Kim of Folksy shop Kimbows creates handmade fabric jewellery using glossy painted wooden beads and pretty printed fabrics. With a background in fashion design she has always loved to sew. From vintage sewing books to sand paper & plastic, here she shares with us the craft kit she cannot live without.

 1. My really big cutting mat means I can use any surface in my house to chop away on merrily.

2. What is actually a blunt kitchen skewer is really great for poking out the corners of my creations to give them a nice sharp clean finish.

3. My forever faithful snips, I once lost these for a week and it really did feel like I’d lost a limb.

4. When I’m busy making things one of the most fiddly tasks is always turning things through which is where my rula loopa comes into its own.

5. This old file was kindly aquired from my dad (whose shed is a craftsman’s dream) as i work with wooden beads alot this hand file is really great for filling out the holes when they’re in need of a bit of a tidying up.

6. The ultimate in speeding up the cutting out stage of my process. This rotary cutter is invaluable to me and although the blades do need replacing, luckily it hasn’t become a too frequent occurrence.

7. I often get dragged into old bookshops by my father and when I do its always worth having a little dig in the arts and crafts sections as the old books are often the best, they are always worded in a reader friendly basic manner which is great when you just need a simple bit of advice, this readers digest complete guide to sewing has become my personal bible.

8. The plastic strip along the bottom is the pattern piece I cut around when I’m cutting out my necklaces. This was made for me by my dads friends at work and then my dad stuck some sandpaper along to help it grip to the fabric. Before this fantastic piece of plastic was made for me I was using a paper pattern which was a nightmare as just pinning and unpinning it seemed to take hours.

9. My sewing machine – it doesn’t really need an explanation – none of the other processes would have any point if it wasn’t for this.

10. Lots and lots of different colours of threads always great to ensure my creations look the best they can.

If you would like to share your essential craft kit then please email me at Emily@folksy.co.uk. I look forward to hearing from you.

Here are the lucky winners….

- Kate Bowles
- Zebedee
- Astrid Weigel

Congratulations to all 3 winners and a huge thank you to everyone who submitted work.  You will be able to read all about what happens on our visit to the Maker Faire event in the September Monthly Update post on the blog, watch out for that on Monday 5th September.

This week we’re talking to Helen from Folksy shop Helkatdesign

Could you describe your shop?

My shop sells hand  screen printed and sewn cushions. The cushions are inspired by our  countryside and national emblems. They all have printed back detailing, as I like the idea of a surprise on the back often making the reversible and even better than the front. Each cushion is a one off with every one having a slight variation.  They are rustic and in my eyes like little works of art as they were originally developed as a sideline to canvases making original work a little more afford.

Who does your Folksy shop appeal to?

The cushions appeal to both men and women (unusual as normally men don’t get cushions!!) They do have a relaxed feel and the colours are muted and subdued – even the reds! I love the simple looks of scandinavian soft furnishings and combining them with a British twist.

Is this your day job?

This is my day job. I have multiple sclerosis and wanted to have a business that fitted in with me. Working for myself was the easiest option. I sold my first canvas 5 years ago and have moved from hobby, to part – time to full time. Last December Country Living magazine made me their Creative Champion along with the Natwest Every woman Rural business 2010. A feature in Country Living opened up more doors.

Have you been into craft and the handmade lifestyle for long?

I did a textile degree over 20 years ago, followed by  fine art at college.  I  have always loved interiors, painting and drawing.

Where do you promote your shop?

I don’t really promote my shop, but have been in a lot of blogs, I have an ethos of working just on the product and trying to improve it constantly.

Do you have plans to expand your business in the future?

Another 2 designers work with me and I finally have an admin assistant. I don’t really want to expand further, as you can lose what  people loved about your product  in the first place. The next step would be  an industrial unit but  I am happy with the studio at the top of my house.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about opening up a shop here on Folksy?

Nearly all my British stockists found me through Folksy so I am extremely grateful and pleased with the site. I don’t do trade shows Folksy is a great way to promote and showcase  my business.  For others starting up, try your product locally first – village fairs, school fairs/sales house parties charity sales.  Try not to copy, or compare your product just focus on making it the best. Don’t invest until you have demand! Then join Folksy!! a great way to g how successful designs will be The only person to promote you is yourself and your product, I am helping a friend make her shop on folksy at the moment. Photos are important – as many as possible.

We’d love to hear your comments!

