Stitches & Craft Show - Volunteers Wanted!

A year ago I had the most wonderful day out at the Stitches & Craft Show at the Melbourne Showgrounds. I went to a felt doughnut workshop and met Holly Two Cheese Please*, then at a PVC wallet workshop I met Jodie Ric Rac of the selvedge frock, and little did I realise at the time but one of the crafters I sewed next to went on to become Miss Sandra Pepperberry! I was awed by the talent shown in the Incubator section, by far the most out-of-the-box stalls at the show. There was a refashioning zone, skill displays by lacemakers and feltmakers, and sooo much to buy. Looking at 2009 photos on participants' blogs today is getting me excited all over again.


Two Cheese Please's Incubator stall, 2009
I've spent the last twelve months counting down to 2010's Stitches & Craft (and vowing to take along more cash next time). The big event will hit Melbourne from Wednesday 5th to Sunday 9th of May. And I've just found out from Jodie Ric Rac's blog that they're looking for volunteers!


Ric Rac's lifesize selvedge projects via Whip UP
If you can hand sew, crochet or embroider and love to share your skills, the Craft Bars need you! Craft Bar volunteers will teach visitors new skills and have a laugh while doing so**. In return for you hard day's crafting and teaching you'll be rewarded with two free tickets to the show! That means that as well as spending one day at the Craft Bar, you can spend another two attending workshops and shopping! Or if you're feeling altruistic you could give one to your bestie and spend a crafty day together. I advise leaving your kids with a babysitter***.


2009 Craft Bar photographed by The Lark
If you'd like to find out more about this opportunity get in touch with the organisers via enquiries(AT)stitchesandcraft(DOT)com(DOT)au.

* There's an interview with Holly in the latest Mixtape, which you can buy this Saturday at the Northside Makers Collective Table!

** Laughing is mandated. Or I may have made that up.

*** Says the woman who didn't get to see the Handmade Nation doco due to the demands of her friend and herself shepherding a six month old and 19 month old all day long. I did however manage to schedule a breastfeed during a presentation on building a craft business. And the parents room was quite well appointed apart from the lack of a change table.

We are in Mixtape!!

The new Mixtape has arrived and it is jam packed with lots of goodies! Articles on craft, pop culture, food, gardening, music, books and lots more.

There is an article in the zine by Tinniegirl on the Candence of Crafting and on page 10 you will find a Northside Makers ad!

Mixtape will be on sale at the Northside Makers Collective Marquee at the next market ... come on down and pick up your copy (we also have some of the last edition as well!).

Four days to go!

It's only four days until Northside Makers Market, and you can bet we're not sitting around twiddling our thumbs! Our stallholders are busy sewing, gluing and printing and we organisers are chanting calming mantras under our breath.

We're thrilled to present another family-friendly day of hot craft, cool design, face-painting and hands-on activities for kids, coffee and a sit-down for grown-ups and mouth-watering cupcakes and gingerbread for everyone.

One stallholder who'll help you relax those Silly Season twinges is gifted masseur Kaye, who can work wonders in under five minutes. After you've had your muscles melted why not ask a stallholder friend if they'd like you to mind their stall while they get a backrub? We organisers heartily recommend it!

We're also very excited about having MixTape available to purchase at the Northside Makers Collective Table.

As if you needed another reason to visit Northside Makers Market!

Watch this space for more Meet The Crafters features and a full list of stallholders you'll find at the market this Saturday. And after Saturday we may well have one or two more treats for you before 2009 is over... be excited!