Creative Skills Blog:

 

The idea of the creative skills workshops started when I took a stall at Brick Lane's Backyard market where I was mostly selling beads but also provided random balls of wool which were remnants from my many projects along with second hand knitting needles and crochet hooks. I set up a knitting chair with needles already cast upon for anyone who fancied sitting down and having a knit. My ambition was to get the whole of my stall (called 'The Bead Tent') totally covered in my visitors knitting. This actually proved really popular with both experienced knitters and total knitting virgins and I wasn't there too long before I'd realised that I had hit upon a lovely experience where I could chat to like minded people and teach total novices how to crochet and knit while also learning a thing or two from some very knowledgeable career knitters.

 

My teaching skills that are honed from my years as a fitness instructor and personal trainer seemed to transfer effortlessly to craft and wow did I feel good knowing that I'd helped someone learn a new skill that they'd always wanted to but always put off either because they felt they would never have the time or that they wouldn't be any good at it. The truth is we all have to start somewhere and if the person teaching you is patient and understanding and totally passionate about making things, you can't go wrong.

 

So now I am setting up some great craft workshops at the end of which you'll have something fabulous to take home with you that you will have made yourself; how cool is that! Now these aren't your twee sort of classes that immediately spring to mind, but really quite unusual and very contemporary design led workshops where you learn the basics of a craft that will give you the confidence to make and even design things all on your own. I will also be setting up some drop in sessions where you can bring along your current project and just sit and work on it with loads of other people doing just the same; so if you get stuck with anything there will always be someone to help you out. All this accompanied by a nice cup of tea or coffee and homemade cakes! Sound good?

 

Although my teaching comes from the fitness industry, my craft skills come from being a qualified Cordwainer trained at The London College of Fashion where I specialised in hand made leather hanbags and accessories. This coupled with a lifetime of learning on many short courses with my all important foundation of training coming from my Mum, there is very little that I haven't at least dabbled with and some I have excelled at. The workshops will all be taught by people who specialise in their subject and who have an artistic and contemporary approach to the traditional craft skill.

 

Look forward to seeing you

Sally