The Creative Craft Show Nov 2018

Last weekend I was lucky enough to go to the NEC in Birmingham to the latest Creative Craft Show.

It wasn’t just the Creative Craft Show either, at the same event and included was Simply Christmas, Art Materials Live and Cake International.

As always there was so much to see and do. I won’t share everything, we’d be here all day, but here’s a little summary of my highlights.

First up, the amazing wall hangings that I first mentioned back in March. The Grans on the Make have organised people all year to knit and crochet squares and flowers for this project. I’ve been watching the progress of these hangings on the Grans on the Make facebook page all year but seeing them in real life was something else!

There are 2 centenaries being commemorated, the end of World War 1 and the beginnings of votes for women here in the UK. Participants who made or sent on flowers are mentioned on a list of contributors, of course I was eager to find my name!

Just behind the wall hangings was another community project, SAA are running a paint a poppy challenge to raise fund for the Royal British Legion. You can find more details here if you want to join in.

Bearing in mind that red is my favourite colour you can see why this display appealed to me so much! It was absolutely stunning, the stands went on and on, this is just a fraction of the poppies on display.

These kind of shows are a great way to find out about new and innovative things. I was really taken with these little weaving sticks from Juko Designs.

I watched a quick demo and it seems like simplicity itself to make woven strips from any kind of yarn that you can use for bracelets or bag handles.

They had even coiled the strips up and made the most beautiful rug:

Then don’t even get me started on how cool this tinsel was that they’d made using a sparkly eyelash yarn!

Felting continues to be a really popular craft with lots of kits around to get you started. I’ve shared several before at previous shows but some that particularly took my fancy this time were these super cute little birds from Woollie and Feltie.

My friends over at Amazing Crafts have a lovely new range of kits out just in time for Christmas with the cutest little felt tree ornaments.

They have all sorts of kits for furry toys as well as felt items. Look at this lovely little half made Yoda from the Felt Star Wars book they stock too.

Papershades have an idea I’ve not seen before, paper lamp shades that come flat in a packet and you just slot together yourself. They have a whole range of designs and they look pretty customisable to me too!

I love to sign up for mini craft workshops at these shows and this time I got to try a little beading with Meg Farr on The Bead Selection stand.

I tried my hand a little floral arrangement under the guidance of the lovely ladies from NAFAS (National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies)

It’s on our kitchen table right now and I’m going to have a go at recreating it with maybe a red flower for our table at Christmas.

I also had another fun session at my favourite craft workshop (this is my 3rd time!) the lovely wooden block printing with The Arty Crafty Place . I can’t show you what I made in it’s entirety as it’s a Christmas present, suffice to say I had a lovely time and thoroughly enjoyed sitting for an hour printing and chatting to a couple of lovely crafting ladies.

After all this crafting I nipped into the Cake International hall and felt instantly overwhelmed. There were hundreds of the most ridiculously amazing cakes! They have a selection of huge show cakes, like the life size Meghan and Harry, hundreds of exquisite competition cakes and then row after row of stalls selling you everything you could possibly need to up your cake decorating game.

This show day, like always was such a good day out. I chatted to loads of fellow craft enthusiasts, saw lots of amazing things and got to try my hand at some new things. I needed a power nap on the settee when I got home!

Shows like this run all over Britain all year round. If you want to see when one is coming your way you can check out the ICHF website.