Help Me Fund My Next Craft Book!

I recently started a Crowd Funding Campaign on website Kickstarter to publish my next craft book and now have just until the end of the month to raise £3.5k to help me do this project.

Buy why do I need to ask people to donate money? Well, I'm going to try and explain more...

Back in 2012 my book 101+ Things To Do With Glitter was published by Vivays. After I handed it in and was awaiting for it to be printed I started on the follow up, a title about ribbon. But sadly the publishing company went into liquidation which promptly stopped production and distribution of the glitter book and stopped my ribbon book (which by that time has been all written and the projects made), from progressing. 

I dedicated over a year to the book, unpaid, so couldn't bear to see the work remain just as a file on my computer. I then waited a further two years for legal decisions to be made and for the old publishing company to be bought by  a new one - this eventually happened but they no longer wanted my book. 

I looked into various options as to how I could publish it myself and eventually digital publishing made the most sense. My plan is to create a digital craft book for Ipad and tablet but one that's also available to purchase as downloadable pdf.

The most important part of the book is that is showcases the work of independent UK Maker/Designers, who have designed the projects that feature in the book. This isn't a vanity project to help me publish another book with my name on...I have long been a supporter of creative talent in the UK. I used to edit a Craftzine as I strongly believe in giving people platforms to showcase their work, especially as otherwise they wouldn't get a chance. This is my way to help them.

Papercrafts section: Notebook by Carole King

The projects in the book fit into four categories: fashion, interiors, gifts and papercrafts and here are some examples of the types of projects in the book...

Fashion section: Ballet socks by Nadia Kamil

Woven cushion by Agnis Smallwood

The £3.5k I am trying to raise will go towards design and photography and turning the book into a digital format to make it available, as well as extras like sending projects back to the designers, photoshoot travel etc. 

Crowd funding is a method that allows you to raise money for your own projects but it's an all or nothing approach so if I raise £3.5k it means I can make the book, if I raise less than that then I won't get any of the money that has been pledged..

Currently I am spreading the word through social media and emailing friends but at the moment still feeling nervous about whether or not I will reach the target (current count is £726).

I have joined up with graphic designer Kara-Jessica Mallet to help me on this project and together we are trying to do as much as we can to raise awareness and get the book made.

All the details about our campaign are on our Kickstarter page which you can see here. 

If you're reading my blog and like what I do, I hope you can spare a few pounds to help me on this mission of mine, every penny can make a difference in reaching our target. 

Thanks so much!

Momtaz

#IMAPiece: The Craftivist Jigsaw Project for Save The Children

I stitched this on Tuesday night. 

People often ask me why I'm so positive and it's because this is my motto. 

Every single person on the planet has dreams, ambitions and hopes...and holding on to them is what makes life pleasurable. 

No matter how big or small, every second we put into thinking we shouldn't give up, is a second towards 'achieving.'

The Craftivist Jigsaw Project is also about not giving up...its aim is to support Save The Children's Race Against Hunger Campaign to put an end to the fact that millions of people, including children still go to bed hungry every night : (

The charity have invited 4 of the UK's leading Crafty ambassadors to front the campaign which is asking crafters all over the country to stitch a piece of a fabric jigsaw to show that they are 'A Piece' of the change that will make the world a better place.

Next year is the G8 Summit and Save The Children and The Campaign are asking world leaders to put eradicating hunger at the top of their list. Their method is to present thousands of stitched jigsaw pieces to show that UK Crafters care, and want to make a difference. 

Every single person can get involved. All you need to do is download a template of the jigsaw, stitch on your message and send it to The Craftivists where Sarah will collate them.

There are NO EXCUSES not to do this as the closing date is March so it's the perfect Christmas crafting activity.

Next month Sarah, Jamie, Lauren and Hilary as going to Indonesia with Save The Children to experience some of their projects and report back. This may sound bizarre, but like celebs often go on charity trips, bloggers too can have a positive impact on spreading awareness of campaigns and while they are away they'll be keeping blogs and diaries of their discoveries, inspiring us back home to get involved.

The launch of the campaign took place at a special Save The Children charity shop in Primrose Hill and was attended by a host of bloggers (including mysefl!)

We were all given a pack to help us create a piece of the jigsaw.

Inside were fabric, instructions, a needle and thread.

I stitched my message at the event but will glitter it up at home (obviously!) before giving it to The Craftivists.

I have never liked being told what to do and I dislike it when people insist on what you should and shouldn't do. But this campaign is different.

It's the first time the UK Craft Community have been given an actual voice - it takes us seriously, appreciates us as people whose opinions matters - not just mad hobbyists!

