Hello.
Christmas is so predictable isn’t it? It’s the same day every year, relatives you haven’t seen for 12 mths appear and we shop in that time-honoured mad panic where good intentions give way to indifference as to whether Uncle Alan will really appreciate that travel coffee mug when he never ventures beyond the local bingo hall.
So we’re running a competition that will put a stop to all that. Sort of.
Upcycle Christmas is a competition for people to take second hand / charity stuff and make it into something ‘new’ and desirable to be sold at an online auction starting on the 7th December. All proceeds from the auction will go to Sue Ryder Care, the healthcare charity, our partners on the project.
The first 200 entrants can claim five items from participating Sue Ryder Care stores. Claim your charity stuff if you haven’t already by getting a ticket and taking it to a participating store (you have to have a Folksy account and include your username when you take your ticket).
UPDATE: Just to be absolutely clear you do not need to use Sue Ryder Care stock to make things with. A lot of people seems to have assumed that you did. And we’re sorry if you don’t live near one of the 14 participating stores but feel free to ask on the forums if someone else will go to a local store for you and post the stuff on
Entries will be judged on the following criteria and a winner will be awarded in the following ‘categories’:
- 1. most innovative piece
- 2. quality of craft work / ‘craftsmanship’
- 3. best use of materials
- 4. ‘appeal’ which kinda means playfulness / fun
- 5. people’s choice – your favourite items as chosen by number of favourites the item receives on Folksy!
There will be a winner chosen from each of the categories. Winners get to showcase their portfolio in the Sue Ryder Care Camden store for one month from the middle of Jan to the middle of Feb in a specially constructed Folksy set. This store is being refurbished over Christmas and will come back in the New Year as a wonderful space to exhibit your work.
We have two three four judges who will be picking winners:
- The first is Wayne Hemingway MBE, who’s been at the forefront of British design for yonks, initially with Red or Dead and now moving into architecture and built environment (inc. sheds!). He was also instrumental in educating all of us daily with his slot on The Big Breakfast (you can see him on the penultimate show on this youtube clip).
- The second Louise Roe, the fashion journalist and ex BBC Clothes Show presenter who now guests on programmes like Britain’s Next Top Model. She’s like Mrs F.A.S.H.I.O.N. Follow Louise on twitter @louiseroe
- The third is India Knight (wikipedia), the columnist, champion of craft and making, and author of amongst other things The Thrift Book: How to Live Well and Spend Less (Foyles :: Amazon), one of the bibles here at Folksy Towers and core to the idea of Upcycling Christmas. Follow India on twitter @Indiaknight
- Lastly, we have Antoni and Alison the very fashionable fashion designers who ran away with rave reviews from this year’s London Fashion Week.
89 comments
Fantastic! This is SO right up my street, it’s practically parking on my front lawn.
:-)
This sounds brilliant- just checking I can make something non-Christmassy though?
Brilliant, I don’t have a store near me do I still need a ticket to enter?
I think I know what I’m going to make, but does it have to be Christmas or not?
This is right up my street as most of the stuff in my folksy store is upcycled!
Hmmmm the only sticking point for me would be the having to be in London on the 6th/7th of Dec to meet the judges.
Hi @pennydog yes, of course, it’s about making things to sell near Christmas and that could be anything. People buy all kinds of things for gifts. So I’d err away from doing anything with a real christmassy feel as that might not be suitable as a gift.
Does that help?
@Lynsey we’re hoping to organise a ‘do’ for the winners in London where they can meet the judges (we’d pay for travel). If you win and you can’t come that wouldn’t affect your chances of winning.
@sophiecat ditto what I said earlier – probably better to think about making interesting gifts rather than Christmassy stuff per se
@sophiecat you can make things with your own second hand stuff. It doesn’t need to be from Sue Ryder Care. What we ask is that you say what you have used, and where you got it from, in the description of the item when you put it on Folksy.
Brilliant idea!
