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.