This month we bring you one last chance to win one of three candle-making hampers, an article on needlepoint, some really important info for business owners, as well as all the usual craft market and event info. Enjoy!
What's on in August and September
GAUTENG:
Arts & Crafts at the Bokkie Park
3 September, 9.30am-3pm, Bokkie Park, Southvale Rd, Parkdene, Boksburg
Bunny Park Craft Market
27 August, 9.30am-3pm, Bunny Park, Pretoria Rd, Rynfield, Benoni
Art in the Garden
28 August, 9am-4pm, Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, Malcolm Rd, Poortview, Roodepoort
Field & Study Centre Craft Market
4 September, 9am-3pm, Louise Ave, Parkmore, just off William Nicol
B&B Rooftop Market
Every Sunday & public holiday, 9am-5pm, Upper Level, Mall of Rosebank
Hillfox Market
Every Saturday, Sunday & public holiday, Hillfox Value Centre, Hendrik Potgieter Dr, Weltevreden Park
Countryside Craft Market
Every Saturday, Sunday & public holiday, 9am-5pm, Gardenworld, Beyers Naude Dr, Muldersdrift
KWAZULU-NATAL:
Essenwood Craft Market
Every Saturday, 9am-4pm, Essenwood Park, Cnr Essenwood and St Thomas Rd, Berea, Durban
WESTERN CAPE:
Country Craft Market
Closed for winter
Franschhoek Craft Market
10 September, 8.30am-2pm, Main Rd, between NG Kerk & Town Hall
Durbanville Craft Market
3 September, 8.30am-2pm, Rust en Vrede, Wellington Rd, Durbanville
Kenridge Craft Market
27 August, 9am-2pm, Door de Kraal Avenue, Kenridge
Cape Gate Craft Market
28 August & 4 September, 9am-2pm, Trade Centre parking area, Cape Gate, Brackenfell
Kirstenbosch Craft Market
Closed for winter
Rondebosch Craft Market
3 & 10 September, 9am-3pm, cnr Campground & Sandown Rd
Constantia Craft Market
27 August, 9am-3pm, Alphen Common
Camphill Village Market
4 September, 11am-4pm, Klein Dassenberg Rd, near Atlantis
Hout Bay Craft Market
Every Sunday, 10am-5pm, Hout Bay Village Green, Main Rd
Waterfront Craft Market
Daily, 9.30am-6pm, The Blue Shed, V&A Waterfront
Craft focus: Needlepoint
Last week I decided I'd like to take up needlepoint. But before I could begin I needed to find out exactly what it is and how to go about it!
So I got hold of a few books and wandered around on the Web for a while, and here's what I've learnt so far:What is needlepoint? According to Wikipedia, "Needlepoint is a form of canvas work created on a mesh canvas. The stitching threads used may be wool, silk, or rarely cotton. Stitches may be plain, covering just one mesh intersection with a single orientation, or fancy, such as bargello. Plain stitches may be worked as basketweave or half cross. Basketweave uses the most wool, but does not distort the rectangular mesh." So what we often refer to as "tapestry" is in fact needlepoint! What's tapestry then? Tapestry refers to a design woven into the fabric itself as it is created on the loom - very different to the "tapestry kits" your local haberdashery sells (which, as I've just pointed out, are actually needlepoint kits). Bargello is a form of early Italian needlepoint, made up of straight stitches of varying length; it's also known as Flame Stitch. Materials: A variety of canvasses are available for needlepoint, from regular evenweave canvas, through to the newer forms of plastic canvas (very useful for small items such as coasters or serviette rings, as its rigidity means that it does not distort). As for threads, one can use any of the following: tapestry wool, embroidery cotton, silk, metallic threads and double-sided satin ribbon. I have a huge floss box full of DMC stranded cotton from my cross-stitching days, so I will make good use of that; I also picked up a few skeins of DMC tapestry wool (the thinner kind), for a little variation. Stitches: There are a lot - and I mean a LOT - of different needlepoint stitches for your toolbox. A few of the most common ones include continental tent stitch, which can be worked horizontally, vertically or diagonally, but is reserved for small areas as it tends to distort the canvas; diagonal tent stitch (basketweave), which is the main stitch used; and gobelin stitch, which is a straight type of stitch and can be worked vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The American Needlepoint Guild web site provides an excellent resource library for a wide variety of stitches. Designs: What drew me to needlepoint initially, was the boldness of the designs I saw and the richness of the colours used. Take a look at some of my favourites here. There are a whole lot of superb books available on the subject of needlepoint. If you're new to the craft, pick up a beginners' guide like Take up Needlepoint, or if you're looking for some new patterns and ideas, get hold of something like The Ehrman Needlepoint Book; for a reference book of stitches and materials, get The Complete Needlepoint Guide. If you'd like to get started right away, then buy a kit such as this exquisite Glorafilia Glitter Dragonfly kit (pictured above), which comes with full instructions, printed canvas and all the thread you will need. There are a few free needlepoint patterns here and here. Over to you: Mail us and tell us whether needlepoint is something you would consider taking up as a hobby. Handmade Hope update
