The Knitting & Stitching Show Harrogate takes place at Harrogate Convention Centre. The unique show is the biggest event for the UK’s textile art, craft and design community and there is no better place to get great ideas, learn new skills and meet like-minded people. The Harrogate show attracts thousands of visitors from across the North of England and hosts Textile Galleries by world-leading artists and groups.
Headline exhibitions for 2017 are:
- Units of Possibility – The Reknit Revolution (supported by Rugby Art Gallery and Museum) by Amy Twigger Holroyd in which the knit designer and maker shares an array of inventive and satisfying techniques to rework the garments in our wardrobes.
- Traces in Cloth by Diana Harrison – a presentation of selected past exhibition projects, together with a new collection of material showing the marks left behind in cloth through carefully controlled use of dye, stitch and print.
- Precious Memories by Jo Beattie – a reflection on memories of people, objects and places, the work is drawn on a sewing machine and developed with other mixed media techniques producing 2D and 3D images.
- The Sewing Machine Project by Studio 21 – an exhibition which explores all aspects of the sewing machine. Each member has produced a comprehensive body of work that reflects their personal interest in this transformational machine.
Other artists appearing are: Ann Small (Layered Cloth), Barbara Füereder, Diane Grant (Forget Me Not), Fi Oberon (The Natural World of Needle Felting), Hilary Hollingworth (the stones cry out), Hilary Waters Fayle and Sarah Waters (Stone). Textile artist groups exhibiting work are: Hands up for Uganda (Barkcloth Reinvented), Hue (The Old Ways; re-patterned), New Embroidery Group (Moving On), Quinary (Edges) and the Royal School of Needlework. The show also features competition-winning quilts from this year’s The Festival of Quilts and a showcase of work by leading young textile graduates.
The Knitting & Stitching Show Harrogate offers something for everyone, from complete beginners looking to start a new hobby to experts looking for inspiration for ambitious new projects. In The Learning Curve programme (in association with Groves), top craft tutors host over 160 practical workshops covering every aspect of textile craft.
In The Dressmaking Studio (in association with Vlieseline Freudenberg), sewing experts explain the basics of dressmaking while in The Creative Living Theatre, there are demonstrations by well-known knit and stitch stars. There are knitting and crochet drop-in sessions from the UK Hand Knitting Association and Craft in Action features demonstrations by accomplished textile crafters. Artists in Action (in association with Art Van Go) presents artists at work as though in their own studio. There’s also an unbeatable opportunity to stock up on fabric and other essential supplies, with hundreds of specialist retailers under one roof.
New for 2017 is the glamorous McCall Pattern Company Cocktail Party in aid of the Eve Appeal. Following its popular Vintage Sew-alongs and tea parties, McCall is launching The Cocktail Hour. Shimmy into one of Vogue® Patterns elegant Cocktail Collection designs (available from
www.sewdirect.com) and for every pattern sold, McCall’s will make a donation to the Eve Appeal. Cocktail Hour takes place at 4.30pm-6pm on Thursday 23rd November. Tickets cost £26 (+£1.50 booking fee) and include full entry to The Knitting & Stitching Show on the 23rd, entry to The Cocktail Party with cocktails, finger buffet, tea and coffee, a donation to the Eve Appeal and a photograph of your stylish creation.
Yorkshire and the North of England has a long textile history and thriving textile scene, but according to leading figures from the textile world, children lack opportunities to explore their creativity in school. Artists, designers and craftspeople appearing at The Knitting & Stitching Show support the Campaign for Creativity to protect creative and craft subjects in education and to encourage more adults to explore their creative side to improve health and wellbeing. Visitors to The Knitting & Stitching Show can support the campaign by signing a petition on change.org and by taking part in some craft activism. Supporters are stitching signatures for a unique cloth petition which is travelling across the UK before being presented to the Education Secretary later this year. Stitched signatures can be made at or brought along to the Harrogate show or sent to the campaign HQ at:
The Campaign for Creativity, Twistedthread, 58 White Lion Street, London N1 9PP.
The Knitting & Stitching Show Harrogate
23rd-26th November 2017
Opening times:
Thursday 23rd Nov – 10:00am-7.00pm
Thursday 23rd Nov late night: 3.00pm-7.00pm
Friday 24th Nov – 10:00am-5.30pm
Saturday 25th Nov – 10:00am-5.30pm
Sunday 26th Nov – 10:00am-5:00pm
Tickets cost £14.50 in advance (concessions £13) with a wide selection of options available at;
www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/harrogate or by calling 0844 581 1319 (+44 0121 796 6100 from outside the UK).
