Kirstie Allsopp’s Handmade Fair!

I had a fun day yesterday! I took my girls to the Handmade Fair at Hampton Court. I was lucky and got a free ticket from someone giving one away because she didn’t need it… So I just had to pay for my 6 year old. Oh and the extortionate parking when we eventually got there after sitting in 40 minutes of veeeeerry slow moving traffic! Anyway let’s talk about the good stuff!

I was very brave or crazy to take my 2 daughters with me. I didn’t bother with any workshops as I envisaged that ending in disaster but I did book on to one ‘Super Theatre’ session which was Dawn O’Porter talking to Kirstie about lots of stuff from her new clothing line to breakdowns,  and working mums to the fact that she doesn’t like doing TV. There’s not going to be another ‘This Old Thing’ series!

Oh my word, it was busy. There were loaaads of stalls. But I didn’t buy any fabric! Yes I think I deserve an award for that! There were several fabric stalls!

This is my little haul:

Plus one more thing that is for my mum so I can’t show it here in case she’s reading!! But it was something handmade. I feel I did OK with my little mission to support small businesses!

So there’s a print of a poem that’s spot on – I’ve been wanting something like ‘House Rules’ but this is probably nicer! And there’s the Agnes pattern! And two hair bobbles that S spent far too long choosing the colour she wanted! Now I have to make her a dress to match apparently so if anyone knows the fabric…?! And the colourful box is nail polish pens. I never buy things like this but this was immediately after I made my girls sit in the Super Theatre for 45 mins, which was “very very very very very very very very very boring” haha, so this was a treat!

The seller did give us both a quick demo!

We met Tilly Walnes, and my daughter was a little confused!! Tilly was happy to pose with somebody shorter than her!

We bought pasta for lunch. I liked the look of the stall.

Well looks aren’t everything. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t as nice as it should have been and we are pasta-loving people – we didn’t even finish the bowls! I thought I’d treat us instead of buying a picnic but should have just brought a packed lunch in hindsight. Ah well. And yeah there weren’t enough tables so we sat on the floor. Luckily the weather was gorgeous!

We did have tea and cake in the Mollie Makes café (whoops no pics) and I got 3 or 4 refills for £2 so that wasn’t bad! They had colouring in there and plenty of adults were doing it. Crazy how when someone says it’s OK for adults to colour then everyone is happy to do it!

I wanted to sit in this vintage café where these lovely ladies were singing, but that was packed. Little A had a good time dancing just outside though!

There was so much inspiration and beautiful things to buy.

I loved the work but this artist – I can’t remember her name but she was very talented in freehand embroidery and applique work.

Yep, I was attracted to the blue polka dots!

OK, last photo. We liked these little purses by “love from beth” hehe, nice name!

I will go again next year – but leave earlier, expecting to sit in traffic, and probably bring a picnic!!

Beth x