A great idea – but a bit unfair on those not in England :-(
What a fabulous idea BUT I’m in Scotland. Can I take part as it’s an on-line event?
There’s a Sue ryder shop two mins from my flat & it’s a shame it’s not taking part.
Would love togive this a go – are there any stores in Kent participating?
Would love to give this a go – are there any stores in Kent participating?
just signed up for a ticket then realised there are no stores participating in scotland, are there more stores still to be added? Hope so its such a fab idea
Thanks James, I feel a table/curtain combo coming on. It’s a shame that there are no Midlands based shops participating though, even if I visit my sister in Hull I’m still nowhere near :(
I don
I would love to give this a go, but i think it is a bit unfair. I live in Northern Ireland so there are no stores anywhere near me!!! Yet in the Event Details, you say, see the list of participating stores and then join folksy (if you have not already)!! But what about those of us who have been here from near the start but don’t get to pick five items because of where we live!! Im not a happy bunny :(
It does say
“or use your own second hand things and get making!”, which I intend to do, I’ll be picking up items from the local charity shop which I can walk too. So all those who don’t have Sue Ryder’s near you, all is not lost :)
A really exciting competition, can’t wait to see what everyone makes.
@julie robertson – yes, of course you can participate if you are in Scotland!
@the sun room – trying to organise a huge retail arm isn’t simple and just co-ordinating it to run with these stores took some time. it’s frustrating that you’ve taken this tone because a LOT of effort has gone into getting this far by people who care and want to make a difference rather than taking the easy route and not bother at all IMO. agh!
Thanks to everyone else for the positive comments, you’re all fab.
Hi does this item need to be a gift type of thing or can it be clothing and can you make more than one item? thankyou
Excellent!
I have been using some recycled things in my new gifts for guys collection, im sure i can manage an entirely recycled one for the competition!
Its been ages since i entered a competition Yay :)
This is a great idea, well done for organising this, its great advertising for folksy, and a lot of fun to boot.
Obviously I have to comment that I live in WALES, not England, but we do have the odd charity shop here so I guess i’ll use my own stuff!
@michelle scattergood of course, you can make whatever you like. People buy clothing for gifts at Christmas don’t they? And yes you can make more than one thing…
I too was going to participate – especially as a) I have a Sue Ryder shop in town and b) my mum volunteers in the one in her town – but as I’d have to travel over 30 miles to the West Bromich store this would increase my carbon footprint and may not even be a fruitful visit!
Brill idea…………and am game to have a go and raise some cash for a very worthy cause.
@sewtobed The Sue Ryder stuff is just an OPTION you can use any second hand materials, so bonus if you do have a participating store nearby but don’t let stop you getting involved. :)
sorry if i’m being dense, but can you just clarify that you only need to register and print out a ticket if you are going to claim a bag of stuff from sue ryder stores? if i’m planning on using my own charity shop finds i don’t need to register, is that correct? thanks :)
Great idea, love it, will see what i can come up with xxx
@summersville affirmative, you only need to grab a ticket if you are collecting stuff from Sue Ryder Care to make your item(s) with. If you’re not then you DO NOT need a ticket :)
Please,please,please support this competition!
I am new to Folsky and I have MS……I may well need thier help in the years to come.
I’ll be having a go-although all my stuff is recycled anyway!
Happy making :)
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to all of you who are supporting this project!!
I am a fundraiser for Sue Ryder Care and have been working with James and the wonderful people at Folksy to make this happen.
Just to explain, as James said a lot of work had gone on to make this happen and we are very excited about it!! The stuff that you Folksy folk are making and selling looks fantastic and we cant wait to see what you produce!
With regard to retail, you are right, we have over 350 stores nationwide however as this is the first time we have ever attempted anything like this we decided to limit it to a small no. of stores across the UK to see how it goes. If this goes as well as we think then we may well look to expand the project in the future but for that we need your support!
Thanks to all of you who have been supportive, I just want to reassure you that your efforts are very much appreciated by everyone at Sue Ryder Care…least of all the people we provide care for.
