Welcome to Local Craft Matters

February 2010

Welcome!

With the very dawning of 2010 comes the new Local Craft Matters’ site – full of information about crafts in Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas.  Please send us details of your craft clubs, favourite craft shops and what ‘crafty’ things you are getting up to!

Local Craft Matters is published on 1st February, 1st May, 1st August and 1st November – you can pick your copy up most good craft shops in the area, but if you would rather have your copy delivered to direct your home, please complete a subscription form and send it to us with your cheque for £6 which covers four issues, posted by first class post.

MaKe Craft Fairs

There are three MaKe Craft Fairs planned for 2010 – 5th April, 30th August (both Bank Holiday Mondays) and 28th November.  Stalls are still £30 for a 6’ table (same price as last year) and the events run from 10am until 4pm.  The two MaKe events so far have been very successful and the quality of goods being sold has been amazing.  More information and booking forms can be downloaded from this site, or by phoning 07710 620595, or email info@localcraftmatters.co.uk.

Patchwork Pals

PATCHWORK PALS NEWS  -  Moda & Makower fabrics arrive all the time and notions from the Clover range and many others are always in stock.

The wadding at Patchwork Pals is 100% cotton, 100% polycotton and yes, 100% Bamboo.

Courses are run most days for all abilities and they are happy to discuss any special needs you may have.

Call in to PATCHWORK PALS, at Leighton Buzzard Garden Centre, Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9NX

Telephone 01525 371444,

email sales@patchworkpals.co.uk

web:  www.patchworkpals.co.uk

My Junk 4 U

Featured on the front cover of the Spring 2010 issue of Local Craft Matters, is a piece of furniture from MyJunk4u.

We met Jim Lumsden from myjunk4u at the Craft Fair in Middleton Hall last year.  His was a striking display of gorgeous wooden chairs upholstered in a patchwork mixture of bright, modern fabrics.  There was even a chair covered in a patchwork of bar mats. The display was very popular, always surrounded by people who were drawn to the stunning fabrics.  Jim was pleased with the reaction to his furniture and judging by the number of sales he made at that one show, we think he will have a very busy 2010!

Jim offers unique furniture re-cycling.  He says, ‘The furniture is brought back to life, then  upholstered with collections of silks and cottons, producing a unique piece of furniture to bring the ‘wow’ factor to any room.’  We agree.

You can buy myjunk4u pieces at Castle Antiques, Bedford and the Ampthill Emporium in Ampthill, or visit the website to commission your own unique piece.

Contact by email on myjunk4ucustomer@yahoo.co.uk.

Fruit Pressing for Cider

Davey and Ellie by the nearly bare apple tree

FRUIT PRESSING FOR CIDER

Some time in early summer I was approached by Davey Chambers who wants to start a similar publication to Local Craft Matters, focusing on local and independent food and plant businesses.  He has ambitious plans for his business and the magazine he was seeking advice about is only a small part of those plans.

In addition to ambitious plans, I was very excited to hear that Davey also has a fruit press and he offered to come along to our family’s allotment to press the apple mountain into juice for cider-making.

We had a lovely day, Davey, his partner Ellie and small dog Titan, brought the press, buckets, muslins and bashing equipment along to the allotment one Sunday morning.  My brother came along with his two youngest daughters and we all joined in – picking fruit, bashing the apples into a pulpy mess, and arranging the pulp into  three ‘cheeses’ before Davey’s hand-made press was wound into action – eventually producing four gallons of gorgeous juice.

Apparently what happens next year is that we have another family day picking, bashing and squeezing, while we drink some of this year’s cider – if there’s any left!  I can’t wait.

We have set up something of an experiment with our juice – two demi-johns only contain apple juice and two have had yeast added which should speed up the process.

If you would like to know more about Davey’s new food and plants business, check out his website at www.foodandplants.co.uk, or contact us and we will pass your details on.

Jay’s Crafts – Crownhill, Milton Keynes

Jay’s Crafts is a family run business based in Crownhill, Milton Keynes.

We specialise in Card Making, Scrapbooking, Beading, Scale Modelling and War Gaming.

We encourage customers to come and do their hobby in our well lit workshop areas.  We run regular club sessions and workshops in all of our specialist areas.  Attendees find these sessions very informative and a sociable way to enjoy their hobby.  New ideas are encouraged and shared.

We now offer a series of watercolour courses for card makers and scrapbookers which is proving to be very popular. These are being repeated and more in-depth sessions are being added.  We are also holding club sessions for Scale Modellers and Miniature Sculptors once a month on a Tuesday evening.

Card Makers can regularly enjoy visits from Crafters featured on TV such as Sheena Douglass, Jayne Nestorenko, Sue Wilson and Paul Church.  On the beading side Sue Stallard will be running several one day workshops at regular intervals during the year.

For our wargamers Ricky Upjohn will be hosting regular tournaments on Saturdays as well as longer running campaigns. He also runs a Gaming Club every Wednesday evening.

Our schedule for the next three months is available at our warehouse which is stocked with an extensive range in our specialist areas.