That's why I think it's an opportunity we should not miss out on.
You don't need to spend any money - you just need to stitch a jigsaw piece or two, either on your own or with friends.

The satisfaction afterwards is something you can really be proud of.

Find out more about how to get involved:

Deadly Knitshade (Lauren O'Farrell)'s blog

Hilary Pullen's blog

Mr X Stitch (Jamie Chalmers) blog:

Sarah Corbett (The Craftivists) (you can download the jigsaw template from this link.)

 

Craftivists & Oxfam Grow Campaign Launch

A Jammy Deal

The tale starts with jam. Tomato jam. Yes that's jam not chutney! Fruity, reddish orangey jam which if you weren't told, could be mistaken as strawberry...or perhaps even orange marmalade without the peel. 

Sweet...like strawberries

There is nothing British about the recipe, it's Kenyan and it's a jam that a lady called Christine sells in Kenya, in order to survive, even though she's retired and should be putting her feet up. Instead she's constantly working in order to survive and look after children who've lost their parents to HIV and Aids. So why was her tomato jam recipe (which I can vouch for is utterly delicious!), being served up at Spitalfields City Farm on a Sunday afternoon? Because Christine and her jam is the inspiration behind a new campaign by Oxfam and the Craftivists Collective.

Craftivist volunteer

Grow is one of Oxfam's campaigns the aim of which is to ensure that everyone in the world has enough to eat...and to put an end to the fact that 1 in 7 people go to sleep hungry while elsewhere 80% of food is wasted...inequality as it's very worst. The Craftivists use craft as a form of activism to raise awareness of issues. Founder Sarah Corbett met Christine when she was in Kenya and was so touched by her tale that she looked for a way to share it. Now five years on, Craftivists have joined forced with Oxfam to get people to think about the world's food system and to consider the role small scale farmers can play in helping food production in developing countries. It's a complex issue and ambitious project but one that is essential.

Farm yard crafters

Over 50 people joined the launch of the campaign, held at Spitalfields City Farm on what was a very lovely sunny afternoon. The practical side of the campaign encourages people to make their own tomato jam using Christine's recipe and to give it to someone who is in a position to make a change such as MPs. Messages are hand-stitched onto the jam jar covers to get them to think and act.

Jar amnesty

So first up, all attendees took a jam jar which had been collected over the past few weeks.

Every jar came with lovely fabric

Inside each jar was everything a person needed to get started, fabric to stitch on, a band to hold it in place, a label and a needle.

Me reading up on the campaign

Before the afternoon got underway we were asked to read the leaflets about the campaign to get a better understanding of the issues.

This video is worth a watch to get a really good understanding of what I have been trying to explain (but they do it better!). It features Sarah from Craftivists talking about the campaign and how the jam and the stitching came together:

(Defo give this video a watch - if not now, bookmark it and watch when you can).

The craftivist crew

As a group we discussed what we thought of Christine's story which forces you to actually shape an opinion. Otherwise you can read something, find it interesting and forget about it. When you're asked to explain your reaction to what you've read you're more likely to take it seriously.

 Equally important therefore is what message you stitch on your jam jar lid and who you give it to. These were some of Craftivist's suggestions.

A finished jar should look something like this!

Amongst the participants were the Shoreditch Sisters branch of the Women's Institute...

Boys...(proving again that craft is for everyone)

Confident stitchers...

 And new comers to the stitch like Natalie from Ohdearism.

As well as jam, there was some live jammin' which added a fine soundtrack to the stitching.

A film crew were also there to record the campaign launch.

Craftivist Sarah invited lots of members of the craft community to take part so it was a fantastic opportunity to also meet some of the other crafty peeps I've encountered via twittersphere, such as Chloe from The Merry Bobbins, pictured here with Sarah.

And here's me with my finished jam! Now to sterilise the jar and fill it with homemade tomato jam. The message I stitched on mine was something that is very personal to me:

Live a simple life so others can simply life.

There is such an emphasis on 'excess' in our culture especially in the west: we're obsessed with having it all - the job, a house, car, social life, latest fashions and technologies and even the finest foods. While billions of people will never have any of the things I've just listed. It is very sad and I wish people would take that issue more seriously as a first step to eradicating this inequality. 

I've long admired Sarah and Craftivists and I learn't today that as much as I love crafting for pleasure, when you craft for a cause, it's much more satisfying.

The event was my second alfresco crafting activity in a month and my second crafting activity this year based on a city farm.

I couldn't therefore not mention my two fave things about this particular location. Such as it has an empty phonebox for the sheep to play in...

 And houses crime fighting pigs! Brilliant!

To find out more about Craftivists and their current campaign visit their website. You can get involved with the project where ever you are in the world.