Each year we provide 4 million hours of care to people living with cancer, multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, stroke and brain injury.
I’ll keep an eye on the forums in case any more questions pop up but if youre not near a participating shop please do enter and you can use your own materials or of course support your local charity shop.
Best wishes to all
Andy Nak
what a great idea for a competition and a fantastic charity to support.
I would absolutely love to take part as I’m a keen supporter of recycling and upcycling, but I’m due to have my first baby in the next couple of weeks, so I think I’m going to have my hands full!
But I will be really intrigued to see the entries and best of luck to everyone that takes part!
Hi again sorry but what is the deadline for entry only on my printout I have a date and time which is Nov 30.2009 1:00PM is this the deadline or is it Dec 5th I think I read somewhere thankyou hope your not fed up with me yet
michelle
Hi again sorry but what is the deadline for entry only on my printout I have a date and time which is Nov 30.2009 1:00PM is this the deadline or is it Dec 5th I think I read somewhere thankyou hope your not fed up with me yet
michelle
Well I chased off to the Sue Ryder store in Cottingham, Hull with my ticket and they knew not a thing about this fund raiser for them. In fact they made me feel abit like I was trying to con them and take something away without paying for it lol
So paid for an item I could use and left them my ticket as well, in the hope that they dont knock back anyone else trying to take part in the fundraiser for them!
Hope you all have better luck than me!
I too charged off to my local Sue Ryder store in Romily, which is on your list, but they had heard nothing about it either. The manager was very helpful though and let me go through the rag bag and pick some bits but has taken all my details just in case. Very excited about this comp and will start making tomorrow. Woo hoo nice work Folksy peeps xxxxx
Mim!!!!
Romiley is about 5 minutes away from me :)
I was hoping to pop down and see what they had but may be a little hesitant about going in trying to blag free stuff now!! LOL
I suppose if you’ve been, they will have an idea about it when I bowl up on monday morning waving a ticket around!!!!!!!!!!
Hi @recyclin,
Hull is not a participating store so you wouldn’t have had much luck there ;) See the map and PDF above to see which stores are participating.
michelle scattergood –
The closing date for entries is 18:00 GMT on Saturday 5th December 2009 :)
I’m very excited about this competition and for a great cause. Unfortunately there is not a Sue Ryder shop near me but we have lots of other charity shops so I have been trawling through them today and found some interesting and exciting items :o)
One question – the rules say you have to use charity shop/used items except dyes, thread etc. Can I use some Fimo/Sculpy that I have left over from another project? I assume you just mean we can’t use items that we go and purchase especially for the competition (except those from charity shops) – is that right, or am I stretching the rules a bit?
@natsd – yes, basically you can use things that you can’t (practically) use second hand e.g. fimo / sculpy, thread etc. The gist is that the main materials are used. Hope that’s clear. Am excited now that everyone is buying stuff…
I’ll be taking part, I had a rummage around my local charity shops yesterday and went through my big salvage box. I always try to support my local charity shops anyway and really don’t mind that (being in NI myself) there isn’t a Sue Ryder store near me. I’m just happy to take part and make sure a bit of money is going in the direction of a charity. Honestly though I think even if I had a participating store near I’d still have paid for everything.
I’m sorry if this had already been answered somewhere else…. but… the final piece that we enter into the competition – is that sold at the auction with all proceeds to charity? Also, is the stuff that we showcase in the camden store sold with all proceeds to charity? How does the money and the charity thing work?
@mochiplan Hi, the final piece will be sold at auction. the showcase in Camden is whatever you want to submit and Sue Ryder will sell your things IF YOU WANT but YOU would get the money (they may make a small mark up).
Hi, sad to read a few negative comments here. I went to my local Sue Ryder in Stockton-on-Tees armed with my voucher and they couldn’t have been more helpful! Told me that I could help myself to whatever I wanted, even offered me a look round the back room too if I was so inclined. I found my 5 things, handed over my voucher and am in the planning stages now! Good luck to everyone entering, very exciting!
