Say it with flowers (Woolly Week ones!)

They said it!

They said it too!

We all had lots of fun last Saturday celebrating 'Wool Week' by making felted wool flowers outside the shop. Thankyou Sue for your suggestion and for making this impromptu little workshop such a success and thankyou to all of you who took part! X X X

What's in the window? And beyond?

This week is Wool Week, part of HRH Prince Charles campaign for wool
Sue Russell has been a gem, not only contributing to Fabrications drop in workshop area within the Swishing Salon at the Knitting + Stitching show but now suggesting we run an impromptu all day drop in workshop this Saturday outside the shop window.
Come and join us in raising awareness for the wonderwoolness of wool by making felted flowers with Sue! what a treat! Rebel Rebel the flower shop next door will be providing lots of inspiration. For up and coming workshops (including patchwork quilting and beginners knitting...) and events, check out our new calender feature on our website.

Knitting + Crafting Classes

BEGINNERS KNITTING

Sunday 25th October, 2 - 4.30pm

Learn the basics - how to cast on, knit + pearl stitch, introduce a new colour and cast off. This session will be run by Fabrications' Barley Massey. (£20 / £15 conc)

INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED KNITTING

Sunday 1st November, 2- 4.30pm

A post Halloween special! This session is tailored to what YOU want to learn with a bit of a theme thrown in! Rachael Matthews fun approach can guide you through reading patterns, colour work, 3d shapes.....

Rachael Matthews is an inspirational and experienced crafter. Founder member of the notorious 'Cast Off Knitting club for Boys + Girls', responsible for public knitting antics such as 'Knitting on the circle line' and the 'completely knitted wedding' at the Pump House gallery. Author of 'Knitorama' and 'Hookerama' and winner of this year's Jerwood contemporary makers prize.(£20 / £15 conc.)

KNIT LARGE

Sunday 8th November, 2 - 4.30pm
Learn some extreme knitting techniques with Barley Massey + Katherine Grace on Wool-n-Boat's giant knitting needles, circular needles or french knitting wheels and create your own wintery accessory.
* * You will need to know the basics to make the most of this session* * (£20 / £15)

CROCHET

Sunday 15th November, 2 - 4.30pm
A session for absolute beginners but also improvers. Crochet is a great 'free style' handicraft, an alternative or a means to enhance or join your knitting, Lovely 3d effects, lacey, flowery, borders....This session will be led by Rachael Matthews. (£20 / £15 conc)

FELTED XMAS STOCKINGS

Saturday 21st November, 10.30 - 4.30pm
(with a lunch break!)
A more advanced felt making session in which Abigail Thomas will show you how to create 3d shapes and a sandwich resist technique during which you will design and make your own felted Xmas stocking!

Abigail Thomas is a textile and book artist based in Hackney. She teaches felting to enthusiastic crafters and keen beginners, passing on basic techniques as well as inspirational and experimental ideas. Felt can be used to make wonderful useful items like slippers and tea cosies but also artistic and decorative pieces like beads, brooches and wall hangings.
The workshop will be run downstairs in the workshop, so max numbers for this session is 6 with a fixed fee of £45 per person (this includes colourful + natural 100% wool tops)

INTRODUCTION TO PATCHWORK QUILTING

Sunday 22 November, 2 - 4.30pm Katherine May will be passing on traditional skills whilst encouraging recycling, exploring poetic ideas and emotional attachments. Participants are encouraged to experiment with colour and pattern, share stories and memories and work together as a group.
Textile techniques and skills: step by step making of hand pieces patchwork, sewn by hand, creating your quilt 'sandwich' and basting, rocking stitch, tying/knotting the quilt, creative recycling.Materials: Collected pre loved and vintage fabrics will be supplied but participants are encouraged to bring items they have at home, from textiles which hold special memories to those simply no longer used. Fabrications will provide a basic sewing kit and instructions/inspirations sheet for participants to take home and carry on developing their skills.

