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Muswell Hill Creatives Make and Mend Festival

Sunday 16 October - 10.30am-5pm
Hornsey Parish Church Hall, bottom of Cranley Gardens, N10 3AH
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On Sunday 16 October we're incredibly excited to be hosting our first ever Make and Mend Festival at the Hornsey Parish Church Hall, Muswell Hill.

Promising to be a lively and inspiring day packed with creativity, we'll be showcasing the skilled craftsmanship which is at the heart of everything we do. Join us to watch local artisans at work, create something yourself and shop from our makers.

We'll show you ways of living more sustainably with mending workshops, repair advice and refill services. There will be tasty plant-based food and hot and cold drinks on sale - all provided by local independent businesses.

Below is all the information you need to participate in the Festival. To secure your place on a workshop, book ahead using the links below. Other workshops are available on a drop-in basis. We may be able to accommodate drop-ins for all workshops on the day but spaces are limited.

The Hornsey Parish Church Hall is at the bottom of Cranley Gardens and next to the W7 (from Finsbury Park). W3 and 144 - nearest stop Park Road. See map


Book a Workshop

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STITCH A SASHIKO TOTE BAG

​Time: 11am-midday
Leader: Rob Jones, Romor Designs
Cost: £25 including tote bag and all materials*
​(Suitable for over 12s only)
*excluding Eventbrite fee
Learn the ancient Japanese craft of Sashiko stitching under the expert guidance of Rob at Romor Designs.
  • use a selection of templates provided to mark up patterns of your choice
  • learn the rules of Sashiko stitching and sew your own patterns
  • learn the knots required to start and finish your work neatly on the back.
A cotton tote bag, Sashiko needle and 20m skein of Sashiko thread in a choice of colours is provided for you to take home with you. This allows you to complete your project at home if you don't finish in the class.
BOOK HERE

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GEL PRINTING FOR BEGINNERS

​Time: 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm
​Leader: Mollie Weston, Art With Mollie
Cost: £25 including materials*
Suitable for any age (with adult supervision if under 12)
​*excluding Eventbrite fee
Come along for a taste of this fun and fascinating printmaking method. Coined the 'no-press' printmaking method as it uses a soft 'gel' plate and acrylic paints, it's both simple to learn but also addictive in its variety and versatility.

You'll learn how to create beautiful colourful prints using affordable materials and will learn enough to get you started if you want to try gel printing at home.

Take home gel prints you can frame, or turn into unique greetings cards, gift tags and more.
BOOK 11AM HERE
BOOK 2PM HERE
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 LEARN SOME BASIC BOOKBINDING
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​Time: 
11am-midday and 2.30pm-3.30pm 
Leader: Amy Kitcherside, The Idle Bindery
​Workshop Cost: £30 including materials*
(Suitable for Over 12s only) 

*excluding Eventbrite fee
​
Experience the satisfaction of creating your own notebook and spend an hour learning some basic bookbinding with Amy of The Idle Bindery. 

With lots of beautiful marbled papers to choose from, each student will leave with their own notebook that they have covered and cased-in themselves
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Perfect for complete beginners, you’ll be introduced to some standard bookbinding equipment and tools, including items you can source yourself at home for future projects, and learn a bit about this wonderful craft. Bookbinder Amy will demonstrate every step of the process, and provide all the tools, equipment and materials you will need.

If you love paper and enjoy creating things with your hands, this workshop is for you.
BOOK 11AM HERE
BOOK 2.30PM HERE

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UPCYCLING A MEN'S SHIRT

Time: 2pm-4pm
Leader: Gen West, Nest Sewing School
Cost: £30*
(Suitable for 10 yrs + with experience of using a sewing machine)
 *excluding Eventbrite fee
​

Learn how to turn a man’s shirt into a cropped, strappy summer top or baby dress.
 
Now more people are working from home, many work shirts are becoming unused.
 
In this workshop you will learn how to
  • Place, pin and cut a paper pattern
  • Make an elastic casing
  • Work with bias binding
  • Make a neat hem
 
Students will need to bring a washed, man- sized cotton shirt.
BOOK HERE
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UPCYCLING JEANS

Time: 11am – midday
Leader: Gen West, Nest Sewing School
Cost: £20*
(Suitable for 10yrs + plus with experience of using a sewing machine)
*excluding Eventbrite fee
​

Learn how to upcycle a pair of jeans into a useful bag under the guidance of experienced sewists.
 
