Tagged with 'Abakhan'

Workshops & Courses for 2011 at Mostyn & Liverpool

The programme of Workshops & Courses for January 2011 - October 2011 are now available, and will be running at both our Mostyn (North Wales) and Liverpool stores. Classes include Dressmaking, Felting, Machine Embroidery, Creative Fabrics, Beading, Fascinators & so much more!

More Information & Bookings. For more information & to reserve a place on a Workshop or Course, please click HERE

Download Brochure. For full details on all Workshops & Courses at Abakhan, including a diary of FREE Demonstrations & Events at Abakhan we suggest you download a Brochure - please click HERE

Abakhan Fabrics, Hobby & Home Group Visits Discounts and Benefits

There are many ways that you can benefit from booking a coach party with Abakhan Fabrics, Hobby & Home. Here's an outline of discounts and benefits you may qualify for:-

. 10% discount for all party members *

. £10 credit note for the organiser (to be spent on the day)

. Free tea/coffee for all party members

. Free meal for the Coach Driver

These benefits will be discussed with you by one of our Coach Party Co-ordinators upon booking your coach party. It is always best to phone at least five days before you're due to arrive, so that we can get your £10 credit note and discount cards, if applicable, ready for you beforehand. These are available from our reception desk upon arrival.

If you would like to book a coach party please do not hesitate to contact our reception desk on 01745 562 100 where someone will more than happy to take details of your coach party.

Terms and Conditions apply, please contact our Reception Desk on 01745 562100 for further details.

Group Visit Booking Form

Please click HERE to download a booking form.

Do You Know Where Fabric Comes From? This Will Get Your Spider Senses Tingling

One of the most in-demand materials on planet earth, fabric has been used for a number of different purposes over years. Obviously, clothing and drapes are two popular uses, as are curtains and sofas, but many people are unaware as to where it actually comes from. Well, courtesy of an exhibit in London, they’re about to get a bit of a shock!

A cape created from golden silk spun by more than a million spiders is going on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in the capital. The hand-woven garment and its partner, a four-metre long piece of brocaded fabric, took more than four years to create and involved around 1.2 million female Madagascan Golden Orb spiders.

Madagascar-based Simon Peers and Nicholas Godley made the cape, and they are the only large textiles to have been made from spider silk. The last known spider silk textile was made for a Parisian exhibit in 1900, but no examples are in existence today.

The spiders, which are not harmed in the creation of the pieces, are collected in the mornings and their silk harvested by trained handlers, before the eight-legged creatures are returned to the wild at the end of the day.

Peers said that he created the pieces, as he was “keen to show the spider silk textiles at the Victoria and Albert Museum, being the most appropriate place to premiere this work in Europe. The unique and historic costume and textile collections have been a constant source of inspiration over the years, and as we know, the museum has never before shown anything made from spider silk, despite its diverse collection of art.”

Many people love arts and crafts as a hobby, with people loving the opportunity to be innovative and unique. Everyone has a creative spark in them, whether it’s creating their own clothes, or stitching a breathtaking design into cushions. Either way, you can personalise your whole home with a bit of thought. To get your hands on some fine quality – but not spider-spun – fabrics, visit the Abakhan website. Should you have any questions about our range, or other products available such as beds, contact your local store.

Charity Shop: Sewing With A Difference

One of the hallmarks of most town centres is that there will be at least one street on which the charity shops are based – usually four or five of them in a row. However, one particular shop is setting themselves apart – and is using the magic of haberdashery to do so!

The Birdcage in Skipton has been the focus of an article in the Yorkshire Post, and it’s easy to see why. As well as the usual bric-a-brac you’d expect to see in any charity shop, there are also a variety of sewing machines, knitting wool, a dress-maker’s dummy and many other knitting and sewing accessories.

Behind Closed Doors, the Leeds Charity who are responsible for the birdcage, are keen to point out that the difference between their project and other charity shops is entirely intentional. Louise Tyne, Behind Closed Door’s manager said that:

We don’t want to be just any other charity shop on the high street. It’s about harnessing the creative skills in the local community and giving people an opportunity to express themselves creatively; and also to share their skills and their experiences.’

‘As an organisation we recognise the need to be sustainable and to generate income but we wanted to do it in such a way that the actual enterprise itself had a purpose so it’s not a typical charity shop.’

The aim of the community enterprise is to raise funds for those who have suffered from domestic violence.

Needless to say, we here at Abakhan applaud using such a wonderful hobby for such a great cause. Good on them!

To view our wide range of knitting accessories , click the link here .