Hello.
I went along to my local Sue Ryder shop today. The lady in charge had one person in already but had to go and reread what she had to do but she was lovely and really friendly.
It was rather a fun experience and now I have some things and wondering what to make which is exciting.
Hi, I have just listed my item for the competition but I don’t think I have done it right, I tagged it sueryder but I have been charged for the listing and have not put any price in for the item or for postage. Please help! Item is:
http://folksy.com/items/75725-upcycle-christmas-zip-purse?shop=yes
Hi, me again. Looks ok now I have gone back into it. I have not charged p&p. Can’t wait to see everyone elses entries.
Emily that looks fantastic – we’re very excited about it in the Sue Ryder Care office as its the first piece we’ve seen!!
Thanks to all of you who are taking part for your support and enthusiasm… it really does make a difference not just to the people we care for but to the all the fundraising team who are currently in the middle of a friday afternoon slump at the end of a long week!!
Theres nothing better as a pick-me-up than people going out of their way to help others so thank you! Youre truly inspiring and we very much like Folksy Folk!
Keep ’em coming and good luck all!
Andy Nak
This is such a FAB idea. I’m really excited. My house is full of charity shop buys, all waiting for that big day when they will be upcycled into something fun and funky. Now that day has come and all my hidden stashes are shouting “USE ME!! USE ME”. They all want to meet Wayne Hemmingway (and Louise and India too). My husband will be pleased – He’ll be hoping that I can use up some of that yummy yarn that I keep buying from charity shops, ‘cos it’s ‘such a good bargain’. Best get clicking and good luck with this fab competition.
my entry is in my shop now : a pretty lilac and lace mini punkah
http://www.folksy.com/items/76860-Upcycle-Christmas-pretty-mini-punkah
my entry is in my shop now : a pretty lilac and lace mini punkah
Hi Andy Nak, many thanks for your lovely comment about my first entry. I am really enjoying having the opportunity to use my skills to help, hope I raise some money for you in the auction.
I spoke to the Knottingley branch today and they told me to check if the Driffield branch was participating, so my partner phoned them and they are going through the process to be involved. Good news for anyone in East Yorkshire/Hull area :)
Well done Folksy and Sue Ryder peeps, this is a fab idea! It’s really got my creative juices flowing and all for such a great cause. VERY excited!
Time to check out my local charity shops and my salvaged bits and pieces. Good luck to everyone.
Hello – I’ve just uploaded my Sue Ryder up-cycle piece/s… afraid I’ve no idea whether I’ve done it right. Wasn’t sure what to put for price as I was under the impression proceeds will go to Sue Ryder charity so I put what I would sell them for but they might not make that in auction, which is OK too. this is their link
http://www.folksy.com/items/78445-Sue-Ryder-Charity-Shop-Orphans
The staff in the Camden store were so lovely and friendly and enthusiastic! I hope you all had such good service.
Camden shop staff were very nice and extremely helpful!
Hi folksy people. Love this as an idea, as all my work is upcycled, can I use second hand items that I have collected over the years and second hand findings, I’ve started making but need to check this before listing.
Hi Corrie. Yes, that’s fine. As long as they’re second hand.
very late to the party, but love the idea of this comp. so will be doing my best to take part.
Great idea!
Is it supposed to be Manchester based cos all a us up in central and northern Scotland would love to be part of this too. I will walk to my local shop or use my own stuff (as it says!) but I will feel a little left out and sad not to be part of this goodie bag?! CRAFT ON EVERYONE!!!!!:-)
OK, I’ve finally got some headspace to think about this! I’m going to make a small stained glass panel – and most of the glass will be upcycled – i.e. kiln-flattened bottles and glasses…plus some window glass that has been rescued – but the lead holding it all together will be new. That’s ok isn’t it? Thanks
That is best time to raise money and I love bringing old things to life! I am in!
