Friday 27 May 2011

Vintage D.I.Y. Craft Night... and Vintage Frolicks!!!



To coincide with the new production of "Girlfriends" a WW2 play we'll be hosting a 1940's inspired craft night!
Join us on Thursday the 9th of June at Ye Olde Rose & Crown for vintage fun and crafty frolics...

‘Make Do and Mend’
EAST LONDON CRAFT GUERRILLA will be offering a retro fascinator workshop* and there will be limited edition vintage inspired craft packs to buy and make on the night. Enjoy the company of fellow creative comrades!
*Please pre-book the fascinator workshop by emailing: munano@yahoo.com,
or for further details visit www.craftguerrilla.com

‘Beauty is your Duty’
CLAIRE HAIR will be there to transform you into a '40s starlet, with a Victory Roll or two. Have your eyes and lips made up to complement your new 'do' and complete the vintage look.
Limited spaces available so first come, first served!
Find ‘ClAIRE HAIR’ on Facebook

‘Go Through Your Wardrobe’
FRILLSEEKERS VINTAGE, Walthamstow’s specialists in wearable vintage clothing, will be tempting you ladies with a fresh collection of individually sourced day and evening wear from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s.
www.frillseekersvintage.com

The Rose & Crown Theater pub presents:
Set in England during WW2, Girlfriends explores the lives of two best friends and celebrates the members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force as they struggle to survive and fight to win.
Girlfriends :: 7th June – 1st July :: more info at www.allstarproductions.co.uk

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Aurevoir Craft Month...

This Friday the 27th of May we'll be at Creative Biscuit in South Woodford to bid a fond good bye to our gorgeous hosts and collaborators. Without them we wouldn't had been able to host this month's CRAFTAVAGANZA!
Craft Guerrilla would also like to say THANK YOU to all the lovely tutors that shared their skills helping and teaching people make beautiful things in their workshops. We've had great feed back from bothg tutors and punters...Aw, you talented people are just too darn good!!!
So if you're feeling the LURVE just as much as we are get your pretty little self onto the Central Line and join us from 6pm for our Crafternoon party.
Tim's been baking (and I've seen his millionaire shortbread...ladies you will be wanting to snatch this man away from Karen and keep him in your kitchens!), Karen's making cocktails and we've been creating a few new craft packs for you to purchase and make!

Where?
Creative Biscuit
61 George Lane
South Woodfored, London E18 1JJ
T:020 8532 2824

When?

Friday 27th of May
6 pm to 9.30 pm

Entry?

£5.00 on the door includes tea and cake or cocktail and cake,
small charge per craft pack.

Getting there:
Central Line
W12 From Walthamstow

Tuesday 24 May 2011

Forest Arts & Crafts...


Our good friends over in Chingford are planning a very busy summer! The Forest Art & Crafts group have quite a busy diary so no excuses...you really must pop in to see just what they are up to!

"A Summer of Art Exhibitions on Chingford Green
June 4, July 2, August 6,
September 3....
Between 10am and 4pm on North Chingford Green outside the Library

As well as fantastic artists we are hoping to have some of our makers and crafters along as well this Summer..........
For further information please go to www.forestartandcraftse4.blogspot.com"

Monday 16 May 2011

I knit Guernsey Competition!




Guernsey knitting competition to revive tradition of family patterns

Visit Guernsey has joined together with knitting shop and community group I Knit London to launch the 2011 "iKnit_Guernsey competition". The winner will receive an idyllic break for two to Guernsey courtesy of Fly Guernsey, with £50 iKnit London vouchers available for four runners up. The winning pattern will also be published in a leading UK knitting magazine.

The contest seeks to revive the tradition for families on the island having their own, unique pattern for the iconic maritime sweater. Patterns that re-interpret this tradition should be submitted via pdf upload on the VisitGuernsey facebook page by July 4, 2011.

Gillian Lenfestey, costume curator for the National Trust Guernsey Folk & Costume Museum advised on the project: “The traditional guernsey has evolved from one of Europe’s oldest knitted garments, out of a community knitting tradition on the island that pre-dates the Middle Ages.