Last month we invited all our readers to help us launch the first ever Handmade Hope week, which will take place from 18 to 24 September 2005. Please diarise these dates now! What's the plan? For one week, we'd like the entire South African crafting community to focus their creative talents, resources and time on uplifting those in need of hope. I know that there are many of you who already use your crafting skills to help others; now we're asking you to put in an extra effort to pull together for this one week and do something really special. How can I get involved? Here are some ideas: I'm sure that you have already come up with some ideas of your own - please email us at handmadehope@redballoon.co.za and tell us what you plan to do, and what you'd like to challenge others to do. We will publicise every Handmade Hope event, and as many ideas as possible, in the Gazette and on our web site in the coming month. If you feel you'd like to help, but don't really know what you can do, send me an email and I'll give you some input. And don't think that your contribution as an individual crafter is insignificant - we want to hear about every effort! A big thank-you to those of you that have already put some thought and work into this and contacted us with your intentions. We will publicise all your info shortly. Let's all get on board and make this work! Win with Candlemaker's Deli
Tips for crafters
That's all for this edition. Don't forget to tell all the crafters you know about Handmade Hope week,
pass on the Gazette, and let me know what events and activities you're planning.
Till next time, take care.
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In This Edition:
Important information
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Send an e-mail to gazette@redballoon.co.za with the word 'subscribe' in the subject line. To unsubscribe: Send an e-mail to gazette@redballoon.co.za with the word 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. No email addresses on this list will ever be sold or given away for any reason whatsoever. The Red Balloon Homecraft Gazette is sent out free of charge, and we are therefore dependent on advertising revenue and income from affiliate links to keep this newsletter going - so please support our sponsors and use the links provided in this newsletter should you wish to purchase their products! Reader requests
Actually, it's not a reader request this time, it's a writer request. I would desperately like to get hold of a 36-pack of Colleen pencil crayons. It seems that while I wasn't looking, they all left the country, and whoever was importing them stopped! I have looked everywhere, and would be most grateful if someone could point (just a little pencil-pun) me in the right direction. Please email me at info@redballoon.co.za if you can help. On the bookshelf
kalahari.net is offering 20% off all books until 31 August; don't miss this opportunity to get some great craft books at unbeatable prices. If you have never shopped online before and are nervous about security or service, let me reassure you that I regularly order from kalahari.net and other online stores, and have never had any problems whatsoever. Try it, it's really quite simple! Here are a few of the good deals you can get until 31 August: by Sarah Beaman Was 149.95, now 119.96 by Madeleine Rollason Was 99.95, now 79.96 by Reader's Digest Was 178.95, now 143.16 by NK Publishing Was 169.95, now 135.96 by Deborah Morbin and Tracy Boomer Was 120.00, now 96.00 Over to you
Please send any information or requests to
gazette@redballoon.co.za.
Tell us about:
To all suppliers, teachers and shop owners:
We offer a number of affordable options for advertisers wanting to
reach a highly-targeted market of dedicated crafters. Please contact
me at kerryanne@redballoon.co.za.
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