The Craft Sessions - Part 4 - October 2013

November 24, 2013 thecraftsessions

So I kept thinking that I needed to do a summing up post. A post that encapsulated the weekend and I kept putting it off. I think it's because all that happened is a bit to big to put into words - at least in a single post. I realise we are up to Part 4 already and you may be chuckling at me saying something along the lines of "just get on with it already". So I will....and really the only way to tell it is with photos...so here goes.

What happened was exactly what we hoped for. A weekend of community, crafting, learning, encouragement, time away from our busy lives and the love....

We introduced ourselves

This was reception. Photo by Siri Hayes — This was reception. Photo by Siri Hayes

Pre dinner knitting. Photo by Siri Hayes

Leslie Keating who took our improvisational patchwork and block printing classes. Photo by Siri Hayes.

This is me - laughing so much you can't see my face under all the laugh lines... Photo by Siri Hayes. — This is me - laughing so much you can't see my face under all the laugh lines... Photo by Siri Hayes.

Sophie Parslow who took our Sewing classes. Photo by Siri Hayes

Leslie Keating and Melissa Wastney  - two of our teachers. Photo by Siri Hayes. — Leslie Keating and Melissa Wastney - two of our teachers. Photo by Siri Hayes.

Writing down why we came... Photo by Siri Hayes.

The very lovely Anna Farago who helped to run the event!! Big love to you xx Photo by Siri Hayes.

And the equally lovely Claire Fischer who helped organise. You are an inspiring woman xx Photo by Siri Hayes.

We were taught!

Georgie Hallam teaching Intro to Design. Photo by Felicia Semple

Julia Billings on her way back from the walk during the Dyeing with Local Colour class. Look at that lovely face! Photo by Felicia Semple — Julia Billings on her way back from the walk during the Dyeing with Local Colour class. Look at that lovely face! Photo by Felicia Semple

Sophie teaching the Sewing with Knits class. Photo by Felicia Semple

Leslie Keating teaching Freeform Patchwork. Photo by Felicia Semple

And we practiced new skills

Wiksten tank class with Sophie. Attaching binding. Photo by Felicia Semple

Embroidery class with Melissa. There is about 50 gorgeous photos from this single class. Photo by Siri Hayes.

Intro to design. Photo by Felicia Semple

Anatomy of a quilt. Photo by Felicia Semple

The lovely Leslie Sorenson block printing. Photo by Siri Hayes.

Siri Hayes in Freeform Patchwork. Photo by Felicia Semple

Embroidery from the Natural World. Photo by Siri Hayes

We made!!!!

Vintage Baby Shoes. Photo by Felicia Semple

Freeform Patchwork. Photo by Felicia Semple

Block printing by Anna Farago. Photo by Felicia Semple

Work by Anna O'Brien who taught our Quilt class. Photo by Siri Hayes.

Freeform Patchwork by Brianna Read. Photo by Siri Hayes.

We said goodbye

Goodbyes included afternoon tea with some delicious organic pastries from Loafer in Fitzroy. Photo by Siri Hayes.

Leslie Keating, Melissa Wastney and Anna O'Brien - some of our ace teachers. Photo by Siri Hayes.

Class of 2013. Photo by Simon Bird under Siri's guidance.

If you have got through this mammoth post - hurrah to you! I hope you enjoyed seeing some of what we got up to.

I've been getting emails from some of you wanting to know about dates for next year. We will let you know early in December. Good news is that there will definitely be The Craft Sessions 2014. We look forward to seeing some of you there.

Felicia x

Some housekeeping and a sponsor thank you

November 15, 2013 thecraftsessions

Handmade gift from us. Fabric on the left from Maze and Vale and on the right from Ink and Spindle. The one on the top right has some gorgeous binding I think I purchased from Kristen Doran at a market many moons ago. — Handmade gift from us. Fabric on the left from Maze and Vale and on the right from Ink and Spindle. The one on the top right has some gorgeous binding I think I purchased from Kristen Doran at a market many moons ago.

So just a couple of housekeeping things before I get to the saying thank you part of the post.

Firstly I wanted to let you know that I am going to try to update the blog twice a week moving forward - Tuesday and Friday. It may or may not happen but I thought it would put it out there to get the intention flowing. Wish me luck!

Secondly I'm planning on (finally) doing a full post about The Craft Sessions October 2013 retreat next week. Siri Hayes, a lovely crafter who I am lucky enough to call my friend, also happens to be a photographic artist. She agreed to help out on the weekend by taking some photos alongside me - some very pretty photos to show you next week from the two of us.

The final thing is that I wanted to let you know that we would be filling you in on dates and plans for next year at the start of December. We are already having fun dreaming up what comes next....so join our mailing list to be the first to hear.

Thank you sponsors!

A gift bags were ace! I know that that probably isn't the right thing to say, but I was just so thrilled when all our lovely sponsors jumped on board and provided us with the prettiest stuff. We were all very lucky not-quite-campers.

First we had a beautiful organic cotton bread bag or vegie bag which held all the loot. These were kindly donated by the loveliest Claire from Organic Gertrude.

We were then lucky enough to have Lara from Ink and Spindle donate a whole print run's worth of fabric to us in a custom The Craft Sessions colourway. I am so in love with this fabric - it is simply stunning!!! Have a look at their super new website. You can design your own colour way. Very fun and so very generous.

Next up was a discount voucher from the lovely Lisa at Tessuti which came on a very pretty card. And a gorgeous softie print from Lisa at The Red Thread - so cute.

Sunspun kindly donated a ball of Rowan Felted Tweed along with a super cute cuff that suggested patterns you could make with your one ball. Amy, who is the new owner of Sunspun, also kindly brought a whole heap of gorgeous things that they are no longer stocking in the store and just let us pick what we wanted.

