££££ Yarnbombing in York for Oxfam ££££

This is just a very short blogpost to say THANK YOU so much to everyone who got involved in our Yarnbombing in York event this summer in Rowntree Park.  The final figures are now in and we raised almost £1200 for Oxfam. Yay!!!

If you want to take a peek at a yarnbombed Rowntree Park and look at all the fab things everyone made at our event in July then click on the link below:

http://hippystitch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/york-yarnbombing-event-rowntree-park.html

Wool Yorkshire at the Knitting & Stitching Show 2013 - Harrogate

Whilst at the Knitting & Stitching Show in Harrogate I came across the Wool Yorkshire exhibition.  Here's a taster ...

Jess Browning - Woollen Fabric

Jess loves the vast sprawling industrial landscapes of Yorkshire and has captured them in a bold & vibrant way in this fabric.  (There's also a fantastic purple piece too but you'll have to go in person to see that - or catch  a glimpse of it in the pic below)

Sue Carter - Wool Seats

Sue's wool seats are made from recycled wool and cardboard tubing. She says "I wanted people to take a moment to stop, feel and interact with the different types of wool fabric & yarns, and to recognize the versatility of the fibre".

Lydia Brockless - Woollen Sculpture

Lydia Brockless is a fine art student who makes sculptures in a range of media.  Here she is exploring the fabulous colours and textures of wool through a "playful range of organic shapes which huddle together".

This exhibition is downstairs on the Learning Curve level but through the double doors - you could easily miss it so do seek it out.

Knitting & Stitching Show 2013 - Harrogate

So exciting ...the Knitting & Stitching Show 2013 is now on in Harrogate (until Sunday 24 November 2013 anyway!).  It's the highlight of my textile year!  And you always bump into friends there too which is just an added bonus. 

Strippy Quilted Skirt - Mandy Patullo

Here are my choices from the Textile Gallery ... first up is Thread & Thrift - Mandy Pattullo which was my personal favourite.   Mandy lives in the North East and her work is based on a love and respect for vintage textiles and the satisfaction of making a connection with needleworkers from the past.  She recycles and reuses very old & often disintegrating quilts into new patchwork pieces adding and embellishing as she goes.  Vintage buttons are also used.  Her work relates to the past culture of thrift and "make do and mend".  Her work has a certain "wonkiness" (Mandy's own words) which, for me, certainly brought it alive.

Quilted Dress (based on a Clothkits Pattern)

The Blues - Mandy Pattullo

http://www.mandypattullo.co.uk/

Next up is Rhythms & Counter Rhythms by Jan Beaney & Jean Littlejohn who are international textile artists and members of the 62 Group.  Jan's work was based on sketches and observation of local fields throughout the seasons and at different times of day and under different conditions to highlight the unusual together with complexities of mood, colour, pattern & texture.  I particularly liked "Winter Hedgerow"

Winter Hedgerow - Jan Beaney

This Choker by Jean Littlejohn with the use of washers, screws and other do-it-yourself bits and pieces is also ingenious.

Choker - Jean Littlejohn

http://doubletrouble-ent.com/

My third favourite was Susan Chapman and Terrie Hitchcock with their Evidence of Bodies exhibition.  This largely achromatic exhibition concerns itself with evidence of bodies through mark making including fingerprints and signatures ...

Making Your Mark - Susan Chapman

Little Ladies - Terrie Hitchcock

Susan Chapman

http://www.susanchapman.com/

http://www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/london/exhibitor/Susan-Chapman-and-Terrie-Hitchcock-Evidence-of-Bodies  

And finally there was Dorothy Caldwell's exhibition Marking the Everyday which was quite fabulous.  Drawing on her on-site research from the Australian Outback & the Arctic Dorothy uses the graphic quality of the "everyday" proceses of stitching, darning and mending to make her marks.  Her inspiration comes from both the large scale landscape features experienced during her research and the up close detail.

Dorothy Caldwell

Fjord - Dorothy Caldwell

Wandering Time - Dorothy Caldwell

 http://dorothycaldwell.com/

There were many other wonderful artists exhibiting too. And if you've never been, the Knitting & Stitching Show is definitely a must see event for anyone interested in knitting, stitching, art or if you just need to stock up on your crafting supplies as the range is amazing.  Read more here ...

http://www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/harrogate/

New Hippystitch Stock

Well - not long till my pre-Christmas events.  So I thought you might like to see some of the new items I've been working on.  In time for Christmas (shhh ...who  said that!) there's some cute knitted wire robin brooches ...

Knitted wire robins are flying in!

I've also been working on some more North Yorkshire People & Places brooches & map pouches ...

North Yorkshire People & Places Brooches & Map Pouches

And I've been gettting out the buttons for some new rings ...

Resin Button Rings

and some new brooches ...

Resin Button Brooches

Some threepenny bits have been added to the coin brooch collection ...

So there are some new things to look at as well as the favourites.  Take a look in the gallery for more pics of what I make ...

http://hippystitch.blogspot.co.uk/p/gallery.html 

then come along to one of my events & take a look for yourself.  Details are here: 

 http://hippystitch.blogspot.co.uk/p/events.html

Mermaid & Miller - York

In the run up to Christmas, Mermaid & Miller in Swinegate, York will be stocking Hippystitch goodies.  Here are the ranges they have in stock...

Domino Brooches

Coin Brooches

Button Hairclips

Resin Button Brooches

Mermaid & Miller not only have lots of great handmade loveliness for sale - they also provide vocational training for people with learning difficulties or disabilities.  In fact much of the stock is made by disabled people.  And, it's also a venue where local artists exhibit their work.  So, if you're in York go find Mermaid & Miller and take a look for yourself.

You can find out more about Mermaid & Miller on Facebook here:

https://www.facebook.com/mermaidandmiller