Reetsweet is on! NOW!

From 10 am today and 11am sunday at Leeds Corn Exchange we will be blogging live from reetsweet's autumn fair (doesn't feel like autumn with this weather does it? tsk!) you will find only the very best handmade handpicked for your perusal!

Entrance is free, and you'll find prices starting from as little as £2 for a little piece of handmade loveliness - keep in mind as well that this will be Kayleigh O'Mara's (work pictured above) last reetsweet as she is moving down south..Nooooo!

the final countdown: reetsweet in leeds this weekend!

We also have the amazing Karen Lewis of Blueberry Park in attendence this weekend, exhibiting her gorgeous handmade printed homewares and textiles. She even makes an amazing range of kits to make your own handmade toy...christmas isn't long away and this is the perfect time get one for yourself and a friend too!




Come and see us tomorrow from 10am and 11am on sunday at Leeds Corn Exchange!

the final countdown: reetsweet in leeds this weekend!

We always like to keep you a little in the dark about each event, just to add a little excitement we don't tell you about everyone coming to exhibit...but...we just have to give you a tease with some works from Naoko Greenhalgh a japanese felt artist living and working in england who is appearing with us this weekend. Naoko produces the most amazing toys that remind me of playskool. Love love love:

a little bit of what you fancy...the alternative comics fair!

Little bit of news on the grapevine for you! Our favourite bar in Leeds is hosting the 3rd Leeds Alternative Comics Fair! Saturday 1st October in A Nation of Shopkeepers, Leeds, just behind the Leeds City Art Gallery.

Featuring the best Northern, alternative comics makers, print-makers and illustrators, who will be selling their wares!

Don’t like comics? There’ll be lots more on offer, such as craft wear, badges, art and music.

This event’s guest list includes old friends such as Steve Tillotson, Hugh 'Shug' Raine, Gary Bainbridge, Andy Waugh, Helen Memo (a reetsweeter!)and many more...

The event will run from 12 noon until 5pm and is FREE to enter! So please do go up after visiting reetsweet and see them at the top of town - there are some very talented people to be seeing there!

Find them online at leedsalternativecomics.wordpress.com, Facebook search “Leeds Alternative Comics” or follow @leedsaltcomics

october fair preview: rhys hale

Another new reetsweeter to proudly introduce to you is Rhys Hale - a Yorkshire-born digital illustrator, who sells contemporary art-prints, cards, badges and stickers...

'Having limited resources while travelling the world the last few years, he is firing on all cylinders to get his own studio and establish himself as a bright new local artist. His partner in craftiness is Juliette Daum, a girl so adept with a sewing machine that to paraphrase Peggy Lee, she could make a dress out of a feed bag. A hatter and bag lady extraordinaire who likes to use natural fabrics and also material from recycled clothes...They've rocked craft markets in the US, Germany, France and England, and have recently settled in Yorkshire to spread their arty brand of love.'




... and now they are going to be joining us on Oct 1st and 2nd (next weekend guys!) at Leeds' Corn Exchange for reetsweet's autumn fair...!

oct fair preview: omg i love you fluffstuffs!

FluffsStuffs is the brainchild of Rosanna Brooks, and her range of accessories has a unique indie and kawaii feel, she has been featured in Elle Maagazine France, Make Jewellery Uk, NEET and Quick and Crafty! (to mention just a few!) You can follow her on facebook here.

To see her work in person, and buy some goodies - get down to Leeds Corn Exchange in two weeks on Oct 1st and 2nd...see you there!

oct fair preview: new friends!

Here at reetsweet we are always looking for new crafty talents, and are proud to introduce to you Natasha Kidd - aka 'theknittingkidd' knitter extraordinaire!

'I am a knitter with a serious case of the 'knitting bug' interested in creating, making, colour, texture and all things handmade.

I design and hand-knit unique and quirky felted bags. My bags come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, with embellishments including knitted toadstools, mushrooms, flowers and other flora, fauna and buttons. Alongside bags I make knitted and felted purses, brooches, pencil and laptop cases. Most recently I have started to develop a range of small knitted toys. All products are made with high quality wool.

