I admit it – I do love getting creative with a bit of craft and I know I’m not alone. More and more of the beautiful weddings that we feature here on Love My Dress include wonderful handmade elements and I think we all love the opportunity to make something unique and special. If, like me, you’re a lover of all things DIY then let me tell you now that you’ll want to be at Hampton Court Palace 18-20 September because Kirstie Allsopp is bringing The Handmade Fair back for a second year and it’s going to be bigger and better than before…
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Firstly, I think I need to make it super clear that The Handmade Fair is no ordinary craft event. Oh no, it’s so SO much more than that – you can try a hands on craft workshop, listen to your favourite experts in the super demo theatre, dine in the Palace gardens, buy beautiful products from the handpicked sellers in the Shopping Village and Artisan Marketplace and indulge in fabulous food in the Food & Drink Court.
And Kirstie Allsopp herself will be there hosting the sessions where you can hear all about the latest craft trends, learn the secrets of the best makers around and watch them in action. I promise you that you’ll leave buzzing!
Alongside the amazing shopping opportunities, there are three main interactive areas at The Handmade Fair that will make your day out even better. Firstly, there’s The Super Theatre where there will be Q&As, tutorials and demos from Kirstie and a whole host of top crafters, stylists and wedding planners plus the return of the brilliant Mollie Makes Mashups! The line-up is brilliant and includes the likes of Emma Bridgewater, Lauren Child, Annie Sloan, Will Taylor and many more.
If you’d like to hone your skills or practice a new one then you must get along to one of The Skills Workshop sessions. There are so many to choose from including Yarns & Textiles, Seasonal, Fashion Accessories, Upcycling with Annie Sloan and Papercraft among many others.
Finally, there are The Grand Make sessions where you can learn and share your skills with 300 fellow crafting enthusiasts. Be prepared – this is making on a BIG scale! Try creating anything from wirework and leather fringe jewellery to hanging decorations, quilting and poetry bunting.
Most importantly, there’s a dedicated wedding tent at The Handmade Fair sponsored by Hobbycraft and it will be packing to bursting with products and ideas for DIY brides so whether you’re looking to make everything or craft one or two special details for your big day, this will be the place to go. You can learn how to decorate cake pops with the POP Bakery, make flower crowns with Kitten Grayson or try calligraphy with Claire Gould. There’s also papercutting, stationery making and millinery on offer too so you’re sure to leave inspired.
With so much to do at The Handmade Fair, you’re definitely going to need to plan your day because you absolutely must make time to shop! The list of exhibitors grows all time but you’ll find every type of handmade product here from jewellery and home furnishings to prints, accessories and vintage inspired treasures. Leaving empty handed is simply not an option!
Tickets for this brilliant event are now available online and I’m thrilled to say that you lucky Love My Dress readers can buy your tickets for just £12 instead of the published £15*. Just use code LOVEMYDRESS at the checkout and then book your wedding workshop on the day.
There’s also a full selection of other ticket types available if you’d like to really indulge and your can find out all about VIP, Full Experience and Two Day tickets on The Handmade Fair website.
To see details of all of the talks, workshops and making sessions on offer as well as all of the information that you need to plan yourself a great day out, simply take a look at The Handmade Fair’s website.
You can also find The Handmade Fair on social media so connect with the craft on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram and don’t forget to share your photos of the event too.
Love Tamryn x
*Images are from The Handmade Fair 2014 event – experts and sessions may vary. See The Handmade Fair for the full 2015 event line up. Booking and transactions fees apply. The offer is limited and all sessions are subject to capacity.
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Tamryn Settle View all Tamryn's articles
Self-confessed wedding addict Tamryn spends her days in her Berkshire studio writing about all things beautiful and romantic with her black Labrador for company.
