Blog & Buy Sale Christmas Wish List

We are so excited this year to announce our inclusion in the Blog&Buy Sale Christmas Wish List.

The number one curated list of the very best creative products available to buy online. 

This bounty of a gift guide showcases a hoard of lovely wares of up & coming independent artists & designers which are normally quite hard to find. But the nifty Blog&Buy creators have cleverly brought them all together under one roof & done all the hard work for you! 

So go & have a gander at all the amazing handmade products being showcased & see if you can spot ours! 

WISH LIST

There are also some great awards up for grabs, so if you like our products please do share the love!

Back to School Goodies

Back to School Blues...?

Not to worry we've got some great essential suggestions online to cheer you up for your first day back:

Zipped Cases £17 each - Great for stationary

A6 Notebooks £3.50 each - Stylish jotter for all those important notes

And of course our legendary Oyster Card Holders £6.50 each - lots of designs available great for holding your travel, ID & bank cards safe  

Wonder Hill Valentines Event

Date : Sunday 10th February 2013

Time: 12pm - 5pm

Venue: Tooting Tram and Social

46-48 Mitcham Rd, London, Greater London SW17 9NA

MAP

Wonder Hill Market is hosting a Handmade & Vintage Valentines market event this February 10th, at the Tooting Tram & Social up near Tooting Broadway & we will be there showing our faces for the first time this year too! 

This event will be a great chance to get some lovely gifts in for that special someone or for your very own wonderful self, its definitely worth a trip!

Expect clothing, jewellery, accessories, artwork, photography, illustration, toys, so many more goodies to purchase, cake, tea parlor, open bar, entertainment and make a gift workshops. 

Hope to see you all there!

For more info visit: http://www.wonderhillmarket.co.uk/

Great Stocking Filler Ideas....

We empathise that the onset of Christmas shopping can be daunting and with its fast approach we would like to make a few kind suggestions of stocking fillers for your handmade shopping needs.

First off we would like to introduce you to our brand new Alphabet Animal Notebooks; We think this A6 journal is the perfect size to carry around everywhere with you, whether it be used for doodling or writing notes.  Price £3.75 each.

Next up we would like to suggest another great new item & ideal for a stocking filler treat - Alphabet Animal Badge/Magnet Sets; Personal & fun, priced at £3.50 a set.  

Lastly you can't go wrong with our range of Oyster Card holders; our best seller to date! Suitable for all, useful, attractive and durable.  Prices range from £6.50 - £12.00.  Choose from one of our classic London Map designs, personalise an Animal Letter or Custom make your own design! 

Not forgetting we also sell a range of Greeting Cards & Gift Tags as well as other handmade gift items; amongst our handmade stash you will find Oyster Card Holders, Passport Holders, Notebooks, Greeting Cards, Prints, Purses & Accessories.

We hope our suggestions have helped give you some gift ideas and we wish that you all have a great Christmas!

Best wishes,

Penni P & the Gnome  xx

website: http://www.sewsmitten.com

email: info@sewsmitten.com

SewSmitten with We Make London at Old Spitalfields Market

We are very excited to announce that we have booked in some market dates with the lovely We Make London team this October & November in the fabulous location of Old Spitalfields Market.

Launching on the 6th of October and running right through to December they will be bringing you a new Saturday market for 4 dates and also a few Sunday dates too.  Please visit their website for more info: http://wemakelondon.blogspot.co.uk/

The dates that we will be attending are:

Saturday 6th October

Saturday 11th November

Along side 30-50 other crafty designer maker stall holders we will be based in a specially designated We Make London area, selling our handmade wares, so why not pop along & come find us.

This location is so ideal for the upcoming Christmas shopping period, not only does it offer a great shopping day out but there is also an abundance of different places to eat & drink too.

