Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to fill out our Crafty Facebook survey: it's great to get to know a few readers and find out what you do. From now on I'll be featuring group members' work on the site and today, I'd like to introduce Annabeth Orton aka Glittermouse, who works with reused glass and tin to bring you richly decorated items which brighten and enhance interiors in a sustainably aware way.
Mouse, a selection of whose work you can see in the image above, is so committed to the idea of reusing discarded items that she's even been known to 'rescue' items such as discarded bottles and glasses from the streets in the aftermath of a Saturday night!
Read on over the jump to find out more about Glittermouse's work
Continue reading >>
Ever since I dropped in on East London craft haven Fabrications I've been dying to speak to its owner, Barley Massey, and find out how she manages to combine her commitment to ethical and eco-friendly living with running the shop and studio space.
As well as running classes and selling materials, Barley sells her own line of original recycled products in the store. So I started by asking her about how long she's been involved in this thrifty and sustainable area of design.
Read on after the jump for the interview
Continue reading >>
When she founded the Cast Off knitting club back in 2000, Rachael Matthews was a major catalyst in the crafty revolution that was to capture the imaginations of countless hip young things. She now co-owns the East London art space and haberdashery Prick your Finger, where I caught up with her to ask her how it's all going.
CC Where did the idea for Prick your Finger begin?
RM We opened in June 2007. Louise Harries and I went to college together and we have been friends ever since. I was running Cast Off Knitting Club and writing books on knitting, and Louise was a designer at Hoxton Boutique. We were both country girls living in the inner city, and we were concerned about the materials we were forced to use in our knitting - they never seemed to come from UK based sources.
Read on over the jump for the rest of the interview
Continue reading >>
If you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, you'll already be eagerly awaiting the release of Coraline, the animated film adaptation of his 2002 novella.
As you might imagine, the film is set to be a visual treat; a feast of colour and texture. The tiny models used to create the characters will be wearing miniature hand-knitted creations by Althea Crome. But if you'd like to be able to wear the costumes yourself - or make them for someone else - Jenn of Nipperknits is who you need to talk to, as she's been commissioned to make lifesize versions of the outfits. I spoke to Jen to get the lowdown on working on Coraline, where to find the movie patterns, and on what inspires her.
Follow the jump for the interview
Related: Bugknits miniatures to star in new Neil Gaiman movie
Continue reading >>
I'm a huge fan of plush toys, and make a fair few myself, so it's great to see another toy maker being featured on the main page of Etsy this week. The user FantasticToys makes some delicious plush goodies, with rich colours and hugable shapes. The interview gives great insite into the life of the crafter, from their earliest crafting experiences to what inspires their work.
This week, I was delighted to get the chance to speak to Megan Reardon, whose Not Martha blog has become an institution for aspiring crafty god(esse)s everywhere. Accessible, stylish and easy to follow, her how to make stuff section makes these lofty ambitions seem a whole lot more achievable, as she tackles home improvement, cookery and clothing, while her main blog gives us an insight into how she gets on. For the full interview, read on after the jump.
CC: Since you started your blog in 2001, the online craft community has grown at quite a rate. What do you think of the other craft blogs around at the moment and which are your favourites?
NM: I like them all. I myself tend to not join message board type sites, but there is so much useful information and inspirational stuff to be found on them. I cannot say I have favorites, but I love the Craft Zine blog; they are always featuring things I never would have seen otherwise. I also love keeping up with Susan Beal, because she really keeps track of what is going on in the community and is so active with groups.
Continue reading >>
Here in the UK, crafting is still considered a bit of a minority pursuit by many. The 'granny' image still refuses to check in to the great old folks' home of hobbies, and despite the efforts of many groups like Stitch 'n' Bitch London and iKnit London, crafters outside the capital are too often in a minority.
To find out what's being done about this, I spoke to Sally Fort, life-long craft goddess and founder member of the recently created Manchester Craft Mafia about how one group of crafters in the North of England got together to form a hip and happening network of creative professionals; a must-read if you're thinking of setting up a group of your own. Follow the jump for the interview.
Continue reading >>
digg this |
del.icio.us this
| 
Stumble It!
