Highlights on the calendar this month include:
Aotearoa’s favourite fabric market Fabric-a-brac is back again for its 16th year of bringing sewing communities together. Head along to your local market to sell your stash, start your stash, or add to your stash! Dates for Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, Auckland, Marlborough, and Palmerston North are confirmed, with more dates coming soon for other locations around the country.
In the early days of Felt, one of the most exciting things about growing an online community was the many new opportunities to connect with like-minded people doing amazing things around New Zealand – and one of those new friends, back in 2009, was Josie Brennan, the founder of Fabric-a-brac. This year Fabric-a-brac is celebrating its 15th anniversary with five new locations around Aotearoa, and an incredible grand total of over $140,000 raised for hospice in New Zealand!
Nelson-based Pieter Wessels of Hendrik’s Leather is a self-taught leather craftsman who makes high quality leather wallets and card holders that are hand cut and hand stitched using the traditional saddle stitch method. His classic and durable designs are made to last for years to come.
Brendon and Jane Harley are passionate kiwi gardeners with a creative eye and flair for all things metal. Their shared enthusiasm for art, landscaping, and creating metal artworks for their own Nelson garden, quickly evolved into Grounded Art NZ – where you will find them designing and creating high quality and original metal art and sculpture for Aotearoa homes and gardens.
We’re in love with the vibrant crackle and colour of the crockery of Nelson potter Stephen Robertson…
Deborah Sax of Piccalilli takes vintage wool blankets, haberdashery and accessories, and turns them into impeccably tailored and beautifully finished children’s clothing. Deborah combines these vintage finds with contemporary fabric to make beautiful and robust modern day heirloom garments.
People who know Pip Pottage of Empire Eco Designs would probably describe her as a pursuer of happiness, as Pip tries to live each moment with a little joy and contemplation…
For John Jepson of Kanuka Glen, using upcycled timber as the canvas for his beautiful native bird art meets an urgent need to reduce our waste as a society…
Mapua Makers Market, 10am–3pm, Sunday 18 January, Mapua
Out and about in the Nelson and Bays region this weekend? Well, we’ve got a good reason to head on over there – the Mapua Makers Market is holding its summer market day this Sunday, so mark it on your calendar!