London Design Festival :: 14 - 23 September 2012

This year marks the 10th London Design Festival. One of the events we hope to visit is 'Enter the Imaginerium' which is a workshop space located within the Fabrications gallery/shop.

Fabrications is a shop/gallery and studio space located in Hackney, East London that is dedicated to upcycling and eco design. It has helped to promote and sell the work of over 200 local artists as well as held crafty workshops. As part of London Design 2012 they will be holding various workshops as well as inviting everyone to visit their space. Some of the upcycled creations on offer include:

Upcycled Shirt and Tie made into cushions:

Also their popular Rethink Rubbish kits. These kits are full of carefully selected materials and instructions to create such awesomeness as knitted mobile phone cases (made from plastic bags), fascinators, sustainable gift wrapping and these beautiful brooches!

For more information check out their online shop here.

Repurpose project - Doily becomes a brooch

One of the good things about sharing with people your love for all things recycle/re-purpose/re-use, is that often, they will think of you when they come across something a little too special to throw out. So although they may no longer want or need the item their little thought bubble has your face in it! Case in point - this little doily.

I am loving doilies at the moment.  Using them to give the owlies a little feminine vintage flair.  However this doily, was a little too colourful for that.  So I gathered my supplies:

doily, scissors, thread,needle, random glass bead, felt scrap, brooch backing

I cut 2 pieces of felt from a scrappy piece. Using some embroidery thread I sewed on the brooch backing  to one piece then joined both pieces together with some decorative blanket stitching (which I am slowly getting better at)

I decided to sew a little glass bead I had in my jewelry stash to the centre of the doily.  This helped to hide all the stitching as well as give it some weight to help it look more like a flower.

Here is the finished product.   A fun project which even if you only have very basic sewing skills can be done in less than 30 minutes.  The doilies can be folded or scrolled or left flat even.  Your creation, your way.

Craftyclaudes on Etsy

I am thrilled to declare craftyclaudes Etsy shop is now open for business!!  Yay!   This has been a long time coming and it gives me the chance to put a big tick next to one of my goals for 2010. It has taken lots of  sewing, beading, stitching and planning - not to mention endless cups of tea and ok...some biscuits too  ;-) 

Currently listed in the shop are these brooches and bird softies. 

I will be adding more of the same in the next few days as well as my beautiful owlies so stay tuned.


Have a lovely weekend everyone!