Paper crafts!

We occasionally get asked to feature people on our blog mainly to help advertise their craft business or projects.
I absolutely love the zeitgeist for all things hand made which we're living through at the moment.
People like Kirstie Allsopp might think they started a revolution but it's been quietly happening for quite a while now. Sorry Kirstie but you're about 5 years too late!
If by bringing it to the mainstream it means people are more aware of CRAFT and gain a newer and more respectful understanding to it then...it's a good thing!
Craft Guerrilla is all about teaching,sharing techniques and spreading the D.I.Y. CRAFT message to all and by working with real crafters we hope to make that possible....so it's not difficult to introduce you to the lovely Sharon Curtis.
So if you fancy learning the art of card making get yourself to Crouch End and pop in to see her.
As we're so close to the festive season why not go and make your own Christmas cards?
For further information visit: http://www.glitterangel.typepad.com/

Craft Guerrilla at the TATE MODERN....

Last weekend at the TATE MODERN I spotted a lovely little book... Indie Craft by Jo Waterhouse.
It took all my concentration and will power not to scream and jump around like an A.D.D. child but I did stand there and snap someone perusing through it though I did have to stop myself from saying..."we're in there you know!"
I did restrain myself but what I felt was a sense of pride and sheer happiness to have in some shape or form my work in the TATE MODERN!
As you know by now CRAFT GUERRILLA are showcased in this lovely publication. Myself (munano) and the gorgeous Peppermint Twist have been selected to appear among some fine designer makers like: Angela Chick, Knit the City, Kate Jenkins and lots of other talented crafters.
I love this book...even if I am bias...but if we weren't in there I would still go out and buy it!
For more titles check out the Laurence King web site
Available to buy at the TATE MODERN shop, Amazon and all good book shops.

Cross stitcher Magazine...

Cross Stitcher Magazine....
When the Lovely Charlie asked me to review their magazine I didn't know what to expect exactly. I had seen Cross Stitcher Magazine on the supermarket shelf but it had never really attracted me before...well not enough to buy it.
There is a sea of craft publications and I have to confess I am a sucker for a good cover and usually go by it when I choose one to purchase.
I was told it had been "revamped" and that this was the new look Cross Stitcher.
When the package hit my entrance floor I was on my way out and decided it would make perfect reading material on the Tube into town. Not only was it a great read but as it had a free project pack*(Gingham Tree decoration) it kept me busy on the way in! I truly was impressed and surprised! *note I always have a sewing set in my bag and a pair of embroidery scissors. These are not included in the free pack!
The pages are filled with interesting and easy to follow projects with clear instructions. If you're a beginner you'll love this and if you're a dab hand you'll be as equally content as their are so many lovely things to make plus a great source of inspiration. This year I will not be making Chrimbo cards but decorations instead to gift family and friends.
So what's it like? I love the look and the feel of it. It reminds me of French craft magazines which I always buy when I go over.
There's an elegance but also a vibrant and young element to it so it's not at all a "granny makes" magazine. It's grown up but fun and definitely a magazine I will buy again so you can say...The cover has done it's work!
Out now in all good newsagents...go buy it...
Cross Stitcher magazine: £3.99

Christmas Craft Emporium...

For further info please visit our web site: www.craftguerrilla.com

*Thank you to the lovely Rebecca Emery aka one sugar please for her beautiful illustrations!
http://branchlet.wordpress.com/

A few of our favourite things...The Aviary!

The Craft Guerrilla gals are born magpies...we love pretty,reinvented and quirky things!
We first came across The Aviary last year and even featured them in our zine. But it was last summer that I met the lovely Aviary gang at the "Art Boot Sale" in Brick Lane. Strangely I was drawn to their beautiful fineries before I even noticed it was them!
Of course the swallow brooch caught me eye and as I looked at it I was thinking "wow that reminds me of the Aviary's stuff!" Surprise...It was! So let me introduce you to them and for those that already know about them, sit back, grab a cupper and get reacquainted!


The Aviary.A brief bio and introduction....
Having begun as a pleasurable past time for Ben and Victoria, two young, indecisive (and flat broke) fine artists, The Aviary has quickly blossomed into a fledgling small business.

We graduated from art school in 2006 and have kept up our fine art practices, individually making one off pieces of work ranging from small drawings to site specific installations, but have often found that the real pleasure in creating is the hands-on ‘doing’.



Both of us have always loved all things vintage and preloved, spending a lot of spare time and money trawling through charity shops, second hand stores, flea markets, bootsales and, of course, eBay. Subsequently, our house and studio are packed full of out-of-date maps, retro knitting patterns, old books, field guides, anonymous sepia photographs, clock faces, vintage fabrics and odd buttons.



