Newsflash! Stitch & Craft show amateur exhibition – I need your help!

Hi Folks,
I have some big news that’s pretty cool and it’s something that I hope you can help me with.

Each March in the UK they have the Stitch & Craft show which is the second biggest stitchy show in the UK and is held at Olympia in London. It runs for four days and thousands of people go to it.

This year, I’m having a space there, and will be running drop-in cross stitch workshop type things (technical term) as well as doing some demonstrations on the Cross Stitcher magazine stand. At my space, as well as stitching and groovy music, and a generally laid back vibe, I will also be curating an exhibition of amateur embroidery!

And this is where you guys come in.

I have two themes in mind for the exhibition, the aim of which is to make people think a bit differently about stitchery and hopefully feel like connecting or reconnecting with it. I am looking for work from any of you in the themes of comedy/humour and pop culture.

So I am calling out for submissions for work starting right here right now.
If you’d like thousands of crafters and stitchers of all ages to see your work and you’re happy to work with me in shipping the pieces to and fro, then please email me (mrx[at]mrxstitch.com) with the pieces that you would like to submit.

Here’s some important things to consider.

• I’m not planning on selling any of the pieces directly at the show. I will be sure to reference all the pieces properly, so that people can liaise with you directly should they wish to buy your work. There is no pressure to sell your work, if you want to mark it for sale, that’s cool; if not, that’s also cool.
• I’m not getting paid any money for this venture, it’s all working on good will, and so I’m looking for small pieces that can be shipped to the UK with relatively low cost. I’m happy to receive international pieces, but we just have to consider the shipping logistics and time things to perfection. I’m hoping we can get a good number of pieces so that people will find something to amuse or inspire them, but any pieces that would be big and require significant shipping costs are out of the question.
• I’m happy to promote you and your web presence on little cards next to your work, but the exhibition will be largely unmanned (albeit within our workspace) and I don’t think I’ll get a chance to produce anything resembling a brochure.

So, now that I’ve put you off, why should you take part?

In all seriousness, it’s a fantastic opportunity for the general crafting masses to get a flavour of the type of stitchery that we all know and love.

• I’m hoping that the various schools that come along will see pieces that reflect their favourite TV shows, films and music heroes, and that they’ll want to pick up a needle and thread and have a go.
• I’m hoping that experienced stitchers will realise it’s okay to be a bit witty in cross stitch or cheeky in redwork and that they’ll tell their crafting friends about the pieces they’ve seen.
• I want to cover the walls in pieces so that all day every day people will be staring at stitching and realising how bloomin’ marvellous it is.

And I need you to help me.

You can submit as many pieces for the exhibition as you like, as long as they’re within the themes of comedy/humour and pop culture. The pieces will be wall mounted and so they’ll need to come ready to hang .

I’ll take lots of pictures and it will be great exposure for everyone who takes part, as all the big stitchery companies will be there, as well as all sorts of press and similar types. And let’s face it, it’s going to be the coolest exhibition of stitchery that’s ever graced the presence of the Stitch & Craft show, so it’s a historic moment!

It’s going to be so awesome, if I stop and think about it, I have to have a cup of tea and a little lie down.

Put your thinking caps on, pick some of your best pieces and email me with pictures of them.

I look forward to hearing from all of you.

Jamie aka Mr X Stitch

Tagged as: exhibition, newsflash, Stitch & Craft, submissions