The Concious Alphabet Thief Mystery

A few months ago I put a request out on Fabrications Facebook page to see if anyone had seen our 'R'. Much to my disappointment on arrival at the shop that morning, I discovered the theft of the 'R' from Fabrications shop sign.

As I continued with my morning routine of opening the shutters, I looked over the road and noticed that the estate agent's Davistone or Da istone had lost their 'V'. It seemed too much of a coincidence so I decided to investigate the rest of Broadway Market.

Sure enough I discovered that the school uniform shop Trutex or Trut x had lost their 'E' and the urserverance had lost their 'P'. My morning was turning into a sureal game of Blockbusters or was Carol Vorderman loose in the street?

Last Sunday, I am happy to report dear readers that the Alphabet thief returned our 'R' through the letter box during the night. What's more all my neighbours have also received their letters back too!

We are very HAPPY to get them back but very mystified as to where our letters have been?? If you have sighted these letters anywhere, I would love to know more!!

What's in the window? The Canine Games in knit!

The official 2012 'Canine Games' took place last Saturday in East London. To celebrate Fabrications teamed up with Collins & Brown publishers of the brilliant 'Best in Show' - knit your own dog book. We were there at the games to teach people how they could knit their own dog or a string of knitted sausages, support Battersa dogs home's  'Softer Staffie' campaign and get a copy of the book! Inside which you discover how to knit all kinds of breeds (in miniature) from a basset hound (my personal favourite) to a French bulldog (London Fields favourite)

These patterns are truly exquisite, the authors Sally Muir & Joanna Osborne (one of their claims to fame is a knitted jumper they designed was worn by Lady Di back in the 80's depicting rows of sheep) have really captured each breed through choice of yarn, colour combination and of course shaping of each type of dog's characteristics. The book contains 25 patterns which are easy to follow, you'll have a whole kennel club before you know it! and yes, Fabrications is well stocked up at £12.99 each. I foresee "knit my dog please!" being on dog lovers Christmas list!

I can say this as the current window display is been getting so much attention from passers by (walking their dogs!). There are 15 different knitted dogs 'performing' - jumping through embroidery hoops and posing with their winning medals on podiums!

SALE TIME!

We're having our annual clearance SALE to make way for the new!

Queing up for the bargains! This image was taken by Andrew Boff from East Eight magazine, while he was passing by on his bicycle. Come on down and enjoy a good old rummage through our boxes of bundled up fabrics, haberdashery, yarns, UFO's (unfinnished objects).......

There's also a range of brick a brack, retro items from our shop displays including 2 old fashioned hand winding sewing machines, suitcases, china tea cups and saucers...
Also 50% off orginial designer items including my 'Shirt + Tie' cushions, Donna Wilson creatures, Fine Cell Swag Bags, Little Experience Knit Cases.

WHILE STOCKS LAST!!

Jubitea Party!

Join Fabrications & The East End WI this Saturday for an East End vintage style tea party! Barley will show you how to make a vintage inspired hair decoration or 'fabulous fascinator' whilst the East End WI will be serving tea in vintage t-pots and t-cups with their famously delicious cakes. the event is FREE to attend but please support our local WI by buying their tea and cake. BOOKING A TIME SLOT is advised (between 12 - 4pm) crafting activity takes approx 1hr, as we can only fit in a certain amount of tea party goers at one time!

Even the Queen got wind of our plans and dropped in as part of her Jubilee tour, last Thursday during our bunting making day with Brother. Sporting hand knitted crown, sash and medals. The young queen is actually Caroline Brooks from the Shoreditch Sisters, who have been involved in creating an entire knitted jubilee presentation and activities inside the WI tent over at the Diamond Jubilee Festival in Battersea Park, next weekend.

Fiona Macalister is the textile artist behind this incredible hand woven tapestry 'Pop Queen', currently on display in Fabrications window. Fiona studied art in Chelsea college of Art in the 1960's, culminating in a highly commended post graduate scholarship in woven tapestry design from Edinburgh College of art, where she stayed to continue her career.

Lets hijack valentines!

