The Knitting and Stitch Show Belfast 2024

SHOWCASING THE SKILL OF SEWING

This November 2024 was the first time ‘The Knitting and Stitching Show’ came up North to Belfast. For years it has been held across England in various locations, and also in Dublin but this time it hit the North!

Colour and Cloth took the stand at D32. The 2 x 2 metres was the perfect size to showcase sewing! We had a great corner pitch which meant visitors could see from both sides. The event was on for 4 days Thursday to Sunday so we had to design an exciting, colourful stand to entice people over to touch, view and ask questions.

Flyers were ordered from Belfast Print online. Brian ensured that the website was looking great and all links working and added the ‘Join our mailing list’ pop up to make sure past, present and future students and clients get first notification of the new 2025 course dates! (Releasing in December)

That was before the deciding what to showcase. As usual, I decided it was best to bring everything I’ve ever made from my house and my studio, but with only limited space this would have been very cluttered.

ON DISPLAY

I wheeled clothes rails, cushions, quilts in and stepped back at the empty space in dismay! How to create an eye-catching display?

Brian stepped in and with his skills and knowledge of design and display, together we set up a stand that we were both very proud of. We had so many compliments about the display. On the table, and literally just off the sewing machine the night before was my colourful hand finished patchwork quilt. The antique Jones Family Circle hand cranked sewing machine in full working order was also a conversation starter and lots of people created their first sewing stitches on that machine over the four days.

When setting up the display it was important to showcase actual garments I had made as well as lots of other items I have made over the years. The first thing I ever made was the CB needle case when I was 6, over 44 years ago. The most recent was the quilt and the Linton Tweed teddy bear which was made for the show. From bunting to bears, capes to creating for TV and film, it all starts with learning how to thread a needle!

I am so thankful that my mum loved to sew and taught me this life skill which has given me my career. Everyday I am blessed to do what I love, and share it with others. When my students say with confidence ‘Thank you, I made this myself’ it brings me great joy!

From McCalls capes and VOGUE parka capes, a patchworked green showpiece, it was important that the display was interactive – the sewing machine was there to be used, the colourful quilt to be touched and the capes were hung at at height were they could be taken down and tried on.

The second stand wall was a gallery space of photographs from Game of Thrones costumes I worked on, BBC tv programme ‘A Stitch through Time, and sketches I had made for the show.

Pride of place was my mums photo of her sewing at a Singer Featherweight 221k. This is the only photo I have of her and I know she would be incredibly proud of me. She would have loved that event, all the fabrics, crochet and knitting! Also on display was some of mum’s dressmaking patterns from the 80’s.

DOING WHAT I LOVE BEST!

I really enjoyed my 4 days at the show and meeting lots of students again that called up to the stand to say hello! There were over 13K visitors over the 4 days and I think we spoke to quite a few of them! All ages were represented. We really enjoyed speaking with everyone and hearing where they had travelled from also. We spoke to people from Tipperary to Tyrone, Sweden and New York! What a buzz!

We were fuelled by The Fancy Fox NI coffee and cake stand which kept us going over the 4 days, thank you!

Brian spoke about the sewing machine service and repair that Colour and Cloth offers. From antique to modern machines we seamlessly combine the engineering knowledge with the sewing knowledge to offer this service.

The show gave us a real buzz about business opportunities, collaborations, and growth for 2025.

Colour and Cloth teach all levels of Sewing Courses and Workshops so no matter what level you are at, there is no better time to start than now. How to sew everything you ever dreamed of, starts with learning how to thread your machine and then you are on your new creative journey. The New dates for 2025 go on release in December. Make sure you don’t miss out and JOIN OUR MAILING LIST