Visit http://www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.com/ for more info

Getting there couldn't be easier too - it's just a short walk from Liverpool Street station, with many local buses.  Click here for a map

SewSmitten Christmas Craft Market Dates

Got Craft? : Tooting Tram & Social : Tooting Broadway : London : Sunday 27th November 2011 : 11am - 5pm : Map

 

Craft Guerrilla Christmas Market : Vestry House Museum : Walthamstow : London : Saturday 3rd December 2011 : 11am - 4pm : Map

 

Crafty Fox Christmas Market : The Dogstar : Brixton : London : Saturday 10th December 2011 : 11am - 5pm : Map

 

Duckie Christmas Market :  Barbican Centre : Islington : London : Sunday 11th December 2011 : 2pm - 9:30pm : Map

Got Craft? London Craft Market

This November we are excited to be joining the launch of a new Craft Collective to London & in a brand new location for us too! 

The savvy event organisers from Vancouver launched Got Craft? in 2007 & have since been hosting home to many crafty shindigs, this November the 27th they will be setting up shop in London's Tooting Broadway at the Tooting Tram & Social Bar on Mitcham Road.   

The event will be featuring over 20 talented designer makers, food, a DJ, a D.I.Y table & free swag bags for the first 30 people through the door!  

This event is sizing up to be a great opportunity to do some bespoke handmade Christmas shopping so why not come down & spend your Sunday browsing, drinking & socialising amongst the many creative stall holders.

For more info:

Got Craft website

Got Craft Facebook Event

Map

Vendors

SewSmitten @ The Thames Festival Craft Trail

We are very proud and excited to announce our participation in this years Mayor's Thames Festival taking place on the 10th & 11th of September which will be our biggest event to date.  We at SewSmitten will be there selling our handmade wares amongst many other talented crafty designer makers in the launch of the very first Craft Trail! 

Logo design by Sanna King

(Craft Trail website)

What is the Craft Trail I hear you ask?

They are a group of independent craft collectives who have joined forces to promote London's handmade crafts scene at this years Mayor's Thames Festival.  
The team includes:

Over the weekend vistors will be able to follow a map along the festival route to discover & meet a huge variety of designer makers, browse all their handmade goods, learn & take part in some crafty activities and have a super fun day out along the way!      

The map will be available in print and online, along with a reward card, goody bags and other exciting stuff to be announced nearer the time! For more info visit the Craft Trail homepage or you can follow updates on the facebook page too. 


Here are some more links to follow which detail particular activities on the day:
Of Cabbages & Kings have teamed up with Creative Biscuit to host a Mad Hatter's Tea Party: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144486162306550
Craft Guerilla will be hosting crafty workshops: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=222853004427950


Other stall and workshop hosts include:
Crafty Fox Market: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=219131128134847 to check out their full list of sellers follow this link: http://craftyfoxmarket.blogspot.com/p/thames-festival-pop-up-stall-holders.html
We Make London: https://www.facebook.com/event.phpeid=262191287143453&ref=notif&notif_t=event_invite to check out the full list of sellers follow this link: http://wemakelondon.blogspot.com/p/thames-festival-designers.html


So we hope you can make it down. We will be at the event on Saturday 10th from noon till 10 pm, residing residence with the We Make London team situated outside of Southwark Crown Court, by The River Thames & just by HMS Belfast (zone 4 on map).  
The nearest station is London Bridge but there are a number of other travel options to get there, plus the festival will be extending the river from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge so it'll be hard to miss out!

(click on map for webpage)

For more info about the festival as a whole you can visit their home webpage: http://www.thamesfestival.org/ or follow their facebook event.

Craft Guerrilla Summer Craft Fair

This Summer on Saturday the 30th July we are proud to announce our participation in the amazing Craft Guerrilla Summer Craft Fair. 

Held in the gorgeous Orford House Social Club in the mighty ballroom the Guerrilla team have hand selected the best,most talented designer makers (which includes us!) in order to curate a shopping event that will have you swooning for all things hand made!

So if you fancy coming to one of East London's finest fairs get on down to Walthamstow Village.

£1 entry (under 16s free)

Fully licensed bar

Parking (limited so arrive early)

Make Easy table- join in the hand made movement and tons of beautiful and chic shopping!

For travel information please visit: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Nearest Tube: Walthamstow Central (Victoria Line)/Walthamstow Central Train Station (From Liverpool Street Station)

A hop and a skip from the station!

For more info visit : http://www.craftguerrilla.com/index.htm

Limited Edition Handprinted Cosmetic Bags - SALE!

