I just came across a lovely programme hosted by the gifted Dominic Chinnea from the Repair Shop. Make It At Market takes ordinary 'hobby' crafter, and with the help of a mentor, aims to turn their hobby into a money making business. It's only 45 minutes long, so there's no time-wasting waffle.
First up, Cathy Kelly - a perky Cheshire woman who took up willow weaving during lockdown. She has an amazing talent for creating fairies, hares, unicorns...
Her day job is being a cleaner. Her mentor [who makes baskets for Fortnum and Mason] made excellent suggestions. "Cut the horn off that unicorn and make it a horse" he advised "people in the horsey set have deep pockets and will buy a horse for their garden"
There was so much that was positive about it all - encouragement and enthusiasm. I've woven just one basket, and was amazed by her talent and skill [learned from YouTube]
Next up Morgan Charles, whose job was fitting kitchens until a life changing illness made him re-evaluate things. He wants to be more creative with his woodwork. He now has a
website too.
I found this a delightful little programme, the participants genuinely humble about their crafts, and clearly thrilled to be mentored. Dom is a genial host. The filming is done at Stoneywell, an
Arts&Crafts house in Leicestershire which belongs to the National Trust.
BBC 1, 7.30pm Friday evenings. I hope you enjoy it too!
Oooh, this sounds lovely! Will give it a look! Which channel?x
ReplyDeleteBBC 1
DeleteI watched this last night and really enjoyed it too. We visited Stoneywell only once with the children many years ago but it made a deep impression. I’m afraid I cannot watch the Repair Shop anymore, a combination of knowing too much about how the show is made, how the TV village has spoilt an area of the South Downs and the made for TV emotion - altogether it has put me off! Like you I have been on a couple of willow weaving workshops and made a basket and a tall hazel and willow obelisk, satisfying but very hard on the hands. Sarah in Sussex
ReplyDeleteOh that's a bit sad about the R S. Willow weaving is hard on the hands (esp when I fell off the stool and injured my wrist! ) A willow obelisk would be lovely in the garden. At a couple of schools where I did supply, they had huge willow shelters and in the summer we'd take the children outside for storytelling, sitting on blankets under the dappled shade. Beautiful!
DeleteYes, I had completely forgotten that when my children were at primary school and I chaired the Friends I spent all the money raised from cake sales, a barn dance, the Christmas shopping day, the summer fair on a library refit and lots of new books and I commissioned a willow weaver to make a igloo on the edge of the playground. It was well-used and every year we would weave in all all the new growth and keep it solid and tight which was a lovely project for a few like-minded parents. Ouch for falling off the stool!
DeleteI meant to watch it, and then forgot. Next week I will mark it on the diary,
ReplyDeleteYou can probably get it on iPlayer
DeleteSounds like a wonderful program.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed it
DeleteI like that programme too and Dominic is such a good presenter. Catriona
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteI love that programme. Used to watch it in the afternoon post-covid recovery. I loved the textile and the pottery artisans.
ReplyDeleteHow come I missed it first time round?
DeleteMaybe this is a new series? Haven't seen these ones yet so will check it out next week.
DeleteIt’s a lovely series, if memory serves me it was originally shown back in January 2023. I didn’t realise it was back on now. I loved the gentleness of it all, Dominic, the mentors and the bashfulness of the makers. Stoneywell is on my list to visit if ever we get over that way.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't become an NT property till after we left Leics. I'd love to visit too
DeleteWonder if it's on You Tube yet? It takes years until we get some of your programs. Those sound wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
I hope you get it eventually
DeleteHusband and I watched the entire series in January '23, it was just a lovely thing to watch whilst sitting with a cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember it being on for about 45 minutes though, and this time around it's more of a 30 minute watch, so some bits are definitely missing!
All of the original episodes (15 of them I think) are available on i-player now though, if anyone fancies a binge-watch!
All episodes are also available on Sky TV. X
Thanks for this information Col!
DeleteThe skills of these two artists are amazing! Perhaps this BBC programme will come onto Britbox one day so that we can watch it over here.
ReplyDeleteI hope so 👍
DeleteI'm glad they've moved it to a more sensible time. It used to be on at around 4pm and I always forgot to watch it. It's nice to have a few programmes that are just 'nice' to watch isn't it. Thank goodness GBBO is back next week too, something for me to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteIf I forget to record things, I am always scrabbling around on iPlayer, trying to locate programmes. Let us hope the Autumn Programme Schedules bring some good stuff!
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