Today's confession: Reetsweet is a knitwear stalker.

 

A few years ago we set up reetsweet because my friends and I were sick of two things - 1) bad craft fairs aka 'crap crafts' full of stuff that wasn't handmade and wasn't even nice and 2) we wanted to meet other makers and bring handmade to the highstreet!

Around this time one of us bought our friend a scarf from Knit & Destroy and thus our mission to one day have Kandy come to reetsweet was born and this year she's with us for the christmas show no less. OMG. Yes, we said OMG....you can expect crazy knitting and PERFECT GIFTS. Oh yeah.

Can I knit it? Yes you can! : Meet Studio Aitch

I don't know about you but at reetsweet HQ (also known as a chilly flat in Leeds) we are itching to put the heating on, but trying oh-so-hard to wait until the last moment. So knits is what we need, and Harriet from Studio Aitch will be back on Dec 7th at reetsweet with her utterly gorgeous pieces including her handhuggers which will keep us toasty, and her prints and brooches - which will warm your hearts instead. Hurrah! 

She's a local gal, hailing from Sheffield and works from her home studio there. Here's just a taste of what you can expect from this awesome maker:

 

new maker preview: love lottie

One of the many facets of handmade crafts the team at reetsweet adore is the use of the old to make the new - upcycling not only makes us feel good, because it recycles raw materials, it also gives new creations an authenticity and a sense of history that you wouldn't otherwise get using the new.  Especially brilliant is the use of vintage fabrics...

'Love lottie'  is a Charlotte Fairclough - a new maker at reetsweet designer/maker fair - a textiles teacher by day, and a crafter by night Charlotte has had a long term obsession with loud and proud vintage/retro homewares and as a result opened an Etsy shop last August. 

Always collecting vintage textiles she is now using her stash making bold home and fashion accessories...cushions, bags and a range of jewellery and other bits and bobs, including the charming collars pictures below.  Catch her at the June fair on Sat 2nd June at Leeds Corn Exchange...

hello leeds: easter fair previews!

Wow doesn't time fly? It seems like yesterday we were putting up christmas trees, and here I am about to talk to you about the easter fair! Well, it's the perfect time of year for craft easter I think, spring is springing, and there's chocolate eggs and lambs in the fields. It's awesome. A great time to spruce up your home with something lovely a handmade, and you can't go wrong with anything made by these guys...






Foxbunting are always a big hit at reetsweet, Brionny and her friend both try their hand at a range of crafts - from illustration to crocheting, to cushion making! Their biggest hit with the crowd (and one that gets a lot of people talking) is the crochet taxidermy heads, I think these two will go on to BIG THINGS, they have imagination in buckletloads and are lovely ladies...

Catch them at reetsweet's easter fair on sat 7th april - leeds corn exchange, see here for more info....more updates in the next few days, featuring more new makers and news!

merry christmas from reetsweet!

I don't know about you, but I have had my heating all a lot lately, I have drunk my bodyweight in tea, eaten the corner shop out of biscuits and I'm ready to hibenate!

But, lo and behold, it's Jesus' birthday soon, so that will be fun, AND we are pleased to formally announce our next fair date! We will be at The Leeds Corn Exchange on saturday 11th Feb - just in time to buy your lover something special made with love! More deets to follow - we have some special news about this one!

something for nothing! (and awesome too!)

We at reetsweet like to give our fans a little thank you whenever we can! If you bob along to leeds university union on tuesday you will find us in the riley smith hall and we have these very fine little badges to give away on the welcome desk, designed by the very awesome matt saunders aka rabbit portal...reet sweet!

reetsweet at leeds uni: MEGA ROUNDUP WEEK!

So much more leeds based talent to tell you about that will be at the leeds uni fair nov 8th...

We have my lovely friend Carla aka maus haus -started in 2010 and based in Leeds she designs and makes limited edition, bags, purses, brooches and journals. She sells items across Yorkshire, Lancashire and Lincolnshire, we love her attention to detail, her humour and rich colours and fabrics...

(vintage telephone brooch by maus haus)

Then there's also miss slow - rebekah slow, who is a graduate from norwich school of art in 2008, and particularly uses vintage pieces to make new accessories...we love these hair pieces!






More to come tomorrow and friday...

hello leeds...

The reetsweet and handmade Super Fair lands soon!

(a picture of one of amy's best finger puppets)

Are you ready? Cake, craft, GO! reetsweet aka me and handmade aka amy panda have joined forces for a huge, almighty craft extravaganza - Nov 8th, Leeds University Riley Smith Hall.

