Craft Focus - Apr/May (Issue 66)

12 craft focus industry news NEW BOOK FROM TILLY AND THE BUTTONS Using her extensive experience as a pattern designer, blogger and teacher, Tilly Walnes from Tilly and the Buttons has launched a new book, Stretch! Designed for home stitchers who wish to improve their skills, the title features comfortable clothes made from stretch knit fabrics. The book is published by Quadrille and will also feature six fun patterns. Visit tillyandthebuttons.com for more information. NEW SCRAPBOOKING FORUM ANNOUNCED A new organisation, The Academy of Scrapbooking and Arts, has been created to promote the medium in all its colours and forms. It will engage with the global community of scrapbookers through its online platform, and will organise a range of local and international events, including a world championship. The competition will take place in four stages with two categories, hobbyist and professional. The organisation will partner with a range of craft stores in the lead-up to each round. “We have studied the global scrapbooking market and researched the industry, and we believe the time is right to launch this format on a global scale,” says creative director, Elena Mercedes Consonni. “We are very ambitious and aim to partner with key media around the globe to ensure the World Scrapbooking Championships and associated events gain a very high profile. We look forward to working with industry partners to bring it to an even wider audience and aim to create a stand-out global community platform.” Visit academyscrapart.com for details. ONE IN FIVE UNABLE TO SEW ON A BUTTON, RESEARCH FINDS High street craft emporium, Hobbycraft, has commissioned its own craft report, which found that one in five people in the UK are unable to sew on a button. The research also uncovered a marked age divide in relation to craft skills, with nearly half of those aged 44-54 taught to sew at school, compared to just a third of those in the 25-34 age group. The survey of 10,000 adults also found that thousands of people are using crafts to improve their mental health. The company sees an average of 60,000 searches for the term ‘mindfulness’ on its website each month, while 54 percent of those asked undertake crafting activities to help relax and destress. The retailer has recently joined up with former Blue Peter presenter, Janet Ellis, to launch the Great British Button Challenge, which will provide free buttons in schools in an effort to improve stitching skills among the younger generation. To find out more, go to hobbycraft.co.uk.