Wanna start your own craft group? Or even just bottle up enough courage to try out your local maker meeting? No worries, in Material World the founders of the UK’s biggest and best craft groups are here to advise.
Who? Deborah Daniel
Why? She’s founder of the East London Craft Guerrilla, an organisation who hosts events, writes blogs, curates shops and galleries and does all kinds of craft awesomeness in my neck of the woods, Walthamstow.
Where can I see more? craftguerrilla.com
Who? Louise Williams
Why? She’s the Crafty Pint extraordinaire, behind the lovely dual London events, Crafty Pint South (in Tooting) and Crafty Pint North (more often than not, in Crouch End). The group behind the events are a mixture of makers who want to promote local artisans and creatives and keep people shopping local.
Where can I see more? handmadeintooting.wordpress.com
Who? Nico Dawson
Why? Not only is she head events honcho for the Manchester Craft Mafia, she’s also the lady behind the Manchester craft night Lo-Fi. As well as all that, she makes trinkets and buttons under the guise of Ophelia Button.
Where can I see more? manchestercraftmafia.co.uk // opheliabutton.co.uk
Who? Francine Schokker
Why? Birmingham’s premier craft space, Creative Open Workshops (better – and more amusingly – known as COW) is an artist-run project that runs craft fairs, nights, events and more – and Francine is one of their star tutors.
Where can I see more? creativeopenworkshops.com