Dear Deer

Have you ever visited Powderham Castle in Devon? It is situated in a deer park which is home to around 600 fallow deer. I live in Kenton so it is on my doorstep and a lovely place for a wander. I’ve had a wonderful browse through Folksy for some deer themed creations as they are such magnificent creatures. It was a difficult choice – here’s my selection.

Many of you will be familiar with our regular columnist Amy McCarthy and the fantastic craft reports she writes for the Folksy blog. Now that Amy’s stained glass business has really taken off, sadly for Folksy she has decided she can no longer manage to keep up with her writing commitments, Amy also had a column with Creative Crafting – so it’s a fond farewell to Amy and her fab columns, although she’s a regular in the Folksy forums and still very much an active Folksy shopkeeper – you can find her shop at www.amyorangejuice.folksy.com

I hope you will all join us in thanking Amy for these wonderful posts over the past 9 months and wish her the best of luck with her flourishing business. Amy was recently awarded a bursary from Devon Open Studios, one of only 5 awarded, i suspect it wont be the last award she receives!

Here’s a quick recap of all these great posts she has written for us, looking at the various craft genres to be found at Folksy.com. In each post the crafters explain the best way to get started and provide helpful links to inspire you to get creative yourself and try a new craft.

Pottery
Millinery
Photography
Wool Spinning and Dying
Book Binding
Candle Making
Oil Painting
Wire work jewellery
Paper Mache Art
Stained Glass
Casting
Polymer Clay
Printmakers
Crochet
Leather Work
Fused Glass

We are always looking for new content on the Folksy blog, so if you have an idea (or two!) then get in touch – we don’t bite :) email your thoughts to – hilary@folksy.co.uk

Carol Capaldi a Folksy shopkeeper got in touch to let me know about her fascinating experiences of building her business, taking inspiration from her time in Orkney, Edinburgh and using these experiences to organise and take part in craft fairs in her new home of Forres. Part of our Craft Local series, this article is about Carol’s personal experiences of crafting in a small community.  She discusses the ups and downs that crafters and makers outside of big cities can face. You can find Carols jewellery work here – www.folksy.com/shops/carolscrafts

Having moved up from the city of Edinburgh to a small village called Forres (in the Moray area, North-east Scotland),  and having had a lot of opportunities to sell my crafts in the more populated places, I started to think about how and where I could continue to make my wee business successful. It got me thinking about how small communities go about maintaining a thriving crafting vibe.

Before moving to Edinburgh, I lived up in the Orkney Islands for 4½ yrs. During my time there, I remember fondly how Carols Crafts really started. The population of Orkney is around 22,000. Although it has now been 10 years since I lived there, at the time I found that there was a thriving crafting community from which I got a lot of creative inspiration.

In the past the Orkney Islands relied heavily on primarily fishing and crofting in order to survive and make a living.  Although these sources still play an important part, the tourism industry along with local traditional crafts are at the heart of helping to support the island and its economy.  At that time, there was a craft fair In Kirkwall every month. Today, Orkney now has gift shops, galleries, workshops and studios that are full of local produce including jewellery, knitwear, art, photography, woodwork and pottery.  It also has its own craft trail with a map so that you can easily find these outlets. They include well known names like, Ola Gorie, Shelia Fleet and Ortak which have flourished to the point that they now have numerous outlets all over Scotland. There is even an Orkney wine company!! They really have their finger on the pulse up there.  I wish we had this kind of thriving crafting community in many more locations! (www.orkneydesignercrafts.com)

After moving from Edinburgh, where they have so many craft fairs and opportunities for crafters to sell their products, I wondered what they would have in a small town like Forres with a population of approximately 10,000 people? When I first arrived, I noticed that there weren’t many craft fairs. So I thought I would organize one myself. How hard could it be? Well, the first step was to book the local town hall in Forres which handily provided tables. Next, in order to promote my event, I then printed out posters and posted them about the town. In addition, I also placed a small advert in the local paper advertising the fair and for local crafters to book a table. And this was only after 8 week of moving to Forres!

Looking back, the one thing that I didn’t fully appreciate was how much local knowledge and word of mouth means in a small village like Forres. At my craft fair, about 10 people booked a table, but interestingly I found that I came across some negativity and suspicion from the locals who obviously were wondering who I was and what I was doing there etc.  They brought to my attention the fact that they do hold their own craft events. I found out that it was a small group that did hold 2 fairs a year in Findhorn (5 miles from Forres). Apart from that, there wasn’t much going on. The day of my craft fair was fine and not bad for the first one that I had organised. On the day of the craft fair, I met some lovely new people and made some good network contacts that have been of a great help since.

