A New Year @Make

It's a new year, the days are crisp and even and it is a time to get excited about new beginnings. There's something so comforting about a clean slate, a chance to begin again or open up new possibilities.

However, for many of us, January is a time when we might set incredibly high expectations of ourselves, whether it's losing weight, stopping smoking, getting super fit or the like. We look around and see others apparently reaching their goals and think, I need to work harder, I need to change.

This can happen in the world of sewing and crafts. Goals are helpful and growth is wonderful, but too often I've found that  sudden and dramatic ambitions have only left me feeling disappointed in myself.

Often, I've found that most good things happen because of small, incremental changes and realistic expectations. 

Here at Make, we have been giving this a lot of thought and planning our workshops around this theory.

Check out our Beginners' Knitting course which states in the blurb, a series of three workshops introducing the gentle art of knitting, taking you from first stitches through to beginning your first project. This fills me with hope and realistic possibilities.

Likewise the Beginners' Sewing Course, from the first steps of threading your machine to sewing your first garment, over the 5 week course you will be given step by step tuition, learning all about your sewing machine, sewing a tote bag and finally sewing your own sleeveless top.

The Crochet for Beginners Course is equally encouraging, These three workshops are for complete beginners. If you've never picked up a hook but want to learn how to crochet then these are for you! These workshops will help teach you the basic skills needed to crochet as well as helping build your confidence along the way.

Perhaps you already have some skills and are in need of a helping hand in perfecting another. We offer courses such as Inserting an Invisible Zip which is an easy way to give confidence as you carry out a project at home.

Our First Cut to Final Stitch workshops are proving really popular. You choose a pattern and over 4 weeks you can enjoy support and teaching, helping you complete your garment. Ahead of time, we encourage beginners to pop into the shop to discuss your chosen pattern and fabric choice with Lizzy or myself. By doing this, we can help you to make choices which are tailored to your needs and expectations.

There are many more opportunities to fulfil your crafting goals at Make@140. Please check out the workshop section of our website and I hope that you have plenty of fun and remember to treat yourself with kindness as you progress.

We hope to see you soon at Make.

Happy making,

Sheila