Experience the satisfaction of turning something old into something new.
 
You will learn how to work with denim and construct a bespoke bag on the sewing machine. You will then be able to embellish it from a selection of patches, pompoms, ribbons and buttons using hand stitching skills.
 
Students will need to bring a pair of unwanted jeans to cut up
BOOK HERE

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MEND YOUR CLOTHES IN THE JAPANESE BORO STYLE

​Time:
2pm-4pm 
Leader: Rob Jones, Romor Designs
​Cost: £40 including kit*
(Suitable for over 12s only)
 *excluding Eventbrite fee
Bring a favourite item needing repair and learn how to stitch in the style of Boro mending.

Rob will show you some real pieces of vintage Boro textiles and tell the story of how these beautiful fabrics came into being. Specific advice regarding how to mend your piece will be provided with examples of the tutor's own mends. Traditional stitch mends on vintage Japanese fabrics will also be shown. You may hear a few tales of Rob's trips to Japan along the way...

The class includes a kit containing:
  • 6 Japanese fabric patches (including some vintage ones)
  • Sashiko needle
  • 20m skein of Japanese Sashiko thread in choice of colours

Students need to bring an item to mend (or a 12 inch square piece of Denim fabric to practise on). Items must be denim, cotton or linen clothing. Do NOT bring woollen, silk or light fibres to mend as the techniques taught will not work on those fabrics.
BOOK HERE

Drop-In to a Workshop

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MAKE A PAPER LAMPSHADE

​Drop In Sessions:
11am-4pm
Leader: Ros Freeborn, Papershades 
​Cost: £30 including materials. Pay by card or cash on the day.

(Suitable for any age with adult supervision for under 12s).

No pre-booking required.
Come and make a fabulous paper lampshade under the guidance of collage artist Ros of Papershades.  You'll have a huge variety of paper to choose from to create a design of your own on one piece of A4 card. Once you're happy with your design, Ros will print it onto five panels of special paper and then you’ll assemble the Papershade using two wheel-shaped supports which fit onto table lamps and room lights.

​Everyone goes home with a beautiful and totally unique lampshade which will brighten up your home whether the lights are on or off.

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SCREEN PRINTING
​​
​Drop In Sessions: 11am-4pm 
Workshop Leader: Suzanne Bailey, Bailey & Free
​Workshop Cost:  Tea Towel £15, Tote bag £20. Pay by card or cash on the day.

(Over 12s only) 
​
​No pre-booking required.
At these fun and creative sessions, you can learn the basics of screen printing then print your own tote bag or tea towel, using water-based inks and a selection of Bailey & Free ready- made logo screens.
 
Once the ink is dry you can add more colour to your bag or tea towel using fabric paint markers provided, before Suzanne heat-sets your finished masterpiece!
 
You can purchase a selection of iron on patches and add them to your bag, to make it totally individual to you.
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​CANDLE MAKING

Drop In Sessions:
 11am-4pm 
Leader: Jen Freebury, Crouch End Candles
​Cost: £25 - pay by card or cash on the day

(Over 12s only)

​No pre-booking required.
 
D
uring the sessions you will learn about how our sense of smell works and how fragrance affects our mood and emotions. You will then learn about the different fragrance families and what ‘Top’,  ‘Heart’ and ‘Base’ notes are. 

You will have the opportunity to test Crouch End Candles' range of signature Autumnal scents, before being taken step-by-step through the candle making process. You will then make your own scented soy wax candle! During the Workshop Jenny will share hints and tips on the creation of the perfect candle.

Each workshop participant will have their own blending equipment, mixing jug, thermometer, and glassware to use, as well as aprons for any small spills!

You can also bring along your old candle vessels (they don’t need to be ours either - we refill anything that’s been a candle before!)

Refills are charged based on the weight of the finished wax in the candles. The candles you make will cure overnight and can be collected, delivered, or posted out to you.

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BEADED 'GEMSTONE' NECKLACE MAKING
​
​Drop In Sessions:
11am-4pm
Leader: Michele Wyckoff Smith, Wyckoff Smith Jewellery
​Cost: £25 including kit


No pre-booking required. Pay by card on the day.

Learn the trade secrets of making a beaded necklace from Michele Wyckoff Smith. Choose from a variety of beaded necklace kits, which include a sterling silver clasp. Michele will be on hand to show you how to finish the necklace like a professional. 