Next up we had a discount voucher from The Fabric Store. They also donated two $100 vouchers which we gave away on Saturday night - names-in-a-hat-style. One went to the lovely Bridget who had a birthday the next day which made me happy.

Morris and Sons donated 50 different colours of their new 4ply 100% Australian yarn. I think there are 62 in total - so many colours my kids were quite astonished when I tipped them all out ready to pack.

My very good friend Mara from Printspace - who designed our logo - custom designed and donated an exclusive The Craft Sessions 2013 "I Craft For Joy" print. We gave these out as a parting gift when people were leaving. A little something to take home.

We were also lucky enough to receive some raw organic chocolate from Loving Earth. It got lost in transit and arrived a bit late but we have managed to figure out a way of spreading the luvju love...

And finally there was a handmade gift from us. A needlecase (sewn by me) made from Ink and Spindle or Maze and Vale fabric. Big enough to fit a little pair of scissors and some pins and needles. We will be putting up a tutorial in the next few weeks that shows you how to make one. So check back my friends, if that is of interest. They make super gifts.

So thank you Sponsors for the gift love! What a great way for our participants to start the weekend.

Felicia x

The Craft Sessions - Part 3 - We made!

November 6, 2013 thecraftsessions

My apologies for the break in blogging. I went on a much needed holiday, bush camping for a week with the small people, and thought I would be able to blog around it but it was not to be so......I have been known to engage in an unrealistic expectation in my time.

So today I wanted to show you some pictures from Leslie Keating and Melissa Wastney's classes. So many beautiful things were made. So many! .......

Scrap that. I think there are just too many pretty photos, and after trying to write this post for half an hour and only covering block printing I think I am going to have to break it up into more posts.

So starting again...today we will be looking at some pictures from Leslie Keating's Block Printing and Freeform Patchwork classes.

On with the show.....

Block Printing with Leslie Keating

People loved this class. First time for most of them printing on fabric and they loved it. Did I mention that there was love??

And Leslie - well she was just an enthusiastic supportive bundle of joy! She loved it as much as they did.

Leslie Sorenson's lovely work...she is halfway through....it got even better.

Jenny in action doing a gorgeous fan print

Freeform Patchwork with Leslie Keating

So my friend Siri did this class and I don't think she would mind me paraphrasing what she said. I found her later in the afternoon, wagging her afternoon class so that she could keep doing more on her freeform patchwork quilt top..... She said something along the lines of "So I went in with a clear plan of what I wanted to do ......but then I realised within a minute or two that that wasn't what the class was about. I took a moment, went with it, and now I LOVE it. I can't stop, it's totally addictive. And so freeing!! So much fun."

Leslie brought baskets of scraps to use - so much joy!

One of Leslie's class samples which I really wanted to run off with...

Go and have a look at Leslie's website. Her fabric is just stunning! We were so lucky to have her teach.

I'll be back again soon with some more - promise!

Felicia x

The Craft Sessions - Part 2 - Why you came!

October 31, 2013 thecraftsessions

Wow! - so I am trying to unpack today and I just found all the "lanterns" (very very loose term obviously) we made on the first night. For those of you that weren't able to be there, I'll fill you in on what I am talking about. After we arrived on the Friday evening, settled in and had a drink and some dinner, I introduced myself, the event and the teachers. While this was all going on I asked that the participants write down their reasons for coming on some paper we had prefolded and ready to be made in to lanterns. I was expecting a word or maybe two - some of you wrote a mini essay!

We were asked more than once during registration if people could come for just a day and we gave the same answer - we really want this to be about more than just learning some new skills. We want it to be about connection and community so it was an all in deal. The "wow" is for why you came - you wanted it to be about more than just some workshops too.

Here is some of what you said...

"To get in touch with my creative side in the company of inspiring individuals."

"To hang out with people who share the same obsession. To network, to share, to have fun, to have a weekend away!"

"To enjoy the experience of sharing craft with other crafters create, escape, share, unwind and commune."

"An environment of learning, sharing and inspiration - perfect"

"Quiet time in a different community"

"I have always loved craft so my interested was peeked immediately, but I also was very excited to spend a weekend with like minded people."

"My goal to hang out with people that know how to do stuff. I wanted to learn, while meeting people who like doing the same stuff as I do. Old school craft in new school ways."

"I came to Craft Sessions with the hope that I would meet and make friends who craft, because I honestly don't have any knitting friends!"

"Talk 'craft' without putting people to sleep."

"I am here to meet like minded people and learn some new techniques."

"To meet, to learn, to be inspired, to create the masterpiece."

"Collaboration with inpiring women."

"To reinvent my creative self."

Reading them today as I unpacked made me realise what we achieved. All of you came with this willingness to meet new people and connect. That was so very apparent by the atmosphere that was present the whole weekend. So many of you took a risk and came without knowing anyone - so impressive! And it paid off - it was such a welcoming atmosphere.

I feel lucky to have been able to have been a part of it.

I'll be back later in the week to show some of the beautiful things that were made at The Craft Sessions. Do you like what you see so far?

Felicia x

The Craft Sessions - Part 1 - I craft for joy!

October 29, 2013 thecraftsessions

The Craft Sessions 2013 "I craft for joy" print - by Mara Girling of Printspace.

I have no idea where to begin. Such was the weekend of goodness we just experienced. I know I keep saying it, but I want to say thankyou to all of you who have embraced the vision we had for this weekend with such enthusiasm and joy! And that means you - the lovely participants, our super generous teachers and those of you that have been following along on social media.

I actually don't have the energy today for many words or a big post so I thought I would leave the "what happened" posts till a bit later in the week. Instead I thought I would give you a little taster of the feel of what the weekend was. So very fun - and all about the joy!

Felicia x