Handmade Christmas Shopping Guide!

Avoid the high street and buy #handmade this Christmas!

Here is our guide to where to go Christmas shopping and buy the best handmade gifts and cards in London this month!

London Winter Craft Fairs

Buy direct from the designer! 

East London Design show at The Old Truman Brewery

Dates: 4^th-7^th December

Opening Times: Thursday 12-6pm, Friday 12-9pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm.

“A feat of the best modern, original design from UK & International Independent Designers”

Etsy House Christmas Pop-Up Shop near Leicester Square! 

Dates: 5^th- 7^th December

Opening Times: Friday & Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 7^th 12-6pm.

Etsy Christmas Shop will feature live craft demonstrations and workshops and customised gifts!

Barbican Christmas Market

Dates: 12^th-21^st December

Opening Times: 4-8:30pm Monday-Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12-8:30pm

The Barbican Hosts a 10 day Christmas market with 35 independent designers and makers! 

At Craft Central this month we have four Christmas Pop-Up Shops!

The Makers' Emporium

Date: 2^nd - 7^th December              

Opening Times: 10am-9pm (closing on the 7th at 5pm)
Location: The Gallery, Craft Central, EC1M 4DS

The second annual one-week Christmas boutique brought to you by London’s largest affordable artist studio provider Second Floor Studios & Arts (SFSA).

FESTIVE GIFT BOUTIQUE

Date: 2^nd – 7^th December
Opening Times: Tue 9-9, Wed 9-8, Thu 9-9, Fri 9-8, Sat& Sun 11-5 
Location: The Showcase, Craft Central, 33-35 St John’s Square, London EC1M 4DS
The Festive Gift Boutique is back this holiday season for all your Christmas needs with 10 award winning designers.

WAFFLE Pop Up Shop

Date: 2^nd-7^th December
Opening Times: Thursday 4th December 11am– 9pm, Weekdays 11am - 7pm, Weekend 11am - 5pm 
Location: The Corner Shop, Craft Central, EC1R 0DX

WAFFLE Design are here with their amazing throws and cushions, throughout the week with special Christmas promotions.

Creative Clerkenwell’s Christmas Pop-Up Shop

Date: 16^th – 23^rd December
Opening Times: weekdays 11am-7pm, weekend 11am-5pm, private view Tuesday 16th Dec, 6-8pm 
Location: The Gallery, Craft Central, 33-35 St John’s Square, London EC1M 4DS

Creative Clerkenwell’s Christmas Pop-Up Shop for design enthusiasts returns for 2014!
Featuring great gifts and London Design Souvenirs from UK designers and makers, plus complimentary gift wrapping, including a sticker station!

Christmas Wonderland Pop up

Date: 16^th – 21^st December 
Opening Times: 12-6:30pm on weekdays and Saturday. Sunday 21^st, 12- 4:00pm. 
Location: The Corner Shop, Craft Central, 21 Clerkenwell Green, EC1R 0DX
Enter Arabel Lebrusan’s Christmas wonderland and discover the perfect present for your sister, girlfriend or even hard to please mother.

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Winter Made in Clerkenwell Highlights!

Made in Clerkenwell is over but it was such an amazing craft-filled festive weekend! We are so happy with the great feedback we have had over the weekend and lots of reports from happy customers and designers!

Check out our highlight images from the show. A big thank you to our photographer Alex Witt, Goldsmith's Ruth Moir for the images!

St John's Square!

“Thanks so much @Cockpit_Arts and @CraftCentralUK for a great weekend!! Such great events and so many amazing talented jewellery designers!” The Inside Jeweller 

‏“Our favourite wintertime open studios is here! #MadeInClerkenwell” MidCentury Magazine 

“Almost all my Christmas shopping done at @CraftCentralUK Clerkenwell open studios, direct from makers & no crowds” Carry Somers

Clerkenwell Green!

“Happy Open Studios to all @CraftCentralUK!!! (on until Sunday)” Crafts Magazine

“Going back today to @CraftCentralUK for #madeinclerkenwell fabulous designer gifts for Christmas” Susan Pickin

Goldsmiths!

PB London “Spent the day @CraftCentralUK Beautiful work and effort by all designer makers ! Enjoyed my day at #MadeInClerkenwell !”

“Really enjoyed the beautiful cushions @CiaraWaffle and cool letterpress from @marbyandelm @CraftCentralUK this weekend #london #craft #gifts” TheBigForest 

“As always lovely to pop into @CraftCentralUK” Farah Qureshi 

Craft Central Recycles! Activity Room

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‘On the second day of Made in Clerkenwell...'