All our limited edition handprinted and handmade fabric Cosmetic Bags are now only £18! (usual selling price £22) 

To ensure you snap this deal up whilst you have the chance please place your order before the end of June

Also coming up this June: 

This Saturday 11th June we will be heading down to the South of London to Clapham to take part in the Of Cabbages & Kings market being hosted at the lovely Bread & Roses pub - 68 Clapham Manor Street London SW4 6DZ from 11am till 6pm.

So come along and say hello, sip a pint or few, eat a lovely pub roast & do some handmade gift shopping all under one roof! & here's hoping the weather is on its best behaviour too....

New Stockist; Style Chapel

I am excited to announce and use this post to introduce you to our fabulously new stockist - Style Chapel.   

An online gift shop currently holding a home for our cute fabric Mod Bow necklaces and brooches, along with a host of other beautiful gifts from many more designer makers which have been specially selected and sourced to give you a unique online shopping experience. 

We definitely recommend you go have a gander at this stylishly put together website as there are many a great purchase to be found!

Horatia Sunday weekly Fayre

Horatia Sunday weekly Fayre : The Horatia Pub : Holloway Road : London : Sunday 27th March 2011 : 11:30 - 6 pm

This Sunday we will be taking up a stall at the lovely Horatia Pub (formerly The Lord Nelson) on Holloway Road selling a selection of our wares at their new weekly Sunday indoor market event which hosts a room of other upcoming crafters, vintage hoarders, music spinners plus there will be yummy Sunday Roasts on the menu & a great selection of alcohol too!

This will be our first stall of the year so we are welcoming the warm approach of Spring with open arms & booking ourselves in for more events around London soon too.

So come pay us a visit, it's free to attend & to see more details just follow the link to view their facebook event profile: CLICK ME!

Another stall holder at the event will be our very creative friend Liz from Blank Inside Designs selling her selection of quirky & whimsical illustrated greeting cards & prints, which are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face... & just in time for mothers day too!

All I can say is what better way is there to spend your Sunday, so why not come & grab some interesting & unique goodies & hang out for a pint or two......

The making of our Mini Bow Necklaces

Check out our new cute mini bow Necklaces available online now!

Back by popular demand we can proudly introduce our brand new collection of mini bow necklaces. Due to our Mod Bow range selling out over Christmas we decided to go out on the prowl & source some new & exciting fabrics to make up a sparkling new collection. The likes of which include; Stargazer, Seagull Frenzy, Skeleton Jive, Checkered, Roses of love & many more....

Visit the Bows Bows Bows page to see the full range!

All fabrics used are reclaimed vintage fabrics sourced as scraps of fabrics as well as forgotten items of clothing! Which we have up cycled & put to good, fun & fashionable use. Below you can view snap shots of the making process in action right from the machine stitching, to the stuffing, to the bow assembly & finally the jewellery making.

Enterprise Week Party & Creative Enterprise Awards Night

Creative Fair Event Date for the Diary!

17th November 2010

5pm - 10pm

Creative Fair – everything under a tenner!

Enterprise Week is a programme of free talks, practical workshops and networking opportunities organised by ECCA - the Enterprise Centre for the Creative Arts at University of the Arts London. It’s part of Global Entrepreneurship Week with over 7.5 million people taking part worldwide. There are over 30 events with partners and sponsors designed to help you work for yourself, go freelance or start your own business. You can see the full programme of events online on their website at: http://www.ecca-london.org/events/viewevents/

So fortunately for us being graduates of UAL we've been offered a stall at their Creative Enterprise Awards night in Islington which will be a night of networking, drinks and celebration!

The award winners will be announced on the night and there will also be the chance to sample some products and services from other enterprising UAL students and graduates who will be selling you something very unique and handmade for under £10!

Date: Wednesday 17 November 2010

Time: 5pm – 10pm, Awards ceremony at 7pm

Location: Candid Arts, 3 Torrens St, Islington, EC1V 1NQ Click here for - MAP

Cost: Entry is Free but if you book a space via the following link you are also entitled to a Free drink! http://www.ecca-london.org/events/eventdetails/?eid=1045

It’s a great chance to pick up a bargain in time for Christmas as well as seeing at firsthand the entrepreneurial talent of the University’s students and alumni.