I have been knitting for about a year and a half after a random knitting lesson with my mum one Christmas. Since then I haven't stopped knitting and I have been selling my wares for about a year, first to friends and family and since April 2011 I have started selling at craft and handmade fairs.

I studied an Art and Design degree at Leeds Metropolitan from which I graduated in 2003. I have always been interested in making work including sculpture, model making, animation and drawing and painting. I have found my passion in knitting and textiles.'

http://www.knittingkidd.co.uk/

October's reetsweet on the 1st and 2nd will also showcase the work of Memelou - Michelle Gemmel! Her charming designs are the perfect antidote to the nights drawing in...

'Michelle Gemmel has been a designer for many years. She studied textile design at York St john University. After graduating she worked for large companies designing Underwear, swimwear, nightwear and housewares but most recently became a freelance designer. Michelle has always been in love with surface pattern and decided to follow her dream and design patterns all day long! She also now has the time to be more creative and has decided to pursue her love of craft. She loves making quirky, fun purses and printed tote bags as well as cards and other nic naks. Everything is handmade and designed (with love) in Michelle's micro studio in Leeds- it's really that small!'

http://me-melou.blogspot.com/

oct fair preview: the usual suspects!

We have a few regulars at reetsweet who appear now and again at our fairs, we consider these folk to be our vip's - and they represent the very best of handmade, and what reetsweet is all about! Let us introduce you to a few!...




Jil Smith is a very talented textiles artist, using beautiful vintage style fabrics with super cute handrawn characters, she creates homewares including cushions, decorations, badges and all kinds of fabric wonderment! Recently she has been delighted to get stocked in the mecca of all arts and crafts shops in leeds - at The Bowery, Headingley...she continues to sell out of many items at our fairs despite her ever growing amazing selections of stock!




Kayleigh O'Mara is a one-off! This adorable little lady has a quirky take on the world, illustrating in a sketchy, childlike style that is totally accessible and loveable and has some big fans! Badges, prints, cards - you name it - you can own a little bit of these cheerful, wistful little pieces for as little at £2 for the badges! And she tells me for October's fair she has some new works! Woop!




Heather Dobson has a knitting obsession! If you have a wee one in the family, or just like me, love a nice toy that takes you back to your childhood then you need to make a beeline for this lady's stall! She sold out of many of the 'Amigurumi' she creates last fair - you can buy cuddly toys and toy rattles as well and they are made with such attention to detail and love!






You will find all these amazing folk - and more, at our next fair October 1st and 2nd at Leeds Corn Exchange! x

reetsweet welcomes nellie and clara to yorkshire this october!

On Oct 1st and 2nd we take over the Leeds Corn Exchange once again, for a two day extravanganza of cool craft...nellie and clara will be appearing for the first time and we wanted to introduce you...

nellie and clara were the childhood pet names of two sisters - and everything sold by nellie and clara handmade by just one person - Helen, the eponymous nellie. Helen is fresh from 'escaping' her after ten years in London for a new life in rural West Yorkshire - so this isn't just her first reetsweet but also nellie and clara's first Yorkshire venture!

''My mum made most of our clothes when we were small and I learnt sewing from her at a really young age. I’ve always loved it and bought a sewing machine of my own as soon as I moved away from home (it’s still going strong more than ten years later!). I’ve also never been able to walk past a charity shop without popping in and have spent many, many happy hours rummaging round vintage fairs and car boot sales.

“nellie & clara combines my love of making with passion for sourcing vintage and pre-loved pieces – from the quirky china plates I make into cake stands, to the beautiful vintage Laura Ashley fabrics that are dotted round my patchwork quilts.

“What nellie & clara is best known for though is beautiful handmade, personalised bunting. This came about when most of my friends got pregnant within a year of each other – there were a lot of babies to find presents for! I sourced some gorgeous, durable cotton fabrics and created bunting with the baby’s name appliquéd on.

“I was absolutely floored by my friends’ reaction – I’ve always been ludicrously meticulous and get a lot of pleasure from ensuring everything I make is perfect, and it turned out that I’d inadvertently created something far better quality than that available in the shops. Friends of friends started putting in orders and the bunting is now a staple of nellie & clara! Visitors to reetsweet Leeds will be able to see some samples for themselves and choose from 24 fantastic fabrics for their very own personalised bunting.”