So finally after months of planning, designing and nail-biting decisions the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace is here. Starting next week on Thursday 7 October until Sunday 10 October from 10AM until 5.30PM (apart from Sunday when it ends at 5PM) there's a huge pile of crafty goodness available for you to peruse, try and buy!
ShopAs you may remember, earlier this year Craft Guerrilla offered the opportunity for six designer makers to exhibit at the Knitting and Stitching shows in London, Dublin and Harrogate. We are very excited to reveal to you now the six London designers who will be showcasing their items and selling their wares to you next week at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace.
Peppermint Twist - Ariane Dreysse
PEPPERMINT TWIST handcrafts quirky purses and bags in soft nappa leathers and fabrics. All are designed and meticulously made in London, in limited runs.
DESIGNS are whimsical, playful, a little vintage-inspired, yet practical. Common elements are appliqués of horses, ponies, hearts and doves, star-shaped cut-outs, punched motifs, and studded decorations.
Polka Dot Sundays - Jaina Kuntawala 
PolkaDotSundays is the power of one woman on a mission, to make the world a more colourful place. After graduating from Kingston University with a BA in Fine Art (2003), she worked as a prop artist on the childrens television art show, Art Attack. It was here that she discovered the magical possibilities of newspaper.
Now, most of her personal works are made from the humble Sunday paper, transformed and recycled into polka dotted friends.
Boobou Designs - Lindsey Kealey
Boobou Designs create unique soft jewellery and accessories - every design is original and feels as good as it looks! Boobou regularly sell at craft fayres and events in the north London area. We highly recommend you come and see us as the luxury of a Boobou design cannot be fully appreciated without touching one!
Rosalind Price-Cousins
Rosalind creates innovative knitted garments and accessories. Using a variety of unusual yarns, within a combination of complex hand and machine knitting techniques; each unique piece has a surreal edge and has been created to evoke notions of fantasy and escapism.
Like delving into a dressing-up box, these pieces are made to provide enjoyment for decades, and to be loved, worn, and looked after for generations to come.
Forgotten Stitches - Rebekah McMullen
Forgotten Stitches is inspired by crafts from bygone eras and is dedicated to keeping these arts alive. Rebecca sells her items at vintage fairs and Portobello market. Her larger pieces focus homewards but she has recently been concentrating on producing a range of accessories as a result of several commissions.
Sarah Kerry
Sarah's work comes out of a Contemporary Crafts degree from Falmouth. She knits by a seventies hand-powered machine and uses a quilting technique to create her work. Her work is which is well-made, fun and playful - giant biscuits and such like.
StitchCraft Guerrilla will also be holding some workshops including beginners knitting, beginners crochet, upcycled t-shirt crochet fascinators (please bring along an old t-shirt to upcycle if you have one), upcycled t-shirt necklaces (again, please bring a t-shirt to upcycle) and beginners patchwork. Places are limited and advance bookings for Alexandra Palace have now sold out so please ask about places when you arrive. If you're coming to the Dublin or Harrogate shows then visit the
twisted thread website to book your workshop place.
SwishWe are also very excited to be part of the swishing salon which is taking place again this year. Here's a bit of info about the Swishing Salon from the organisers:
The Swishing Salon
Back by popular demand! The Swishing Salon returns to The Knitting and Stitching Shows, and this year we're bringing it to Dublin too!
Dig out any good quality garments or accessories and bring them along to the Swishing area some time during the morning. From around 1.30pm, you can return to the area to exchange for the same number of items you donated. We ask for a small donation to Swish, but all funds raised go straight to Bliss, a charity for premature babies, so it's all for a good cause.
Even if you're short of items to exchange, the Swishing Salon will be a hive of activity with experts including Mrs Bear, Sissy Rooney, Barley Massey and Craft Guerrilla all demonstrating various customising techniques. Brother are kindly supporting the event and have provided sewing machines and Coats Crafts also have some demonstrators involved, so make sure you drop by and see what all the fuss is about!
Queenie and Ted, Karen from
Creme Anglaise and Lindsey from
Boobou Designs will be helping out the Craft Guerrilla team with their unique customising tips and tricks.
Watch this space for details of the Dublin and Harrogate designers coming up at the end of October and November.
Hope to see you there!
Lisa Margreet
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