Regarding my business Carols Crafts, after 3 years of being in Forres, I can say that things have been building up nicely. And ’building’ up is the right word since it has been a gradual process requiring some patience! I’ve done quite a few demonstrations for local groups which have helped to get my name known out there. Also going round the local villages and towns you find lots of lovely wee gift shops that are looking for people to put local crafts in their shops. It’s usually on a sale or return basis but these wee shops are invaluable for small businesses like us. Plucking up the courage to go in and ask if they would like to stock your items can initially be quite daunting, but if you are confident in your product don’t let nerves get the better of you and just ask. People are always asking if I have my things in shops and they do go in when they have more time. Local events like the Highland and agricultural shows are great and usually have a big craft tent and a good footfall. Also some “Farmers Markets” will allow crafters to have their own stalls which are a great way to gain recognition amongst the local community. They get to see your face and they will come back once they know you. The longer I live here, the more I find out what is going on and there are new things starting all the time. I did a fair in Buckie last November and met a fellow folksier, lovely Kay from Hamespun.  Facebook and the Folksy UK  craft events forums have been really handy for providing information related to what’s going on in the local community.

So all in all, based on my own personal experience, I have found that within the small towns and villages based up here in the North-east of Scotland, there is a flourishing crafting vibe and it’s growing all the time.  There is something to be said for the country-based simple life, however this does not mean that you have to compromise your work. If you plan well and do your research you will find loads of people like yourself. I can only see it getting better!!

If you are looking for advice on attending craft fairs, what to say and how to set up a great display, take a look at our series of Craft Fair Tips . We would love to hear your thoughts on this fascinating article from Carol, please do join the conversation by leaving us a comment below, thank you!

If you want to get in touch with an article about your ‘Craft local’ experiences please email hilary@folksy.co.uk

Trees

The theme is ‘Trees’ I have just attended my Grandma’s 100th birthday party and the reality of my ‘Family Tree’ has been with me. I love the image of trees as metaphors for the different seasons of our life.

Click on the images and take a look at all the other great items these Folksy sellers have to offer too!

Click to find out What a Folksy Friday is and how to take part?
Folksy on Facebook – Add links and meet fellow Folksy Fans!
@Folksy on Twitter – Join the conversation and send us a tweet – we love hearing from our members
Folksy Forums -Check out this weeks mega Folksy Friday thread!

Handmade Christmas

My friends have told me I’ll start knitting a turkey soon. Why? Because I’ve set myself the challenge of only buying handmade Christmas presents this year.
Frankly, I’ve had enough of overcrowded high street shopping, novelty sock packs and battery operated foot spas. And I don’t want to celebrate a Christmas that has ‘Made in China’ all over it. I want to buy decent, handmade, original presents that make the recipients say ‘Wow, how cool!’ and my bank manager say ‘Wow, no overdraft this January…’ And I want to get as many other people as possible doing the same.
So I spent a happy afternoon last week scouring Folksy, cup of tea in hand, favourite tunes belting out. It was a great and easy experience, and I’ve nearly finished my shopping list. But I need some help. I struggled to find presents for my husband and nephews – has anyone got any ideas for a 37 year old chap who likes gardening, the outdoors, reading and cooking, and several under 12, sports-obsessed boys? Oh and wrapping paper. I need some of that too.

Here are some of the things I bought:
Mugs and sugar bowl, perfect for my parents. Stamps make great presents for nieces and sister-in-law. Bought several of these: Skullandcrossbuns. These notelets have ‘mother-in-law’ written all over them, and I’ve kept some for myself because they’re so nice!  Teatowels for aunts: Wren fern tea Towel.  My god-daughter has chickens, so these 3 egg cosies are a great present for her.  And finally a ‘me me me’ present. I love this print and I want, want, want. I keep leaving the web page open for my husband to see…. Seed Bloom Lino Print

PS: I’m also going to bang the Folksy drum and shout ‘PACKAGING’ at the top of my voice. All the Folksy parcels I’ve received so far have been beautifully packaged and sent in boxes and envelopes (often recycled) that are just big enough for the item inside. None of that terrible waste of cardboard, plastic and all manner of environmentally unfriendly packaging that large mail order companies seem to love so much.

Click on the images and take a look at all the other great items these Folksy sellers have to offer too!

What is a Folksy Friday and how can I take part?

Folksy on Facebook – Add links and meet fellow Folksy Fans!

@Folksy on Twitter – Join the conversation and send us a tweet – we love hearing from our members

Folksy Forums -Check out this weeks mega Folksy Friday thread!