A giant love letter has elegantly floated into Fabrications window this month in time for Valentines day. It is stopping passers by in their tracks, my favorite reaction was 2 small boys who stood, pointed and smiled lots. They ran off and brought back their parents to read it - brilliant! Keep recruiting boys!!

Originally created by Sarah Corbett (founder of the Craftivist Colective) for a public craftivism workshop during Tracy Emin's 'Love is what you want' show at the Hayward Gallery last summer. The letter and workshop urged participants to "show their love through action to their global neighbour struggling in this unjust world". Participants pledged different acts of love they would carry out locally or globally by writing down their action on a luggage label.
This giant letter has become a chain letter, having recently travelled back from independent bookshop's window 'News from Nowhere' window in Liverpool and now is at Fabrications urging passers by to stop, think and act!

It has also been a great display that promotes 2 special craftivism events, we are hosting here:

This Thursday 9th February, 6 - 9pm:
Open studio and 'Hijacking valentines preparation session'.
All are welcome to join the London craftivists in this fun and friendly session in creating valentine's cards and crafted gifts which will be left out in the street in various nooks and crannies to be found by unsuspecting members of the public, beautiful and gentle reminders to 'show some love'. You don't need to be in a relationship to receive one of these!

Image courtesy of Sarah Corbett

During the evening you will also be able to meet Sarah Corbett, a real inspiration and a very friendly lady! She is running a
'mini protest banner making' workshop at Fabrications on
Sunday 19th March, 2 - 4.30pm which focuses on the history of craftivism, it's benefits and how it can create change through thought provoking, non threatening, crafty action. She will also be teaching practical skills in how to interpret text and design in cross stitch and embroidery to create slogans with impact. If you're interested in attending please contact us to book in!

Image courtesy of Sarah Corbett

B & B

Katherine May's fantastic banner is up and the builders are in! I've been watching people peeping through the door to see that Fabrications is now officially a building site!

Meet Fiona Sail and her team who have agreed to undertake all the work!

I'm Looking forward to the improvements and change...I'll keep you posted!

We are on the move.......

Come and wave us goodbye this Saturday as we embark on an exciting journey of renovation and rejuvenation here at Fabrications. On Monday building works commence to create an extension (Or 'Imaginerium') on the back of the shop. It's been 3 years in the planning, and I am excited that the show is on the road - a new Eco classroom space for even more workshops, events and collaborations.

I've moved out my workshop downstairs, which has become spacious echoing chambers now all my stuff is out!

Getting my floor peddled loom out was a challenge! We had to take off the legs and then we walked it out of the building. It has now been re assembled and installed into Fabrications temporary new home at 16 Broadway Market. We will be there for 4 months.

Katherine May has created a fantastic appliqued banner for us, which will go on display over our shop window, so you know where to find us during the build.
I will also be posting up the design and progress reports on the blog and Fabrications FB page, so please follow our news virtually!

* We would welcome any suggestions for what you'd like to experience in the new space, or perhaps you may have a workshop, event or exhibition you'd like to host.

* Any comments or feedback on what we've already done and how we could do it better would be much appreciated!

Heartfelt Haberdashery

We believe in having a good stock of quality love tokens (conditions may apply) all year around but we do have a few recommendations for Valentines...

Our Heartfelt Haberdashery cards imbued with magic, 100% Guaranteed.

Crochet hearts in a lovely presentation box by Monstify
(who created Fabrications fantastic Halloween Window)

Alternatively, why not hijack valentines day to love the world?

Many people will receive an unexpected Valentine this year, courtesy of crafty activist group Craftivist Collective, who aim to hijack Valentines Day. For the third year running, the collective will be hiding alternative Valentines letters and gifts in public across the UK including London, waiting to be found by unsuspecting members of the public and provoking them to think about the effects climate change is having on our global neighbours on this special day.

You can get involved too! Visit their website to download an alternative valentines letter template, there is also a hearty keyring design by Tatty Devine with a scroll onto which you can write "Love the earth" or "show your love" which you can include with the letter.

What's in the window?

I've been pondering on what to put in Fabrications Christmas window. I'd better get my skates on as I'm well behind on Oxford Street terms but I didn't want to spoil the magic!
Let me know what you think on the options below?