Made in Clerkenwell is off to a bang!

Over 120 designers have descended on Clerkenwell! Over our two victorian studio buildings and the Goldsmiths Centre making 3 buildings of festive craft and design for you to enjoy! 

Re-fuel with Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings pop-up cafe serving up sweet and savoury treats and The Bench Cafe at The Goldsmiths’ Centre for even more delicious food and drink. Not to mention our free mulled wine bar in Clerkenwell Green!

We launched with a bang last night! A big thank you to Alex Witt Photography & Ruth at The Goldsmiths' Centre for snapping the action - check out what we got up to below...

We're open late this evening (Friday) and all weekend - come join the fun and meet over 120 makers! Find out more and plan your visit here

 

’Twas the night before Made in Clerkenwell’

Made in Clerkenwell opens tomorrow and the set up is underway!

Tomorrow our exhibitors will arrive and transform Goldsmiths Centre and our Victorian studio buildings into a festive craft wonderland! A place to find a gift to satisfy even the most challenging Christmas shopping wish list!

Inside we're still busy preparing the show, but from the outside we look good and ready! Check out our enticing window displays and giant exhibition banners below. A big thank you to Turnbull Grey for designing our branding!

Find out more and plan your visit here

‘Who are you looking forward to seeing at Made in Clerkenwell?’

Made in Clerkenwell opens in 3 days and with over 120 designers work to see it is going to be a busy craft packed weekend! To help you plan out your trip here is my guide to some of Made in Clerkenwell best bits!

Made in Clerkenwell Highlights!

Monokraum 

Monokraum will be at The Goldsmiths Centre with her amazing prints and doing live demos of Lino cutting for printing during the show!

Craft Central Recycles 

For the first time ever Craft Central Recycles project will have its own exhibiting space in the St Johns Square building with lots of make it yourself kits and sheets in their activities room.

Marby&Elm

Marby&Elm Personnel customized stationary printed as you wait at Clerkenwell Green exclusively for #MadeInClerkenwell and Libertys London!

Vic Lee

TukTuk Giveaway! During #MadeInClerkenwell VicLee will be raising money for Manacare Foundation and 2 lucky people will win one of these gorgeous customized TukTuks! at St Johns Square!

Jacqui’s Top 5 Fashion & Accessories

Sahar Millinery- Milliner to the stars! Come try on Sahar Millinery's work at St Johns Square!

Alexandra Tosto- Gorgeous jewellery inspired from geometric honeycomb shapes, showing at Goldsmiths Centre!

Amy Keeper- Jeweller with a number of cohesive collections with a sense of Victorian narrative Studio 27 St Johns Square!

Yelena Loguiiko- Fashion Designer interested in creating classical yet quirky shapes that emphasise the feminine shape. Studio 18 Clerkenwell Green!

KuKu Big Bag- brand of handcrafted, functionally designed leather accessories at St John Square!

Jacqui’s Top 5 Interior Designers

North River- Beautiful handmade river printed silhouettes at St Johns Square!

Claire Ward-Thornton- Illustrator and surface print designer showing at Goldsmiths Centre!

Mel Smith- Surface Designer passionate about pattern and colour showing at St Johns Square!

House of Cally- design company producing fun intricate drawings with 1950's pastel colours, showing at St Johns Square!

Paper Tango- Passionate for papercraft and a love of sophisticated minimalist design, check out their Christmas cards at Studio 39 Clerkenwell Green!

Admission £3 each (under 16’s free) / Jump the queue and book online at http://craftcentralbookings.org.uk/content/made-clerkenwell-winter-open-studios-2014

Avoid the high street! Thurs 27 Nov, 5-8pm, late night shopping Fri 28 Nov, 12noon - 8pm / Sat 29 & Sun 30 Nov, 12-5pm* (*The Goldsmiths’ Centre is closed on Sunday)

For latest press releases: www.craftcentral.org.uk/press-area

For tickets: http://craftcentralbookings.org.uk/content/made-clerkenwell-winter-open-studios-2014

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Twitter: CraftCentralUK

‘Fair of the Month!’

We are so excited to have been featured in Homes & Antiques Magazine December Issue! And to have be named #MadeInClerkenwell their 'Fair of the Month!' 

Made in Clerkenwell opens one week today! Come browse over 120 designers work and see why are open studios is 'Fair of the Month!'

For more details on our #MadeInClerkenwell event visit our website:www.craftcentral.org.uk
To book your tickets and plan your visit go to:
http://craftcentral.org.uk/winter2014