In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with shepherdess and maker Katie Allen from Loopy Ewes.

We discuss how Katie developed her passion for growing her own vegetables and rearing her own animals into becoming a farmer. This lead to diversifying into rearing rare breed sheep and using their wool for her label, Loopy Ewes.

We also talk about regenerative farming and how she implements the "cycle of nutrients", which is a crucial element of good land management.

Katie Allen is a member of Find a Maker.

@craftfestival

@loopyewes

@find.amaker

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with clothes designer and maker Sigrid Verschraeghen from her home in Silverton, Devon.

Born in Belgium, Sigrid won the coveted Best Stand award at this year's Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey. She trained as a fashion designer, working with various fashion houses, never feeling at home with the values of mainstream production. A move to the UK followed and the process of creating her slow-fashion label began. Starting with bridalwear, which developed into the meticulously constructed garments that she now makes, which transcend fashion.

@craftfestival

@find.amaker

@sigrid_verschraeghen

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with silversmith, Brett Payne from his home in Sheffield.

Brett is one of the UK's most eminent makers, specialising in hot forging and raising silver for over 25 years.

Brett is a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, a Freeman of The Cutlers' Company of Hallamshire, a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths, a past Chairman of the Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council and a Director of British Silver Week.

Brett regularly exhibits at Craft Festival Cheltenham and Bovey Tracey.

www.craftfestival.co.uk

@brettpaynesilversmith

@craftfestival

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah James from Craft Festival and Find a Maker talks with Dartmoor based woodsman, charcoal maker and stave basket maker, John Williamson.

The Devon stave basket is an agricultural basket made in a range of sizes corresponding to different weights of usually apples, potatoes and animal feeds. It is a practical, beautiful object.

John has lived and worked the woodlands of the Teign Valley, near Bovey Tracey all his life. First being introduced to the magic of woodlands as a child, when he was taken along by his father and uncle, on their logging contracts in the valley.

@craftfestival

@johnwilliamsondartmoor

@thecapitalofcraft

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In this week's episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah chats with multi award wining jeweller and gallery owner, Anne Morgan.

Born in Keynsham, brought up in Somerset and Warwickshire Anne has always had a passion for jewellery. After gaining a BA (Hons) in Designed Metalwork and Jewellery at Buckinghamshire College, High Wycombe she moved to Cardiff to continue developing her signature style.

She has established herself as a leading jeweller and 6 years ago opened her gallery, Anne Morgan Jewellery in the coastal town of Penarth in South Wales.

@craftfestival @morganjewellery

www.craftfestival.co.uk

Season 2 of The Capital of Craft

Craft Festival Director, Sarah James talks to printmaker and textile artist, Ben Partridge, AKA The Owlery about his life and varied career.

Specialising in screen print and surface pattern, The Owlery was founded by printmaker and textile artist Benjamin Partridge in late 2013.

Ben proudly works from his studio in Yorkshire ArtSpace in Sheffield, home to over 160 artists and makers.

@craftfestival

@theowlery

www.craftfestival.co.uk

Welcome to Season 2 of The Capital of Craft

Craft Festival Director, Sarah James talks to award winning weaver, educator and curator Laura Thomas about her life in making.

Laura Thomas is an established woven textile artist, designer and maker specialising in producing unconventional textiles for contemporary spaces. Based in South Wales, her work can be found in important public collections including the V&A.

Laura will be demonstrating weving at Craft Festival Bovey Tracey, June 17-19, 2022.

@craftfestival

@laurathomastextiles

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In our Christmas Special of The Capital of Craft podcast, Dr Kate Strasdin talks to Craft Festival Director, Sarah James MBE about her life in making. I

They talk about her early years in West Wales and how it has shaped the way she runs her business. Relentless advocate for makers, the Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey has grown into a multi-brand powerhouse of support for craft. They also talk about new venture @find.amaker In no particular order and not all currently...Podcaster, presenter, curator, gallery owner, writer, business coach, commentator, retailer, charity Trustee, maker, event producer, accidental trouble maker and compulsive doer.

@craftfestival

@find.amaker

@katestrasdin

www.craftfestival.co.uk

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to Dr. Kate Strasdin, Fashion Historian and Lecturer in Fashion History and Theory at Falmouth University and Visiting Lecturer at DeTao Masters Academy in Shanghai, China.

Also a curator, writer and fashion commentator, Sarah and Kate discuss the importance of fashion, how it tells so many stories and how heritage crafts shape the fashion industry.

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@katestrasdin

In our latest episode of The Capital of Craft, Sarah from Craft Festival talks to one half of Reptile, Carlo Briscoe.

Based in the Preseli hills of Pembrokeshire, Sarah and Carlo talk about Reptile's career in making huge tile murals & ceramics and bringing creativity and individuality into a competitive and commercial market.

Reptile is a tile making and ceramics company run by Carol Briscoe and Ed Dunn.

@craftfestival

@thecapitalofcraft

@reptile_tiles