This year I'm spoilt for choice - a knitted nativity scene (which is for sale POA) or knitted Christmas decorations (£10 - £15 each) ....

Meet Hackney resident Simon Kingsley, who's mum created all these wonderful knitted festive items. Simon is an accountant who works with small business, so if you need help with your tax return in January he can help!

Another option for the window is Katherine Eeves latest knitted Santa beard patterns (£4 each) so you can create your own 'Winter Warmers!'

Santa makes a quick getaway from the shop laden with gifts in Fine Cell's SWAG bag (* *NEW IN * * for £45) HO HO HO!

Our window has been Monstified!

Thanks to Ayda Anlagan for her amazing 'Monstify' creations and 'Monstify over' service we have a wicked spooky window display for Halloween. Please come down and have a look, these pictures don't give justice to the level of detail and imagination in her 'anatomical crochet with a twist'. All items are also for sale, so get them while they are fresh!!
I came across Ayda's work at this year's Designers Block. She was exhibiting with the Puff + Flock design collective. Through adding crocheted eyes, Ayda believes that anything can be monstified! Giving life and theatre to any inanimate object.

The wool monster!

Any one seen my tea cup?
I'm finding it hard to see by the light of these crochet candles!

Watch out for the cookie monster!

My crochet heart is not on my sleeve but on a platter!

Watch out after dark, you may get caught up in a
giant spider's web!

ALSO FOR 1 WEEK ONLY from this Saturday
* DOMINQUE's POP UP vintage
fabric + haberdashery SALE *
Come and look through a fabulous collection of fabric lengths, samples, trims, lace, embroidered linen, hat making materials, buttons, buckles, darning yarns and much more on original cards and packaging and in good goody bags at bargain prices!

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.

What's in the window?

It's amazing what goes on out of hours at Fabrications!

What's in the window?

For some time now we've been noticing an upsurge in facial hair growth, whiskers and grooming in the Broadway Market area. On Saturdays especially, beard and moustachios are rife, snuffling and wiggling their stuff down the runway. The larger, combed, waxed and sculpted the better!

But Ladies, children and beardless men
- no need to look upon in envy!

Katherine Eeves has the solution! A knit your own beard pattern!
Now even longer and one size fits all!

Katherine Eeves has created this month's window display. She is a talented textile illustrator now residing in Hackney. For more information about her and her work check out her blog.

So do not hesitate any further! Pick up Katherine's 'Tufty' (but easy to..!) knit your own beard pattern today for £4 or a knit your own beard kit for £8.

What's in the window?

Inspired by Claire Platt's posts while she was here, I'm continuing her theme of featuring our window displays. This month meet Clemence Joly, creator of our current display 'The Wool Butchery'

Clemence is a graphic designer and a very imaginative crocheter as well! She has re created a traditional french butcher's window using a variety of wool textures to capture different meats.

" Bonjour! Can I have a pound of saucisson sec and a couple of balls of wool, please"

My favorite has to be her pig's head, with an apple in it's mouth. Bien fait Clemence!

what's in the window?

The Window changes alot at Fabrications but at the moment it's all about baked goods! There's crochet cupcakes and biscuits, and some amazing ceramic cakes by Robert Archer (you may have seen his stuff at the V&A's village fete in the summer!) His knitted playstation controller is also amazing!

These embroidered boxes are by Taman Sheikh, whose currently studyingTextiles at Chelsea college of Art aren't they lovely! Perfect for carrying your crochet cakes in! Which she also made along with the biscuits!

More pictures!

Meet Christina! A regular Fabrications vistor and an avid knitter, last time I met her she was proudly showing an amazing cardigan she'd knitted and this week she showed us this stunning vest and hat combination! Her hats are particularly incredible as she plays with mixing yarns and wire to manipulate the shape of the hat! She's going to be running a workshop demonstrating her wire and yarn mixing talents at Fabrications some time next year so keep a look out as I'm sure it will be amazing!

We are busy today getting ready for Hidden Art this weekend! Hope to see you there!