Made in Greenwich: a treasure-trove of eco-friendly gifts and local art

London’s fascinating and historic district of Greenwich has a brand new attraction that showcases the talents of local artists and craftspeople. Made in Greenwich is a shop/community hub just yards away from the Docklands Light Railway Cutty Sark station, and is packed with locally-made and exclusive goods that reflect the area.

You can find anything from a piece of beautiful jewellery to a colourful scarf, unusual lampshade, eye-catching cushion, flattering headpiece or even a macramé plant hanger.

There are beauty products, candles, pictures and bunting, while foodies can browse the local produce, safe in the knowledge that no air miles have been involved in their creation. And for those seeking a little souvenir of their visit, there are Made in Greenwich mugs and a range of beautiful cards.

The shop is the brainchild of GCDA – the Greenwich Co-Operative Development Agency – which aims to support people and enterprises in the area. The stock changes all the time. The shop’s curator, designer and writer Mary Jane Baxter, has a creative background that includes two craft books and being a judge on the popular BBCs daytime series Paul Martin’s Handmade Revolution, so is always on the lookout for new talent.

She has created a delightful interior that makes the most of upcycled material including surplus paint from The Forest Recycling Project and wallpaper remnants used in collages (donated by Pickwick Papers in Greenwich) to cover the doors. At the rear is a creative space that can be hired for workshops, pop-up events or training (above).

Some of the goods are created by Mary Jane herself, including these imaginative artificial flowers that feature re-used knitting needles and old maps. There will be a pre-Christmas celebration in December, but if you are already on the lookout for festive gifts, my advice is to get along there now, before the crowds descend.

Made in Greenwich, 324 Creek Rd, SE10 9SW. Open Thursday to Saturday 1000 – 1700, Sunday 1100 – 1700

Contact: maryjane@gcda.org.uk

Ph: 020 8269 4880

Anyone interested in crafts?

Paul Martin's Handmade Revolution is on BBC2 this week and next - a celebration of British crafts and crafters. So many inspiring ideas, including an exquisite dress made by felting in episode 1 (shown on Monday 8). One of the judges is Mary Jane Baxter, author of Chic on a Shoestring and The Modern Girl's guide to Hatmaking.

Unfortunately it's on at 6am, but there's always the iplayer.....

 http://bbc.in/2aIvzK9

Haberdashery Heaven

Last night I found myself in haberdashery heaven.

Writer and milliner Mary Jane Baxter (left) was signing copies of her new book, The Modern Girl’s Guide to Hatmaking, at Barnett Lawson, a trimmings shop just a couple of minutes from Oxford Circus.  

The basement premises are one of London’s best-kept secrets. Guests who came to the event - and tried on some of her creations, such as (below) an 'emergency' hat which uses cereal packet cardboard as a base -  discovered an Aladdin’s cave of treasures.  

Aisles are crammed with exquisite buttons, ribbons, frogging, fringing, lace, motifs, artificial flowers, decorative butterflies, sequin and diamanté trims, feathers, veiling – even feathered masks. Barnett Lawson was founded more than 50 years ago, and its present owner Caroline Marx has more than 12,000 different items in stock.  She and her helpful staff supply many leading fashion designers, theatre costumiers, milliners and stylists – as well as creative individuals like Mary Jane.

So for inspiration to update your wardrobe or start a new craft project, visit Barnett Lawson at 16 / 17 Little Portland Street, London W1W 8NE. (ph 020 7636 8591) or check out their website http://www.bltrimmings.com/
Prepare to be enchanted.

A Handmade Revolution?

I’ve discovered a great new TV series featuring traditional crafts, currently on BBC2 each afternoon at 1545. Paul Martin’s Handmade Revolution hopes to inspire people to try their hand at some of these skills and so keep them alive. The first episode included some imaginative silver jewellery, cute felted wool trolls, traditional rag rugging, a beautiful glass bowl shaped like an orchid (by graphic designer Laura Hart) and – the judges’ favourite – Tony Evans’ eye-catching horse sculpted from waste copper pipes.

The programme travels round the country, showcasing the work of local craftspeople, while Paul Martin discovers the techniques behind their creations. Over the next two weeks, the three judges, all professionals in the craft world (from left Piyush Suri, Mary Jane Baxter and Glenn Adamson) look at everything from pottery and stone carving to toy-making and even some imaginative knitting. Each day they select one favourite item and these will all go on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London for four weeks from the middle of October.

The BBC has also produced a free booklet to support the series, with more details about crafting in Britain and ideas for projects. http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/tv/handmade/BBC_Handmade_Revolution.pdf

More about Tony Evans and his horse sculptures at: http://www.tonyevanssculptures.com/7.html

Top Recycling Tip : turn old knitting needles into bangles

My fashionista friend Mary Jane Baxter deserves an award for the way she recycles, creating new outfits from old with a few inspired touches. (In the run-up to William and Kate's marriage she managed three wedding dresses for £10 each for a BBC tv challenge - see http://greenjottings.blogspot.com/2011/01/wedding-dress-for-10.html.)  Her speciality is conjuring up unusual accessories from the most unlikely materials and she's now sharing these ideas free on her blog.

Her first project was to turn an old knitting needle into a bangle (see left) - it takes only a few minutes. For instructions see http://maryjanemakes.com/mary-jane-blog
There'll be a weekly supply of Cheap Chic Tips to brighten our lives in the coming months.