Are you the next Crafty Super Star?

Once again we're launching the Craft Guerrilla NEW* Designer Makers Competition! We'll be working with Twisted Thread the organizers of the Knitting & Stitching shows to showcase the best new talent in British and Irish Arts & Crafts!
We're looking for talented Designer Makers who are passionate about all things hand made, have a high level of craftsmanship and make beautiful, modern, high quality, hand made Designer Maker items!
We have 6 stall spaces up for grabs in each "Knitting & Stitching" shows in London, Harrogate and Dublin.


If you're looking to start your own creative hand made business then this might be the launch pad you need!
One of last year's winners Lindsey O'Harrow of BooBou Designs said:
"Good luck to anyone who enters, I won a place last year and my business is thriving! I'm going back this year so I'll see you there!"


What do you need to do?
To apply simply e mail Louise (louise@craftguerrilla.com) a short description of your hand made business, send a few images of that work (or a web site address which stocks your wares) and a brief covering letter on how this opportunity would help you.
*note: When photographing your work please take clear images, do not use fussy backgrounds and use good lighting. I can't stress enough how important it is to have good shots of your work! Don't send in anything which you wouldn't be happy being used as a representation of your work.

Criteria,who's eligible?
We're excepting applications from British and Irish based Designer makers and also you must work with in the area of the show or near. For example for the London show we're excepting people from London and the South East.
If you've applied last year and weren't successful you are welcome to reapply.

What's on offer?
You'll get a highly coveted stall at the Knitting & Stitching show. With so many visitors we expect you to sell and promote your creative company to thousands of people!

How much will it cost me?
Nothing! All you need to pay for is your own transport (getting to and from the show), your own expenses (like hotels, parking,meals etc), any stall decoration, stall staffing and any personal promotional materials like posters,business cards etc.
Please note that if you were paying for this stall it would cost you over £600 for the four days!

How do we chose the winners?
We'll chose 6 successful applicants to exhibit from all entries for each show. We will choose only designer maker items which we deem to be of outstanding quality and originality. Please do not be offended if you're not chosen. We get lots of applications so we're choosing only items which we think fulfill the brief and represent the ethos of Craft Guerrilla.

What are we looking for?
Though it's called the "Knitting & Stitching" shows Twisted Thread is very keen for us to introduce other craft disciplines like ceramics but all your work must be hand made! No mass produced tat thank you!
Indie crafters, designer makers and artisans this is your chance to take your work from a hobby to a business!

When will we let you know?
The deadline is the 30th of June but...you can start applying now. A full schedule for the competition will be announced soon and winners will be announced mid to late July.

Good Luck!


Also please pass the opportunity onto your friends and fellow crafty colleagues as we want to spread the word far and wide!


*NEW as in non established,in the process of taking your craft business into the next level or even if you've been making for years but you've never taken the step!

POM POM necklace work shop...

Our lovely East London Craft Guerrilla member A Alicia is a very talented designer maker and she'll show you how to make a fab necklace which you can wear with pride...after all it will be your handy work!

"Ever fancied making your own jewellery? Well here's your chance to design and make a gorgeous, on trend, pom pom necklace to add to your summer wardrobe, at this A Alicia workshop!
I'll be running the workshop on Saturday 30th April from 1pm-3.30pm, at Create Boutique's lovely central London space: http://create-boutique.co.uk/
The lovely ladies at Create Boutique have let me offer you a special discount so you can book the workshop for £35 instead of the usual £40 - just mention this email when you book.
Places are limited, and booking is essential - to book or for more info email: info@create-boutique.co.uk

In the workshop you'll get to design your own pom pom necklace using a range of fairtrade organic wool, vintage ribbon and vintage or handmade beads. Once you've chosen your colours and materials, you'll learn how to make wool pom poms and how to assemble your finished necklace - then it's yours to wear and enjoy!

Hope to see you there, and feel free to pass this email (and the discount) on!"

MAY is...CRAFT MONTH!