Watch an Artisan in Action

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VISIBLE MENDING 

Shelley Zetuni, Sewingsmith


Shelley will be demonstrating visible mending of knitwear during the Festival.

Having trained as a couture milliner with Mrs Rose Cory, milliner to the late Queen Mother, Shelley set up and ran her own millinery studio in the Hornsey Town Hall.

Around this time, she became increasingly alarmed by the impact the fashion industry has on the planet and attended a visible mending workshop and was immediately bitten by the bug.

​Shelley's approach to mending knitwear draws on the Japanese art form of Kintsugi, which means golden joinery. By applying an understanding of colour and pattern, Shelley aims to sensitively repair damaged knitwear and silk clothing by reinventing the imperfections and celebrating their beauty. 
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LEATHER WORK AND REPAIRS

Steph Rubbo Saddlery & Leather Work

Steph Rubbo Saddlery specialises in making beautiful, durable, bespoke leather goods, using traditional saddlery tools and techniques. Her range of products includes briefcases, satchels, handbags, belts, card holders, pet collars and leads, as well as bridles and saddles, all created with the highest quality craftsmanship.

During the Festival, Steph will be demonstrating the craft behind hand-stitching leather and will be available to discuss leather repairs and bespoke commissions.

If you have any repairs you would like to discuss/bring along, contact Steph Rubbo in advance at enquires@stephrubbosaddlery.co.uk
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LINOCUT PRINTING

Sunbul Akhtar runs Night Press from her home studio in Muswell Hill.  Working exclusively with lino cut prints in a series of themes, Sunbul’s portfolio includes illustrated graphic novel posters, whimsical cityscapes, and prints on her Pakistani heritage.

Lino cut art involves carving a design onto a sheet of linoleum or wood, creating a negative space where the surface is carved. Using ink, an impression is made of the block. It is the earliest form of printing and allows the printmaker to reproduce artwork by hand.

Sunbul will be demonstrating this intricate and beautiful skill during the Festival.

Work on Sale

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There will be work on sale by: Hilary Sketches, Queenie Organics, Romor Designs, The Idle Bindery, Art With Mollie, Crouch End Candles, Papershades, Wyckoff Smith Jewellery, Night Press, Steph Rubbo Saddlery & Leather Work and Bailey and Free.

Come eat, drink and refill

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The Whole Bowl will be serving up tasty plant-based food to eat at the Festival or take home for later. They'll also be offering freshly brewed & locally roasted Fireheart Coffee and a selection of tea.

The Whole Bowl is a local, plant-based deli delivery service. 

Its weekly changing menu includes: breakfast pots, soups, salads, bowl foods, dips & sauces as well as a selection of sweet treats which can be delivered to you at home or work.

The team at Whole Bowl pride themselves on being able to offer high quality foods at an affordable price, served in sustainable packaging. 
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Muswell Hillbilly Brewers will be selling their beers as well as a selection of soft drinks in the side garden at the Festival. 

The beers are all unique, distinctive and produced at the Muswell Hillbilly Brewer's own brewery in small batches using locally sourced ingredients, including Muswell Hillbilly Brewers' own N10 hops.

Come along and try MHB's refreshing IPA, orange and marmalade red ale, coffee infused breakfast stout, smokey whisky inspired porter or lemon and bergamot wheat saison. 

Bring along any clean empty bottles and the MHB gang can refill them with great beer.
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The People’s Pantry will be parked up outside the Hall at the Festival. This Muswell Hill-based delivery service makes reducing single-use plastic easy, convenient and fun.

Launched by husband and wife team Lisa and Thomo, they offer over 200 pantry, bathroom, eco-cleaner staples and oat milk as packaging-free, refill deliveries. All from independent producers, vetted for ethical and sustainability credentials, as local as possible and mainly organic.
 
Customers across N2, N3, N6, N8, N10, N11, N13 and N22 can either shop the e-commerce site for weekly, battery-powered doorstep deliveries - in glassware that is then collected, sanitised and reused – just like the milkman. Or fill their own from the glorious, battery-powered ‘Ernie’, a restored 1970’s, electric milk float now a refill shop.
 
Book him through their website, to ‘Fill up and Catch up’ with neighbours, or find him at his regular local locations listed on the website.

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