Here are some of the creative products and services available:

• Design and illustration magazines

• Portraits and photography prints

• Fortune telling

• Vintage-style customised clothing, jewellery and accessories

• On-the-day photo shoots and handmade frames and cards for photos

• Handmade cushions and bags, Oyster Card holders, hair clips and coin purses

• Self-published books

• Artisan food

At the event we will be selling a small selection of our wares, among our handmade stash you’ll find; Greeting Cards, Tea-towels, Oyster Card holders, Brooches, Hairclips & Handprinted Coin Purses. All for a nifty £10 and under!

Bold & Colourful New Card Range

On this staggeringly fast approach to Christmas we here at SewSmitten Hq are proud and excited to upload and present to you our fabulous new greeting card range.

Each design features an array of characterful creatures forming a letter of the Alphabet, making it both personal and interesting to give or receive. Letters are available in a variety of colours, comes blank inside, printed on 100% recycled card and comes with a coloured envelope.

'A is for...' includes Albatross, Alligator, Anteater and Armadillo

'Z is for...' includes Zebra, Zebu and Zope

Visit our Greeting Cards section to view the whole collection!

Our SewSmitten Designer Feature for We Make London

About the SewSmitten Team:

Hi I'm Penni P; the designer maker & head Honcho of the crafty website SewSmitten.com. I graduated from a Surface Design degree in June 2007 & from as early as I can remember I have always had a keen interest in the creative arts. Being practical is what I thrive at most, so whilst working part time as a studio assistant for other designer makers I decided to set up SewSmitten to make, sell & display my handmade wares.
Hello I'm Gnome; a freelance graphic designer, print & book maker, boyfriend & the second half to the SewSmitten team. I graduated from a degree in Book Arts & Crafts in June 2008, I have always loved drawing & I am an avid printmaker so I was very keen to get involved & contribute to SewSmiten & the creative side of things.


Our collection of goodies include handmade oyster cardholders, bags, purses, accessories, cards, prints & kitchen-wares all featuring original artwork designed & printed by our own crafting hands.

Inspirations:

We've always enjoyed working with different mediums so our inspirations stem from many sources & we are constantly looking out for new ideas. I especially have a fondness for the 50's, kitsch themes, bold imagery & antique machinery. But I'm always eager to learn new skills & create new things so you can be sure to expect unique & exciting designed products from our collections.

Best Sellers:

Our best seller by far has to be our Oyster Cardholders, which were actually the first thing I started making when I finished University. The idea came to me when I started to think about what useful products I could make, & the bonus of living in London meant that the birth of the oyster can almost guaranteed that everyone used one.

Since making them I have provided many a design.. starting off with the recycling of my old 80s comic collection which included such favs as Batman and My Little Pony, vintage sewing patterns, retro penny sweets and most popular of all London street maps. We also have made a fair few custom made cardholders too! (lookonline for more details)
This product has proved to be our best seller because we’ve provided many different designs over the years, they are fun, appealing, durable, useful, and also a great gift to give others.

We Make Christmas:

SewSmitten will be selling our full range of handmade goodies at this years We Make Christmas fair, it will be our debut at the event so we will be offering lots of fab favs as well as some new stuff too.
Among our handmade stash you’ll find; Oyster Cardholders, Passport Holders, Framed Coin Purses, Clutch Bags, Cards, Tea-towels, Aprons, Gift Sets and many more fun Accessories.

It was also recently our 1st birthday so in generous appreciation we will be offering lots of exclusive special offers and maybe some surprise treats too!

But if you can’t wait till then we are still running our amazing 2 for 1 offer online now on some of our stock so get shopping early to receive a great bargain!

Website:

http://www.sewsmitten.com

Follow Us On Twitter:

http://twitter.com/sewsmitten

Find Us on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/SewSmitten/306849530470?ref=ts

Follow Our Blog:

http://sewsmittenblog.blogspot.com/

View more designer features on all the other lovely crafty people participating in the We Make Christmas Fair on the We Make London blogspot