It's FREE! And runs from 11am to 4pm featuring over 30 one of a kind stalls - prints, jewellery, accessories, homewares, we even have a nail art stall offering quirky nail art by the amazing katy kamikaze, and the marvellous tea dance on hand with a cake fest! So, with christmas creeping up on us, it's time to make that list, add some stuff on just for yourself and meet us there! I may just wear a panda suit to celebrate. FACT.

LIVE BLOGGING SUNDAY: Today's fair

Jil Smith returns with her magical cushions, badges and homewares - stuffed with love:

LIVE BLOGGING TODAY: reetsweet sunday!

Hello! We will be continuing our coverage of the reetsweet fair today at leeds corn exchange as we open from 11am - come down! As always - it's free entry and you can even stop for a gourmet hotdog in primo's and look around all the great new shops opening at the corn exchange!

LIVE BLOGGING FROM TODAY'S FAIR:

nellie & clara by Helen Masding - beautifully handcrafted customised bunting, luxury scarves and vintage style patchwork blankets:

LIVE BLOGGING FROM TODAY'S FAIR:

We have some amazing craft on show today at the corn exchange, we love this nautical themed necklace made from a vintage coin by Louis Brown...

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: Leeds Corn Exchange Oct 1st & 2nd...

Hello again! So, it's a little over a month until our next event - at the Leeds Corn Exchange on Oct 1st and 2nd - free entry as always!

We are very pleased to announce some new crafters for you, firstly we have....'KitschenSink'...

'The KitschenSink idea was born in 2004. After a brief stint in teacher training, Rowan found herself unemployed and in need of a new challenge. Window shopping in the boutiques of Lincoln, she was astounded by the prices of simply designed and badly made jewellery. Coupled with spending a lot of time selling old possessions on eBay in order to survive, she saw an opportunity. She made a bracelet from Lego she swiped whilst babysitting and listed it for 99p. The auction ended at £15. But it's only since 2007 that KitschenSink has taken things full throttle. After selling out at a craft fair, Rowan thought it was about time she sold online as well, and formalised things a little more…

…And here we are today. KitschenSink jewellery and accessories are the result of quality time with Grandma, a fascination of colourful branded toys, and a desire to re-purpose mass-produced materials into handmade, wearable fashion treats....'

Meet KitschenSink's Rowan at the next fair - her very first reetsweet!

reetsweet's events are nearly 1 year old!

hello friends!

just a quick update from reetsweet as we come up to our 1st birthday! we have a few dates for your diary this autumn...

firstly, our regular fair at leeds corn exchange returns on oct 1st and 2nd, and in dec on sat 3rd and 4th...then for the first time we bring our fairs to the leeds university union on tues 8th Nov at the Riley Smith Hall!

secondly, and very excitingly - we have our first fair at our new venue in sheffield - reetsweet arrives in style on sunday 27th nov at the millenium gallery! all our events are free to attend, we are always bringing new talent through as well, so no fair will be the same and you will always see new and exciting works!

take care reetsweeters and watch this week as we give you the autumn stallholder previews!!

xxx

it's upon us! reetsweet's summer extravaganza!

Tomorrow and sunday, at Leeds Corn Exchange we bring you a cupcake fuelled extravaganza of uber cool crafts! We open from 10 am tomorrow, and 11am on sunday, and are running a competition to win work by some of our artists and makers...get down on it!

what are you up to this weekend?

...you're coming to town, and you're coming along to reetsweet! At the Leeds Corn Exchange! Woo! From 10am saturday, and 11am sunday... We've lots to tempt you with...starting with!

(kayleigh o'mara)

(kayleigh o'mara)

Kayleigh O'mara returns with her awesome prints and little accessories, check out her blog!

our friends at the bowery!

Headingley Arts Trail - Call For Artists!...

Our friends over at The Bowery in Headingley Leeds - an amazing cafe, craft shop and craft learning centre are currently inviting local artists and designer makers to this year’s Headingley Arts Trail, a collective exhibition held between Headingley centre and West Park. The event will also be hosting a craft fair where stalls will be available for designer makers and artists to sell work from, a series of workshops will be taking place during the course of the event. This year we are also offering mentoring to new artists in specific areas such as textiles, ceramics and much more. The event takes place over the weekend of 12th and 13th November

You can apply online via Bowery website www.thebowery.org, the closing date for submissions is 5th August.

august reetsweet preview: new talents!

We have lots of new people for you to meet this august reetsweet next weekend! Laura's Lockets bring you a feast of pretty jewellery...

'My love of charms started with a simple locket and has inspired my search for other interesting charms including cameos, flower charms, Eiffel towers and more recently sewing machines, harmonicas and scrabble pieces! The more unusual the better!

It’s great to sell at craft fairs as it enables me to find out what styles and colours people prefer and it’s a lovely feeling to provide my customers with a new piece of jewellery to take home with them...'