“Originally, each Guernsey family had is own distinctive pattern variation which would also indicate which parish they were from. The designs were passed down through the generations orally," Gillian explains.

During the German occupation of the Second World War the community on Guernsey suffered huge upheaval, and even once the younger generation of evacuees returned, many local traditions - such as the local Guernsey-French patois language and the family knitting patterns - were affected: "The guernsey pattern was saved and written down by the Federation of Guernsey Women’s institutes in 1945,” explains Gillian.

According to guernsey manufacturer Guernsey Woollens, patterns on the traditional guernsey, which developed as practical work wear for sailors, are significant: The rib at the top of the sleeve represents a sailing ship’s rope ladder in the rigging, the raised seam across the shoulder a rope, and the garter stitch panel; waves breaking upon the beach.

Those entering the competition are encouraged to creatively re-interpret the original garment, imagining how the family patterns might have looked, or would look today if the tradition had continued and evolved. However, to maintain the guernsey tradition they should attempt to incorporate the following features:
• Inclusion of the traditional box shape
• Using British [or Guernsey!] wool with four or five ply
• Pattern designs for size 10-12

The competition first prize is only available to knitters and designers able to travel from UK daily departure points to Guernsey, however anyone inspired by the idea is welcome to take part on a non-competitive basis.

Gerard Allt owner of I Knit London said:
“The fact that these jumpers went on to influence traditional “Gansy” designs all round the UK coastline is fascinating. We also loved the fact that the guernsey comes from a culture of community based knitting, which is the very thing that we are nurturing with our iknit links local knitting groups initiative.”


Competition guidelines:


The competition will be judged in two rounds. Round one will comprise a paper pattern design and accompanying notes via pdf file upload. Those taking part will need to enter via the VisitGuernsey Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/VisitGuernsey. The deadline for first round entry is July 4, 2011.

Five finalists will then be selected to knit their designs by a panel of experts including Gerard Allt of I Knit London, historian Gillian Lenfestey, Arthur Eldridge co-owner of Guernsey Wollens, and Guernsey knitter, craft teacher and iMake blogger Martine Ellis.

The final garments will be judged during UK national knitting week and announced on October 10, 2011.

What makes a guernsey a guernsey?
• Guernseys are made of single colour worsted yarn, usually four or five ply, tightly knit using fine needles [as small as size 13 or 14].
• The guernsey was originally knitted in the round, with a purl stitch to mark the side seam.
• Patterns are made up of simple knit/ purl combinations, the most elaborate of which would have covered the top half of the body and arms. Patterns on Tudor knitted stockings produced in Guernsey had names such as Turk’s Head, and Peacock’s Tail, which may have also been used on jumper designs.
• Jumpers have a boxy shape which means that they can be worn both ways; front and back (originally to prolong life-span).
• Other common features include a funnel neck, triangular inserts under the arms and at the neck edge, and side splits in the hem for ease of movement.

Friday 13 May 2011

Crafting it the vintage way!


As you know we love making,crafting,creating,wearing and salvaging vintage clothing,vintage style,snazzy hair do's and doing lots of general girlie things! OK but not sickly, pink hued, flowery infused type of girlie things...Not that there's anything wrong with that but it's just not us!
And lets not be sexist neither,all the above are not exclusively for girls we welcome blokes with a dapper sense of style and appreciation for good old fashioned crafty fun plus we love guys who can use their hands! (now,now ladies!)
And so we thought:"Hum, JUNE, lots of summer weddings coming up, festivals, pic nics, parties...What can we do to mark the beginning of the warm,sunny season and the launch of the play "girlfriend" at the rose & crown theater pub (our lovely host venue)?"
Alas the idea of doing a 1940's VINTAGE INSPIRED D.I.Y. CRAFT NIGHT was born!
We'll have a selection of very lovely guests Frill Seekers Vintage and Claire Hair to help us host this event plus you'll be able to make a lovely vintage inspired fascinator in our mini workshop. Keep those peepers pealed as we'll be announcing details very soon.