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 INFORMER’s TESS CURRAN rides the new wave of DIY and brings you the lowdown on the enormous STICHES & CRAFT SHOW, starting this week at the Brisbane Convention Centre.
Craft is no longer just about your nanna (although no doubt she could teach you a lot). Forget notions of paddle pop sticks, Clag glue, and cotton wool balls stuck onto pieces of cardboard: craft is where it’s at. It’s democratising, it’s fun, it’s political, it’s fashionable, and it has “never been cooler.”
All these aspects of new wave DIY are being celebrated at this week’s Stitches & Craft Show (proud sponsors of the aforementioned “craft is cool” message), coming to us straight from its previous jaunt at Melbourne’s L’Oreal Fashion Festival ... So if that doesn’t give it cred, I don’t know what does.
Stitches & Craft promises to bring us a carnival of exciting exhibits and things to do; a whimsical place where handmade never looked so sexy and D-I-Why is a question you will never ask again. While there will always be things to browse, buy and do each day of the show, make sure to keep a special little eye out for...
Handmade Nation
This cult hit indie doco from American filmmaker Faythe Levine had its debut Australian screening at the Melbourne SAC show to much acclaim from the crafting community and beyond. It explores the lives of over 80 artists/crafters/designers across America, documenting their worlds, creations and motivations, and giving us an insight into the phenomenon of new wave DIY and what it means in a global political and economic context. Okay, that may sound like a mouthful, but really – the movie is simple, fun, colourful, and inviting, full of curious creations and eclectic workspaces, and screens FREE four times daily throughout the show. Inspirational and educational. Check it out.
Workshops and Studios
Just like craft days back at primary school, there will be a series of short rotating workshops throughout the show, but don’t worry, these are guaranteed to teach you skills far more useful and deliver you goodies far more rewarding than the old googly-eyes-stuck-onto-a-pinecone trick. Run by a selection of the crafters exhibiting at the fair, they include step-by-step classes on how to make a variety of beautifully-creative and creatively-beautiful wares, including (*deep breath*) aprons, gowns, jewellery, cushions, roses, brooches, headbands, rugs, rubber stamps, felty delights, glass art, tote bags, handbags, slings, sock monkeys, baskets and heaps more! Not only will you learn great skills, but you’ll have plenty of sweet self-made goodies ready to offload in time for Mother’s Day too.
And don’t forget to stop by the free studio introductions to a range of crafting and sewing essentials, like dyeing, screen-printing, knitting, quilting, patchwork, embroidery, sculpture, machine skills and running your own business!
Incubator
This is a section of new and emerging independent crafters and designers from around the city and beyond. It literally is an “incubation” room of creative talent as you can visit creators working, producing and interacting (hopefully in a much less zoological sense than the term suggests) – plus you can browse and buy their goodies. Just some of the local talents to look out for are Thea Samios of Thea & Sami, Kristina Powrie of oldyarns.recycled linens, Ellie Beck from Red Seed Studio, and Louise Stuart of Made By Miffy. “The vibe is wonderful and talking to the show visitors will be great,” says Louise. Be sure to come along and say hi, where the ladies will be happy to talk to you more about their creations and techniques, and lead you to the right workshops for your interests (many of which they will be running themselves!)
The Teacosy Revolution
“Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn’t try it on.”
This is the ethos of The Teacosy Revolution: definitely the sort of revolution I want to be part of. (And perhaps already am, having purchased an orange knitted octopus pot warmer from an op-shop in Melbourne and legitimately sported it as a beanie). In all seriousness, the Teacosy Revolution is not just about wearing tea cosies on your head. Well, actually, it is pretty much about wearing tea cosies on your head, but with the far more intelligent and artistic intention of re-evaluating the tea cosy as a domestic icon by using it as a platform to communicate a range of political and social messages. Sewn and created by artist Tara Badrock, you’ll find tea cosies sported on the heads of a range of different subjects, from marching men to little white dogs, from the stark Australian outback to the kitschiest of all kitchens.
As the Japanese proverb says, “If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.” So, um, make sure to have a Tetley’s before the show...
Luisa Di Santi
Luisa Di Santi “takes crochet to a whole new cool”. I know. Most of you probably didn’t think it could get any cooler – but with her colourful display of crocheted dolls, puppets, interiors, abstracts, jewellery and ‘Psycho Dolls’ (all the way from Italy!), Di Santi’s new wave crochet will leave nanna shaking in her slippers. And yes, there’s even nudity!
If YOU want to learn how to do your own naughty crochet, then make sure to book into Thread Den’s OK Crochet workshop, which will give you stitch by stitch instructions on the craft.
Fashion Parades
Yeah, on the catwalk ... Indie babes show us what they’ve got in the best of local DIY, vintage and designer clothing and craft wares. (Parades occur regularly right throughout the show, so check your program!)
Happy Hour!
Between 4.00pm and 5.00pm Craft Happy Hour comes alive at the show with prizes handed out randomly to guests ALL HOUR LONG. Free stuff? Beats 2-for-1 beers any time!
THE STICHES AND CRAFT SHOW runs from Wed Apr 29 to Sun May 3 at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. Tickets through Ticketek or at the door. For more info follow the links at www.livingcreatively.com.au and get excited! Check out WIN STUFF for a Stitches And Craft Show Giveaway!
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