Have a problem….how do I withdraw from the competition ?? I have just found out I must be out of the country when the items are to be posted.Family problems. I don’t want to let anyone down. I haven’t put my item online yet but need to withdraw my name
Just entered! Hope you like…
http://www.folksy.com/items/88478-D-colletage-Headband
xxx
@Shabby Neesey – we’ll email you to see if there’s anything we can do to help.
Hi, I’ve just collected my materials from Sue Ryder Camden, they are all lovely, helpful people. But they are a bit confused by the closing dates for collecting materials, the guidance here says 30th November, but the Camden people thought it had finished end of October! Might need to take this with you if you are planning a trip to the Camden store. x
I know what I’m making! but using fabrics from the local Salvation Army shop, as not near one of the sueryder shops.
Would love to see Mr Hemmingway in the flesh, there was a time (in my youth) when all I wanted was Red or Dead clothes, ah I remember that tiny sheath silver dress that would now only fit one leg! Kx
OK here is my entry…
http://www.folksy.com/items/93482
what do you think? Kx
I just uploaded my entry http://www.folksy.com/items/125482–Buttons-Storage-Box-for-Ribbons-SueRyder-Upcycle-Xmas?shop=yes
Hope you like!
Getting quite exited about the auction – I’ve spotted a couple of things I’d like to bid on but how exactly will it work?Anyway, here’s my entry – please take a peek!
http://www.folksy.com/items/104986–SUERYDER-FRAMED-FABRIC-COLLAGE?shop=yes
I have a couple questions.
Do you need to have a Folksy shop?
How do you submit your items?
Indiesmiles would love to work with Folksy shops!
Check out our worldwide contest, open to all!!
http://www.indiesmiles.com/shoppers-cartoon-contest/http:
I have a couple questions.
Do you need to have a Folksy shop?
How do you submit your items?
Indiesmiles would love to work with Folksy shops!
Check out our worldwide contest, open to all!!
http://www.indiesmiles.com/shoppers-cartoon-contest/http:
Just listed my entry, an accordion photo book:
http://www.folksy.com/items/128138-Accordion-Photo-Book?shop=yes
Ohhh, sounds so delightful! Sadly I will not be able to participate as I am across the pond, state side. Best to all of you who will be joining in the fun! May the best re-junker win!!
What fun I have had making something completely new and different..My box frame is nearly finished ,tell me what you think.http://feythcrafts.blogspot.com/
Hi, Can anyone tell me why my posting doesn’t read “This item is in the Upcycle Competition and is not for sale at this moment” I’ve put 0 in the price box and stuff but it still doesn’t appear, what should I co?………..
Ignore the previous query, just worked it out doh!!
I have finished and listed. http://www.folksy.com/items/144834-Peasant-Skirt?shop=yes
Can we confirmation that the deadline has passed, please ?
Im gutted..got burgled this week..computer and camera stolen.I couldnt take photos or list my item..such is life:(
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!
To all of you that have taken part we hope youve had fun!! Everyone at Sue Ryder Care loves the pieces youve submitted and a few of us have already bid today.
One last favour from you though… can you please forward the link to as many of your friends and family as possible… the hard work has been done but we want as many people to see the items as possible and raise as much money as we can to support our doctors, nurses and the people we care for!
LINK:
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/upcyclexmas/
We are already talking about plans for the new year and I look forward to catching up with you folksy folks soon, until then have a brilliant Xmas!!
ps. to those of you I met at the London event, thank you for the warm welcome :-)
Please come along and bid for the submitted items! Right now most of them are not earning as much as whatever was obtained from the stores – so please come to ebay and help the makers earn MORE than the charity shops would have earned otherwise.
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/upcyclexmas/
Great – kinda great topic. I’m going to write about it likewise!
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well done everyone that was involved with the auction. It was great to get involved and help raise money for a excellent charity!
who won the competition in the end? are the winners published somewhere on the folksy site?
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