Well we knew that this was something we just had to get involved with and celebrate and so we teamed up with our gorgeous friends at Creative Biscuit to do a little bit of a shindig!
On offer are: weekly workshops by Craft Guerrilla tutors ranging from needle felting,printing,sewing based crafts and jewellery plus to top it all off we're hosting a very special CRAFTERNOON!
So there...no excuses...pop in and get making!
For all event details visit: www.craftguerrilla.com

Camden Crawl...Craftivista Social Club *UPDATE*

It's with a heavy heart that e announce the cancellation of the Obscuritones at the May the 1st event at the Camden Crawl!
Due to a massive miscommunication we're unable to offer you what is the main attraction of the "Craftivista Social Club" the live music! You'd think people,especially ones in the music business would get the pun...but anyway...let's just say that it's very frustrating when you write a proposal,talk and the phone,email over all the details and then at the last minute someone tells you it's not possible to have a band. Unfortunately the band have given up their time and where expecting to play so that kind of leaves us...the middle person...in the "bad guy" position. Never fear though...we know the Obscuritones pretty well so they will be playing with us again at a later date at our own event.
BUT we do have two very fine DJ's *cough cough* one being myself or my disc spinning alter ego Handsome Betty and Jerome Anderson...or as I like to call him "The Bomber". We'll be spinning some good old vintage tunes with a few trashy tracks thrown in for good measure...it is after all Camden so our eclectic choice of music will fit right in!
We'll also be making a very cute special edition Cassette Badge pin celebrating the right for bands to make a living by a) not paying venues to be able to pay and b)receiving a fair whack of the ticket sales money.
Hasta lo primeiro de Maio! Viva la revolucion!!!

A Right Royal hoohah...with bunting!

OK ,OK so I'm being sucked in to all this Will & Kate royal wedding hoo-hah... which is a bit scary as I am not a Monarchist at all!
I guess it's the whole "Street Party", "Charles & Di',"Queen's Jubilee" vibe which is so attractive. Everybody loves a party and more so when it's associated with childhood and "better times".
And though every bone in my body says "NOOOOOOO, it's all a plan to get the masses to take their eyes off the ball so the Torries can get their evil way"!
I've decided to let go of those sentiments and just look at it in a simplistic way: MAKE BUNTING, PRETTY PRETTY, BUNTING!!!
I'm also a sucker for coloured paper flags so here you go...a mini printing workshop which you can just drop in,sit and print. It's £3 per person and we'll be making some Union Jack,Wills & Kate themed banners. Expect some safety pins as I don't want to loose all my street cred... that's why I'm calling it Punk Rock Bunting as it's a homage to the Sex Pistols and their "God Save the Queen" artwork.

Thursday 14th of April
From 8pm
Free entry
£3 per person

Ye Old Rose & Crown Pub
53-55 Hoes St.
Walthamstow E17

TUBE: Victoria Line Walthamstow Central
Rail: From Liverpool Street Station towards Chingford
Buses: 48,55,230,123,W15,69,ETC

It's your WRITE!

IT'S YOUR WRITE! A CELEBRATION OF THE SELF-PUBLISHED
Thursday 07 April 2011, 6 - 9pm
V&A Museum of Childhood
FREE EVENT

Lindsey German will be talking about her career as the UK’s most prominent female activist.
Cool indie band Planet Earth will lead a workshop on protest song writing.
The Women’s Library will share highlights from their collection of women’s zines dating back to Riot Grrrl.
Illustrator and designer David Janes will discuss his political portrait series, 650 Gargoyles.
AND Publishing discuss the wave of book piracy hitting emerging countries and explore text manipulation.
Interventions from The University for Strategic Optimism and Climate Rush.
Plus the It’s Your Write Book Swap and The World’s Largest Knitted Poem courtesy of The Poetry Society.
Craft Guerrilla will also be there with our lovely and talented friend Zeena Shah from "I heart Zeena". She will be captaining the Craft Guerrilla work shop for us.
This event is part of the "Papered Parlour" series at the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green.
It's such a great venue and I'm so glad it continues to open its doors in the evening for such great interactive events.
Come down and have a peep and a print!

Tombola winner announced!

Thanks to everyone that supported our Virtual Tombola. It was fun though we didn't make that much money but it all goes into the pot and has been added to the auction takings to send over to the Japan Animal relief and rescue charity. We sent in total over £100.
We thank you all!
And so to announce the lovely winner...DRUM ROLL PLEASE....
Miss Nelly Barbara.
Please check your in box as we have contacted you via e-mail. Your prizes will be posted to you as soon as we have confirmation of your address. You are a very lucky,lucky lady!!!


*image taken from tattoos for girls