HANDMADE 2013 is shaping up to be a weekend of full immersion in matters of making and crafting. Now in its third year, it’s a must for those who want to learn the skills and crafts of previous generations, but in today’s context – using modern technologies and aesthetics.

You might recall we had a wee competition last week. We asked you to put pen to paper and come up with a haiku expressing the beauty of handmade. Well, quite a few of you took up the challenge and found your inner bard. However (as they say in all the reality TV shows) there can be only one winner, and that talented poet was Gunhild Litwin with the following composition:

Congratulations Gunhild, you’ve won a weekend pass worth $299 to HANDMADE 2013! A weekend pass entitles you to choose up to eight classes (or seven classes and two lectures). You also receive two complimentary Meet the Makers Party tickets and a HANDMADE goodie bag and notebook.

HANDMADE 2013 will be held at various Wellington CBD venues over 1–2 June and features over eighty classes. These cover a huge variety of handmade crafts and are taught by expert teachers. The only difficulty is choosing which ones to go to!

Another highlight is the First-Hand HANDMADE lecture series. These talks offer a unique opportunity to explore the world of craft and handmade, in 55 minute talks. Speakers include Colleen Pugh of Dear Colleen, Jo Pearson and Jess Soutar Barron (of Coco and Co and Fruit Bowl Craft Jam fame) and Felt’s own founder, Lucy Arnold. There’ll also be a Pecha Kucha-style fast-paced talk featuring eight HANDMADE teachers each sharing their twenty top tips.

As if all that wasn’t enough, you can also attend a Meet the Makers party, visit the HANDMADE Store, have a yarn in the Knit Lounge or finish off your class projects in the Finishing Room. It’s handmade heaven!

Once again Felt is a supporting partner of the fabulous Wellington craft event HANDMADE 2013, a weekend of total immersion in contemporary maker and handmade culture.

HANDMADE is a festival celebrating beautiful and creative things, and it’s happening on 1 and 2 June. It is the place for people who want to learn the skills and crafts of previous generations but in today’s context, using modern technology and style.

This year the programme features a huge range of activities across a variety of crafts. Learn from expert and passionate teachers in a workshop environment and come away with a beautiful finished product made with your own hands. Or watch well-known experts demonstrate their skills in the Masterclasses dotted throughout the programme. Check out the HANDMADE website or their Facebook page for more information.

And if all that wasn’t exciting enough, Felt has a weekend pass to HANDMADE 2013 worth $299 to give away to one lucky winner! A weekend pass includes attendance at eight activities of your choice (workshops, masterclasses or tours), a goodie bag and a copy of the HANDMADE 2013 handbook.

We’re going to make you work for this one! Email prizedraw@felt.co.nz with your name, address and phone number – and a haiku about the beauty of handmade. (Heh heh. How evil are we?) If you win, you’ll need to make your own way to Wellington to attend, as travel and accommodation are not included. Send us your haiku by midday on Tuesday 30 April and we’ll announce the winner on 1 May.