing? "So what would happen if I actually just did it?" There was silence at the other end before she decided she needed to refer me to someone else, it was the Friday before bank holiday weekend and clearly not what she wanted to try and deal with.
- No call back today but more support from 2 other craft shops in the town. Suggestions to link with the museum and Priory church, a donation of yarn and offer of machine knittng tuition, a bag full of knitting, a new customer just learning to knit and wanting to join in. All just brilliant. It's going to happen, I'm not taking no on this one.
Monday 20 August 2012
How to make a pompom ice cream
Non-melting, calorie-free ice cream in any flavour you desire!
These were designed for one of the summer-themed windows at ECHO last year but have proved a real hit with people coming in to ask if they can buy them. We've included them in the summer window this year as well.
I'm not giving a full tutorial as basically you make a pompom using colours to suit your flavour and then we stuck them onto real ice cream cornets with pva glue. OK, they're not very durable but fun for the summer. We added flakes (pleated and rolled dark brown card), cherries (mini red pompoms), sprinkles (chopped up bits of wool) and some flags.
These were designed for one of the summer-themed windows at ECHO last year but have proved a real hit with people coming in to ask if they can buy them. We've included them in the summer window this year as well.
I'm not giving a full tutorial as basically you make a pompom using colours to suit your flavour and then we stuck them onto real ice cream cornets with pva glue. OK, they're not very durable but fun for the summer. We added flakes (pleated and rolled dark brown card), cherries (mini red pompoms), sprinkles (chopped up bits of wool) and some flags.
Saturday 18 August 2012
Craft summer school update
Yesterday was officially the last day for summer school but yet again we had a lovely group in who thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and are keen to come back soon.
Plans are well under way for Ghoul School happening on Saturday 27th October which will be at the end of half term week. We'll be offering Sew Spooky to make peg doll witches and cute zombies from 10-12 and then all out horror craft fest from 1-3 with fake blood and severed limbs. Can't wait to make the samples for that one!
Yesterday was officially the last day for summer school but yet again we had a lovely group in who thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and are keen to come back soon.
Plans are well under way for Ghoul School happening on Saturday 27th October which will be at the end of half term week. We'll be offering Sew Spooky to make peg doll witches and cute zombies from 10-12 and then all out horror craft fest from 1-3 with fake blood and severed limbs. Can't wait to make the samples for that one!
Thursday 16 August 2012
Craft Summer School 2012
It's been an amazing 4 weeks at the craft summer school and feedback tells us we should continue to offer it as part of Echo Craft - Leominster's New Creative Hub!
Here are some of the amazing pieces of work, it been such a pleasure to watch the creativity flow.
Here are some of the amazing pieces of work, it been such a pleasure to watch the creativity flow.
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Wednesday 15 August 2012
Hobbycraft Hereford
Hobbycraft Hereford
A few weeks ago one of our regular shop customers suggested that I contact the new Hobbycraft store in Hereford as they were keen to have local crafters in to demonstrate in the store. So I did and its a great idea. They will provide a table in the store and any materials needed. You can show off your talent and sell any made crafts providing they use materials that can be purchased in the store.
I wasn't sure what to demonstrate but finally decided to show how to do feltmaking as it meant I could get my hands on one of GillianGladRags feltmaking kits which I have lusted after since seeing them at a craft show. Rachel came to help and we made our way through the Fiesta Fandangle bracelet and the Ickle Pickle Felt Bag. If you haven't seen Gillian's site it is a gorgeous colour-fest of wooliness, go and check it out here www.gilliangladrag.co.uk. The kits contain all you need, easy instructions and are the perfect introduction to feltmaking if you haven't had a go before.
It wasn't very busy in the store considering it was a Saturday but everyone who came to see us loved the felting
and the staff had a great itme too.
we both had a brilliant day and will be back at the end of September for another session.
A few weeks ago one of our regular shop customers suggested that I contact the new Hobbycraft store in Hereford as they were keen to have local crafters in to demonstrate in the store. So I did and its a great idea. They will provide a table in the store and any materials needed. You can show off your talent and sell any made crafts providing they use materials that can be purchased in the store.
I wasn't sure what to demonstrate but finally decided to show how to do feltmaking as it meant I could get my hands on one of GillianGladRags feltmaking kits which I have lusted after since seeing them at a craft show. Rachel came to help and we made our way through the Fiesta Fandangle bracelet and the Ickle Pickle Felt Bag. If you haven't seen Gillian's site it is a gorgeous colour-fest of wooliness, go and check it out here www.gilliangladrag.co.uk. The kits contain all you need, easy instructions and are the perfect introduction to feltmaking if you haven't had a go before.
It wasn't very busy in the store considering it was a Saturday but everyone who came to see us loved the felting
and the staff had a great itme too.
we both had a brilliant day and will be back at the end of September for another session.
Thursday 19 July 2012
Setting up the craft Summer School
We're getting ready for the craft Summer School which starts 23rd July for 4 weeks. So before it all gets totally crazy, I though I'd write a bit about how this came about.
We started running a few Saturday workshops for 8-12 year olds which were fun and the feedback suggested we should do more, but we needed more numbers.
Rather than trying to promote specific days and times the answer seemed to be to have a block of drop-in sessions in the school holidays invite everyone. A colourful A6 postcard has been printed and the local schools (except for one, which I won't name and shame) have been really supportive to help us promote the event by sending the cards home with the children in their book bags, hopefully to make it onto kitchen noticeboards and fridges around the county. Around 2,500 have gone out so far and I want to thank all of you who help get them delivered in time before the schools broke up.
Summer School is going to be great fun, there is junk modelling and card making, make & take projects plus a whole range of crafts will be demonstrated by staff and participants. The shop has been rearranged and right now the scrap is all tidy in labelled boxes which makes me very happy but I can't wait for the creative chaos next week. It could be a massive success, huge failure or anything in between. It will be fun, exhausting and I know that amazing things are about to unfold.
The theme for the first week is Robots/Dr Who/Space/Aliens/Techy things, you can see its flexible! Then we're doing Circus, Animals and Seaside/Summer festivals or possibly anything really, our customers will decide. Someone gave me egg boxes today and they just have to be a crocodile...
So link here to the Facebook page and watch the fun begin.
If you would like receive the Make & Take newsletter then click here.
We started running a few Saturday workshops for 8-12 year olds which were fun and the feedback suggested we should do more, but we needed more numbers.
Rather than trying to promote specific days and times the answer seemed to be to have a block of drop-in sessions in the school holidays invite everyone. A colourful A6 postcard has been printed and the local schools (except for one, which I won't name and shame) have been really supportive to help us promote the event by sending the cards home with the children in their book bags, hopefully to make it onto kitchen noticeboards and fridges around the county. Around 2,500 have gone out so far and I want to thank all of you who help get them delivered in time before the schools broke up.
Summer School is going to be great fun, there is junk modelling and card making, make & take projects plus a whole range of crafts will be demonstrated by staff and participants. The shop has been rearranged and right now the scrap is all tidy in labelled boxes which makes me very happy but I can't wait for the creative chaos next week. It could be a massive success, huge failure or anything in between. It will be fun, exhausting and I know that amazing things are about to unfold.
The theme for the first week is Robots/Dr Who/Space/Aliens/Techy things, you can see its flexible! Then we're doing Circus, Animals and Seaside/Summer festivals or possibly anything really, our customers will decide. Someone gave me egg boxes today and they just have to be a crocodile...
So link here to the Facebook page and watch the fun begin.
If you would like receive the Make & Take newsletter then click here.
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