Highlights from our Christmas Craft-A-Thon!

Santa without a beard, but the owner of a hairy chest? It's all possible when you make your own Christmas cards which is exactly what we go up to at this month's Make Escape Craft Night at The Hackney Attic.

The great thing about making your own cards is that they can be as experimental as you like. This crafty fan made a four-page mini-book-turned-card with a printed velvet lining. It's amazing what treasures uncover in our scrap fabric box!

Elsewhere we were delighted to be joined by needle felter Susanne Wallis (whose new book The Beginner's Guide to Needle Felting is out now!)

She led a session on needle felting your own Christmas pudding...yum!

In the Maker's Market we were thrilled to be joined by the gorgeous Sheree A Robinson who makes beautiful hand-knitted accessories. She also ran a workshop on how to make the biggest, fluffiest pom poms ever! Now, we would love a Christmas Tree covered in those!

Two other fabulous ladies that joined us were Marcia (aka Got Big Hoop) from SE London craft collective The Funky Fibres (they meet Mondays at the Lord Northbrook pub) and the lovely Jemma from Le Shit Chic Boutique who sells fun, quirky jewellery using wire and kitschy things like dolls shoes. Check out her fabulous on-line store to browse and buy!

Sisters Zoe and Teanne got down to some serious wire work making tree decorations.

Teanne curled up some spectacular wire holly berries.

While these bells made by Jemma are going straight onto Zoe's tree!

The boys were back! In the Man's Craft Corner they got sticking and stitching.

Pat whipped up a rather fabulous ginger bread decoration.

 While Alice one third of our resident DJs The Spinning Yarns proved a girl can crochet while changing tracks.

At The Make Escape you can join in our activities or bring along your own. It's the perfect place to have a cuppa and catch up on your knit as these ladies did. And if you don't know how to knit fear not, from January we're going to have a regular Knit & Knatter spot where they'll always be someone to show you how!

For those who wanted a hand with crafting we provided all the materials and sparkles you needed to make your own stocking.

  Like this masterpiece.

And gave you shimmering papers to make your own gift bows.

 

Always great to see crafters dressed for the occasion. We couldn't take our eyes off this sweet santa sweater.

If we were giving our prizes, the best-dressed would of gone to Purple Claire... her bejewelled dress was spectacular while her necklace was one she made earlier!

Here are some of the spectacular creations that were sold at The Funky Fibres stall.

 And for anyone who had caught the craft bug so much they wanted to spread the love, The Craft Closet were on stand by selling their 'as bought by Gok Wan' craft kits.

And here are The Craft Closet ladies - you may recognise The Make Escape's Becky who is one half of the Closet.

 

 Well it wouldn't be Christmas without a mince pie! Momtaz having a break from taking the snaps!

Thank you to everyone who came down to our Christmas Craft-A-Thon!
We're back next year with more fantastic craft nights, starting with our Nifty New Year 'money-saving craft special' on January 29th.

We'd like to leave you with one of the choice cuts from The Spinning Yarns.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!