Getting wildly creative for Bestival

State of Craft is off to Bestival tomorrow for some alfresco crafting in the Ambient Forest. Wwwooo. And the sun is SHINING! As well as the ever-popular feather headdresses, I've come up with a couple of other projects for the Wildlife theme: the furry mini cape... 

...and the wearable dreamcatcher (which look great worn together with a headdress, of course).  I made the dreamcatcher last night with the help of these instructions, and was inspired by some amazing vintage-doily dreamcatchers on Lune blog. 

I've also made myself a mini animal cape. I think it's a bear. 

This project would be a bit difficult to do in the forest, without a sewing machine, but we've also put together a pop-up suitcase shop and will be selling the awesome Merrimaking animal hoods for those after some head protection!

I'm newly determined to get this blog fully up and running, and will post instructions and pictures after the event!

Craftacular!

The last month has been completely absorbed with organising the BUST magazine Christmas Craftacular. I need to work our how to be busy and blog, at the same time... But for now, take a look at this little lot of Craftacular vendors. Happy shopping!

Style over substance

The other day, cycling to work through Hoxton, I nearly fell off my bike when I caught sight of someone carrying a tote bag bearing this message - CSM being Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, where I got my "education". And it was, and no doubt still is, a lot about posing. Funny. A quick Google revealed that the design is by CSM Graphic Design graduate Jasiminne Yip, and it is, in fact, official CSM merch. Seems an odd choose of slogan for it to promote itself though, no? I, like, totally, want, one!

Oh, and talking of totes, we'll be printing our own very special State of Craft ones with the wonderful Mr Wingate at the book launch party at Rough Trade East on November 3. Come! Details here.

Grape Jelly

The other weekend, a fortuitous loot of grapes from the next-door garden let to a spot of Friday night/Saturday morning jam-making (or jelly-making, if you will, since the seeds etc were strained away), following this recipe.

And tasty it is too!

Starting stuff

As well as just starting this blog, I've finally, after about a year and a half of ruminating on the idea, started a patchwork quilt. Hexagons. Stitched by hand, the old-fashioned way with paper patterns. "Didn't you want to make the hexagons bigger?" No! They are about 9cm across, and I did start to do some maths on how many hexagons it will take to make a double quilt... Better get on it!

The other day I also taught my friend Sheila to knit (in exchange for a massage, which seemed pretty fair). 20 stitches; the beginner basics of the knit stitch. I was pretty impressed that she seemed to pick it up quickly. Then the next morning I got a text saying, "I woke up this morning, finished what I had started on one side, but then completely messed up when I had to move to the other needle. Hopefully it's salvageable!" Starting stuff is tricky.

State of Craft went to Bestival...

Yes, the other week, I packed my bags with hundreds of feathers, tons of brightly-coloured felt, metres of elastic (all those useful things), and headed to the Isle of Wight to install myself in a little gazebo in the woods... as part of Bestival.

Aint it pretty? I finished stitching the bunting-style banner in the Southampton Premier Inn. The feathers etc were to make Hipster Headdresses, one of the projects that's in State of Craft and a workshop that last appeared at the Camden Crawl.

But, here in the Ambient Forest, craft got down with nature...

... and fellow festival-goers – sober, or otherwise!

Radio 1's Huw Stephens even rocked up, wearing a headdress we made especially for him. Check out the gold HS (hot stuff huw stephens), and those lightening bolts!

And some seriously striking headgear was created.

So much fun - and then I saw Bjork.