Katherine May is a textile designer maker inspired by the communities that have developed around crafts, such as quilting. In her practise she explores traditional skills working intuitively to piece together patchwork designs that favour bold use of colour and strong geometric pattern. She creates textile products for the home that will build bonds with the user to enjoy a long life. (£20 / £15 conc)

FELTED XMAS DECORATIONS
Saturday 28th November, 2 - 4.30pm
Have fun making some festive decorations whilst learning the brief history of felt, basic wet felting techniques and how to create 3d shapes and flat felt sheets. All materials will be provided as well as take home info sheets.This session will be led by Abigail Thomas. The session costs (£20. materials included. Max of 6)





KNITTED XMAS DECORATIONS
Sunday 13th December, 2 - 4.30pm
Knitted Xmas decorations - for your tree, stockings, as gifts and lots of opportunity to use sequins!You need to know the basics for this session.
HO! Ho! HO! Introducing a new teacher to Fabrications' fold - Aneeta Patel! (disguised by her knitted santa beard and hat!)

Aneeta Patel learned to knit when she was about 5 years old by her right-handed aunt. This means that she knits right-handed even though she is actually left-handed! It also means she has no barriers to teaching either left or right handed knitters. Aneeta created 'Knitting SOS' in 2006, a service for knitters in need of emergency advice! She subsequently wrote her thoughtful knitting book 'Knitty Gritty'. Hopefully she will bring along some copies of her book for sale after her session! (£20 / £15 conc)

FESTIVE PATCHWORK FUN
Sunday 20th December, 2 - 4.30pm
Katherine May will follow up her introduction class with some more advanced techniques in this session, whilst keeping in the festive spirit! There will be opportunity to design and make patchwork lavender bags. As with the last session materials will be provided but Katherine also encourages you to bring along your own pre loved or collected fabrics. (£20 / £15 conc)

AUGUST WORKSHOPS

Basic wet felt making

Saturday 15 August

10.30 - 4.30pm (incl a lunch break)

£45 (max 6)

This session will be led by Hackney based artist Abigail Thomas in the downstairs workshop area of Fabrications and includes:

* Brief History of felt

* Basic wet felting techniques

* Colourful and natural 100% wool tops to experiment with

* Learn how to make felt beads and flat felt sheets to take home

* BOOKING REQUIRED *

Patchwork Quilting
Sunday 16 August, 2 - 4.30pm
£20 / £15 conc.

This session will be led by Katherine May and includes:
* Brief talk and introduction to Katherine's textile practise
* Step by step making of hand pieced patchwork (sewn by hand)
* Creating your quilt 'sandwich' and basting
* Rocking stitch
* Tying / knotting the quilt
* Creative + poetic recycling
* A basic sewing kit and a selection of pre loved and vintage fabrics, but we also encourage participants to bring along their own materials and projects.
*BOOKING REQUIRED*

Beside Textile Project

'A Journey towards mental wellbeing and wholeness'

Mental Health action week 12 - 18th April

Please visit the Ideas Store this month to see some fantastic textile pieces from a project I am very proud to have been a part of. I was approached by Beside last year to facilitate a collaborative textile banner with their members.

Beside is a Tower Hamlets based charity working with people who have recurrent or long term mental health difficulties. Their aim is to enable their members to rediscover their inner resources and develop strategies to support their mental health and wellbeing

After a series of 'taster' sessions in crochet, cross stitch, embroidery, feltmaking, knitting, rosette making, weave, we explored the theme of the project through drawing and debating! The discussion around ideas of 'wellbeing' was very insightful and provocative and triggered

lots of thoughts and approaches for the banner.

Once a foundation design was settled upon, each week the piece has evolved into a visualy and conceptualy strong statement as well as a great display of feltmaking and embroidery skills.

Some of you may have seen the group adding the last touches to the piece for the last month at Fabrications on a Wednesday afternoon. So if you're in Whitechapel please call by the library and shop for some ideas around mental health.

WORKSHOPS - March, April + May

DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT Come and join Barley Massey and Sue Russell at The Barbican on Saturday 7th March

11 - 12.30pm Make felt juggling balls

3 - 4.30pm Learn to weave on simple bamboo frames

£5 per workshop for further info and bookings visit www.barbican.org.uk/different

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY Incase you missed Barley and Sue on the Saturday! Remember and celebrate women's achievements at The Old Town Hall, Stratford E15 4BQ on Sunday 8th March 2 - 6pm There will be lots of FREE activities.

