Coming up: Tue Jan 27th 2015: A Space Craft Odyssey

Image: Sal Hughson

Join us for a night of COSMIC CRAFTING.

Our first craft night of 2015.

We have some extra special amazing guests who will be running drop-in craft workshops for you to join in. All materials are provided and it's free entry so just turn up and get ready for a night of making!

SOFT TOY ALIENS with Louise Walker

Image: Etsy

Louise is queen of creatures! Her adorable animals graced our Wild Winter Craft night back in November and this month she returns with a felt workshop.

SCI-FI CHARACTER DOLLS with Use It Up Wear It Out

Two of the most fashionable girls we know, Jo and Karen run fashion and accessory workshops all over London with a focus on re-using and recycling. Join them and a pile of shiny fabrics to make your own sci-fi peg dolls.

JEWELLERY FOR ASTRONAUGHTS with Arliyah Hussain

Woven jewellery designer Arliyah makes creative & colourful pieces  using handweaving and dyeing techniques. She'll be showing any wannabe space travellers how to accessorise with their space suit. 

COLLAGE CORNER: Star mobiles & rocket ships

This is were you can go cut & paste crazy with scissors, glue and glitter galore.

KNIT & KNATTER: Come & learn how to knit or bring a project you're woking on and knit/crochet in good company.

Doors: 7.30-10.30pm Venue: Hackney Attic

Fee: Free but bring money for drinks at the bar they'll also be handmade crafts available to purchase in our Maker's Market.

HIghlights: Wild Winter Craft Night

Last month was a Make Escape first, we were full within the first half an hour - not sure if that's because you miss us now we are only every two months or because you are all just crafts obsessed and cannot wait to start making stuff? Luckily we had some amazing workshops lined up including a very special star guest Louise Walker who has written the cutest knitting book in existence ever.

We were delighted that Louise held her official book launch party for Faux Taxidermy Knits with us which included a special exhibition of her artefacts that feature in her incredible book. Especially for us Louise designed some animal knit projects inspired by the book and some felt critter crafts for those who did't fancy knitting. With supplies donated by Love Knitting and help on hand from our own knitting expert Beryl, some rather awesome animals were created:

Knitting with Louise Walker

Louise's Felt Critters workshop

Scented bags with Alison Beadnell 

Elsewhere scented seasonal projects got underway with Alison Beadnell - in fact this session was so popular it was the first to fill up, not surprising when you sniffed the materials in the air - Alison dried out some oranges especially and with the added waft of mulled wine coming from the bar it really did get everyone in the festive spirit.

Also on the night there was Xmas card making and a raffle as well as music from our DJs The Spinning Yarns.

The only thing missing from the night was some extra helpers...

The Make Escape is in urgent need to volunteers to help keep the night running. If you love making things and spreading the crafty gospel, can attend once every two months to help set up and set down the night or have ideas about how the night can continue to develop please email us: themakeescape@googlemail.com.

See you in 2015 xx

p.s Here's a couple of pics from Louise's amazing exhibition...

Buy your copy here to learn how to knit them yourself. 

Coming up: Nov 25th Wild Winter Craft Night plus book launch for Louise Walker's Faux Taxidermy Knits

Image: Louise Walker

BRRRRRRR!

We're having a Wild Winter Craft Night and you're invited to join us!

As the evenings draw ever chillier we decided it's best to grab some yarn and get knitting so to inspire you to do the same we're delighted that November's event will also be the official book launch for Louise Walker's AMAZING new book Faux Taxidermy Knits. The most talked about knitting book of the year, containing projects everyone wants to own, it's filled with super cute creatures and the good news is you don't need to be able to knit to come and enjoy the night, we'll show you how or you can dip into our other non woolly crafts too.

Book launch: Faux Taxidermy Knits by Louise Walker

Image: Louise Walker

Join Louise for a very special workshop where she'll be showing you how to knit a special animal project inspired by her book for for non-knitters there's the option of making a cute creation from felt. Louise will also be bringing her animals along for a very special exhibition plus you can buy a signed copy of the book and win prizes! 

The ladies from our Knitting Knook will also be on hand to show you how to knit if you've never picked up the needles before. We've got plenty of wool (thanks to Love Knitting) so just turn up and join in!

Spicy Pomanders
Make warming clove and spice scented 'lavender bags' to give as gifts, hang in your wardrobe or pop in your pant drawer in this scentsational sewing workshop led by textile designer and cake baker Alison Beadnell. Warning...this workshop will smell delicious!

Xmas cards & decorations
With exactly one month left until Christmas now's a good time to start making Christmas cards and decorations. We'll have all you need in our Collage Corner including glitter and sparkles. One year we had someone make 10 Xmas cards...see if you can beat that!!

We'll also have our DJs The Spinning Yarns behind the decks plus a bar on hand and a kitchen downstairs so join us Tuesday 25 November 2014 for our last craft night of the year!!!

Doors open 7.30pm, 5th floor, Hackney Attic, Hackney Picturehouse Cinema, 270 Mare St, E8
Nearest stations Hackney Central Overground and London Fields rail. All workshops are drop in. FREE ENTRY.

See you there!

FREE Winter & Spring Craft Nights in London

Get your diaries our - here is everything you need to know about our next craft nights! Hope to see you there. Very big thank you to Sal Hughson who has designed our beautiful new flier. We love it! 

Highlights: Indian Summer Craft Night

Namaste! WOW! We had no idea Indian Summer would be one of our most popular craft nights ever! We were full within minutes of opening - and so much incredible, colourful, creative crafty works were created with help from our special guest workshop tutors....

Peg-loom weaving with Purple Claire Textiles
Claire brought along her peg looms, which are small weaving looms that can be used on tabletops. Best of all they are easy to use and with incredible results...you can end up with your own doormat in a couple of hours! Check out some of the masterpieces created on the night...

Illustrator Matt Ponting took over our Collage Corner where he led an amazing workshop inspired by Dhaka rickshaw art, participants made their own dramatic collages...

Jewellery designer Louise Reed brought along her stunning creations which she sold in our Maker's Market alongside running a workshop in how to do kuhimino braiding...

Inspired by Momtaz's book Bollywood Crafts, Clarissa ran a shimmering, sparkling fabric brooch workshop...

Once again we also taught newbies how to knit & crochet in our knitting knook where we supply the yarns, needles and experts and you get to experiment with wools!

A night at The Make Escape wouldn't be the same without our DJs The Spinning Yarns...who this month got crafty with their own sticky tape..

Thank you so much to everyone who came, we hope you're still enjoying the crafts you made!

Join us next time, Tuesday 25th November for our last craft night of the year - Wild Winter. We'll be holding a launch party for a brilliant new knitting book called Taxidermy Knits by Louise Walker, we can't wait to show it to you!

Doors open at 7.30, we'll see you at The Hackney Attic.