greg and the willow chairs

I got such a buzz today watching Greg Hatton and his workshoppers transforming a trailer-full of willow offcuts into one-off pieces of furniture - and they were seriously original pieces, each one with a very definite personality.
The pictures tell a thousand words really...check out some more moments from the fantastic makeUp workshop here. It was a very relaxed crew of folk that had gathered for the workshop and they all went home with a brand new comfy chair for their front porch - how cool is that?
Thanks Greg for coming down to Harvest Workroom - we hope to get you back for another workshop sometime very soon!
Betty Jo also hosted a workshop as part of our makeUp series this morning and I will post some pics of that tomorrow.
Em xo

cat rabbit window

Cat-Rabbit has installed the cutest window at Popcraft this week.
It features a softie version of Cat-Rabbit herself alongside two other woodland critters and all three of them are knitting up a mini storm.
And somewhere in there must be some kind of a magical yarn spider who has conjured up a web of colourful pom poms and even left a little charlotte's webesque message - "HI".

At the same time as installing the window she dropped off these little felt jewellery items of which I couldn't resist - I attached a brooch to my jacket immediately. A little colour creature to brighten up these dark winter days!
Em x

wooli & nikki's beautiful tent

Last night Nikki Gabriel and her partner Anthony set up her spectacular hand screen printed tent in Harvest Workroom.
When I heard the tent was coming along for the ride I couldn't quite imagine how it would look inside the space...well it looks awesome. It feels like Harvest Workroom has hopped on a magic carpet and gone to a technicolour village in Morocco!
Nikki is visiting us as part of our makeUp series and will be hosting 2 hour workshops all this week in construction knitting - each student will be kitted out with a Construction Knitting Pattern, 2 x balls of 100g Bespoke WOOLI, and Birch Knitting Needles - all wrapped up in a beautiful hand printed bag.
The recycled WOOLI range is hot off the press and is exquisite...a rainbow of remnant fibers of cashmere, silk, wool, alpaca and possum. It’s mixed up and spun into this amazing heather yarn that has a bulky tweed look...read more about it here.
Nikki will also be selling her yarn, kits and ready made garments at the space all week so if you are feeling at all inquisitive - don't be shy. Come along.
Em x
p.s. - Nikki says the workshops are selling fast but there are still a few spots in the afternoon sessions..be quick!

updates on makeUp

Leila Sanderson and Maryann Talia Pau hosted their workshops for the Harvest Workroom makeUp upcycling series over the weekend.
As you can see from the pics the teepees made from reclaimed yacht sailcloth in Leila's class were truly gorgeous and Maryann had everybody weaving up a storm using Harvest Textile's fabric offcuts. Both women have been such a pleasure to have gracing our studio space and we look forward to Maryann's next workshop in October. With any luck we can talk Leila into another class sometime soon too.
Next weekend's workshops include - Greg Hatton’s Make Your Own Willow Chair (fully booked), Betty Jo’s Make "Glaminex" Brooches (spots still available) and Harvest Textile's Upcycling Vintage Wallpaper (spots still available). And don't forget to pop into makeSHOP this weekend if you are feeling like wrangling a mini upcycling project.
Nikki Gabriel and her partner Anthony moved her fabulous screen printed tent into the Workroom this afternoon - more on her popup shop and workshops in our next post.
Soooooo much happening...we are certainly having a lot of fun with all that is going on.
Em x
p.s. (thanks to Lucy at The Design Files for the pics of Maryann's class.)
p.p.s. (thanks to Yongho Moon for some great pics of the makeUp opening party last friday evening.)

design:made:trade

After four big days spent launching our new range at the 2011 Design:Made:Trade it really feels like a whole new set of friends have been made.
What a pleasure to share our stand with local potter-extraordinaire Shelley Panton (one day soon I hope to be turfing all of my mismatched crockery from Savers and swapping it for a dinner set made by Ms Panton) and ceramic jeweller Yumi Ando whose charming pieces beckoned every time I peeped at them. Be sure to visit Shelley's store/studio in Middle Park - it is an old butcher shop that is jam packed with her own work and that of a whole lot of local makers.
Thanks to all who dropped by to say hello and a super big thank you to Craft Victoria for hosting us under their banner - you guys rock.
We look forward to officially photographing the range and making it look pretty for our online store. We've got cushions, totes, fabric by the metre and a whole lot of DIY kits. Stay tuned.
Em xo

makeSHOP

Looking for something to do with yourself on one of these wintery afternoons in Melbourne?
MakeSHOP has opened at Harvest Workroom for the next two weekends (23rd - 24th & 30 - 31st July) and is sure to keep your hands and minds busy.
Drop in between 12 - 3pm and choose a project off the menu that uses reclaimed and recycled materials.
MakeSHOP is part of our MakeUp event that features workshops with all sorts of talented guest designers who use upcycling in their work.
Come and say HI - kids welcome!
Em x

kid's scarf competition

Our gorgeous friend Pauline from Popcraft takes genuine delight in children and their playfulness.
Despite having a yarn store filled with precious and valuable yarns she always welcomes children with open arms into the space and as you can see from these pictures I took there she really let my kids go wild the other day with some of her needles and wool!
The crazy yarn session was all in the name of capturing some images to promote a children's scarf competition that she has launched for Craft Cubed, an annual Craft Victoria Festival.
There will be two age categories (6 - 9 years inclusive and 10 - 13 years inclusive).
Visit Popcraft's blog for more details.
Time to grab yourselves some needles and yarn get those needles clacking kids! I can't wait to see those scarves...
Em x

by the light of day

As promised some daytime pics of Leila Sanderson's "Shipwrecked" window display at Harvest Workroom - such attention to detail in the way she has pieced it all together.
There are still a few places in her mini teepee workshop this weekend if you would like to join in.
Em x