The Aviary brings together our passion for collecting and making. Turning old into new, through redesigning, reinventing and finally rehoming. All of our items incorporate preloved, reclaimed and recycled materials that, wherever possible, have been sourced locally and saved from becoming unnecessary landfill.



Our range is continually evolving, but we specialize in handmade, decorative home-wares, gift items, stationery and original, affordable jewellery utilizing our treasure trove of vintage ephemera. Popular products include hand-bound journals, diaries, notebooks and cards, as well as pin-badges and brooches.



We also love working to briefs to create bespoke items and encourage people to come to us for unique gifts. There’s nothing more rewarding than someone being delighted with one of our handmade items.

Visit The Aviary: www.the-aviary.co.uk

Next Up: Knitting and Stitching Show at RDS in Dublin

This week I've got a suitcase full of wool, knitting needles and crochet hooks (yes, literally!) and I'm flying to Dublin on Wednesday to teach some workshops and have a bit of a Irish jig! We've selected four Irish designer makers who will be exhibiting and selling their items at the show and I'm very excited to introduce them to you now.


Carla Johnson is an Irish textile designer from Dublin. Her work involves hand painting, screen printing, photographic imagery, digitally enhanced design, devore and foiling. According to her website she finds inspiration in "marine shapes and forms, from iridescent fish scales to the vibrant array of coral and diverse and often outlandish and somewhat absurd creatures found below the ocean surface.When designing interiors for her own home, this attraction to marine imagery found a natural home in the furnishings she began to create. Her designs are made up of an assemlage of drawn and photographic images, printed on silk mixed with reptilian patent leatherette." www.designsbycarla.co.uk
















Kate Ramsey makes the most amazing felted items including sculptural felted scarves and I'm immensely excited to see on her blog, she has now started hatmaking. In her own words: "My creations focus on sturdiness and colour. I emphasize the quality of felt, and its long lasting features. Therefore I create dense, sometimes thick (slippers) sometimes thin fabrics that in both cases are meant to last." www.fabulousfelt.blogspot.com















Laura Hogan has a connection to the Knitting and Stitching show - it was here that she learnt how to spin wool. (It's a slippery slope, you have been warned!) As she told Craft Guerrilla: "My background is in Printed Textiles but my love in Textiles has flourished in Knitting. I am passionate about colour, different fibres, creating different textures and knitting. Such interests motivated me to learn how to spin wool. When I went to the Knitting and Stitching Show in the RDS, Dublin I was able to meet people in Ireland who were able to teach me how to spin and who shared a common interest. Knitting led to spinning and spinning led to dyeing and it all inspired my small business. I sell hand dyed yarn, hand dyed rovings, spinning batts and hand spun yarn. My unique colour palette is my forte. " www.etsy.com/shop/LHogan















Sorcha Gillet work as a fashion based textile designer and creates really unusual sewn and hand-embellished images incorporating "vintage fabrics and materials, leather, stitch, beading and painting, with a slight fashion edge. I generally work on canvas and card." Follow this link to watch a video from her blog to see her making one of her one-off art pieces. www.sorchagillett.com
















There will also be a Swishing Salon (see this post from the London blog entry for all the details about how to swap, what to bring etc) with a small fee being charged to swap with all proceeds going to support the Innocent Big Knit and Age Action Ireland. We will also have various 'cusomisation stations' where you can learn different techniques to upcycle, recycle, embellish, accessorise and generally breathe new life into your wardrobe.

We are still looking for Dublin based designers and other crafty minded people who might like to help out either in the swishing salon as an extra pair of hands or if you have a great idea to help people recycle/upcycle or customise their clothes and have an hour or two to spare on one of the days of the show then please let us know by emailing craftguerrilla@gmail.com by Thursday 28th October. Please pass this request on to anyone you know who might be interested in helping out. Thanks!

Hope to see you at the RDS in Dublin from 28th to 31st October!

Lisa Margreet
x

CRAFT EMPORIUM FULLY BOOKED!

Thank you so much to all that applied. We've had a huge amount of requests and we've booked people in order we received them.
We're really sorry if you haven't been successful but we were fully booked in record time. Literally hundreds of requests greeted our inbox...there's just too many talented people out there!
Because everyone's pre vetted we have quite a lovely selection and variety of hand made goods. We hope you'll try again next year throughout the summer and next Christmas too.

However we'll be putting people that haven't made it through onto the reserve list so you might be in with a chance!