We will be Creating rosettes, scarves, sashes in the colours of Green (Hope), White (Purity) + Violet (Dignity) These colours were also linked with the Suffrage movement (Give Women Vote)

WORKSHOPS AT FABRICATIONS: (£20 / £15 conc per session, includes a kit) * * BOOKING REQUIRED * *

BEGINNERS KNITTING

Sunday 15th + 29th March, 2 - 4.30pm

Getting started with Barley Massey - Learn how to Cast On, Knit + Pearl Stitch, introducing a new colour and of course casting off!

INTERMEDIATE + ADVANCED KNITTING

Sunday 5th April, 2 - 4.30pm

This classes led by Rachael Matthews is tailored to what YOU want to learn! She will also incorporate info on how to read knitting patterns, shaping, increasing + decreasing, creating your own patterns, textures, 3d knitting as well as general support, advice and tips. You will need to know the basics (casting on + off, Knit + pearl) in order to make the most of this session.

CROCHET (Beginners + Improvers)
Sunday 19th April, 2 - 4.30pm

Get started, refresh or improve your techniques. Learn to crochet in rows, circular or 3d objects. All levels of crocheters are welcome. Rachael Matthews' straightforward, fun and freestyle approach will get you started
and inspired.

BEGINNERS KNITTING
Sunday 26th April, 2 - 4.30pm

Getting started with Barley Massey - Learn how to Cast On, Knit + Pearl Stitch, introducing a new colour and of course casting off!

BIG KNITTING (intermediate+)
Sunday 3rd May, 2 - 4.30pm

Leave Fabrications with your very own designer accessory
(this could be a scarf or wrap - your choice!)
This creative session will be led by Barley Massey and focusses on working on GIANT knitting needles, GIANT french knitting stools
and yes GIANT circular needles.
There will be lots of interesting chunky yarns, tassles, corsage making tool etc to design and create with.

INTERMEDIATE + ADVANCED KNITTING (best foot forward)
Sunday 10th May, 2 - 4.30pm

There has been a lot of interest expressed in learning to knit socks + gloves. If this interest is still around then this could be a special session that focusses on working on 4 needles to create leg warmers, socks,
gloves or other 3d knitted objects (with Rachael Matthews)

HAND EMBROIDERY, EMBELLISHING + CUSTOMISING
Sunday 17th May, 2 - 4.30pm

Learn simple hand sewing techniques, which can be used for repairs, alterations and decoratively. I am open to ideas for the session - I can demonstrate different embroidery stitches, cross stitching + tapestry, applique, sequining, cut work.
Applied to garments or making pictures and gifts.

CROCHET (Beginners + Improvers)
Sunday 24th May, 2 - 4.30pm

Get started, refresh or improve your techniques. Learn to crochet in rows, circular or 3d objects. All levels of crocheters are welcome. Rachael Matthews' straightforward, fun and freestyle approach will get you started
and inspired.

BEGINNERS KNITTING
Sunday 31st May, 2 - 4.30pm

Getting started with Barley Massey - Learn how to Cast On, Knit + Pearl Stitch, introducing a new colour and of course casting off!

WOOL-N-DANCE

FELTING FUN!!
Lend us your hands and feet to make the 'Wool-N-Dance' happen!




The “Wool-N-Dance” is a dance floor with a difference - it's slippery and wet!
Dance to the rhythm of live music and fuse 100% British wool fibres into a giant carpet underfoot in all weather conditions.
Get moving, exercising and doing serious work but most importantly enjoying it!

Around the dance floor the 'Wool-N-Dance' crew give workshops in felting, spinning, giant knitting and weaving in constant turns - passing on old crafts and new skills in a fresh way.

Come and join us at the following locations:

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield - Sunday 24th + Monday 25th August Bank holiday weekend. (FREE)

Thames Festival, outside the Royal Festival Hall, London – Saturday 13th + Sunday 14th September. (FREE)

The protype! Reading Rock Festival 2003