A Textile Artist's Paradise………

Britain's biggest and brightest textile art show! Sewing for Pleasure brings you all the latest cutting edge designs and innovative supplies for the many exciting textile arts around - from quilting to shibori! With over 150 exhibitors demonstrating and showing thousands of products, plus lots of inspirational displays and expert advice from members of the UK Guilds, you are sure to find lots of new ideas for your own creations.

2008 Madeira/Stitch Competition
Overall Winner

'The Duchess' Costumes
'Pearls of Wisdom' Quilters Guild Display
'Stylish Stitches' NFWI Knitting Competition
'In Celebration of Stitch' highlighting the variety of stitch
'The Country Wife' Textile Mural
'Above & Below the Waves' Knitting Project
The Dressmakers Forum Top tips from the experts!
The Customisation Station Great ideas to update your wardrobe
'Itch to Stitch Workshop' with Jane Greenoff & the Cross Stitch Guild
Programme of Talks
Dressmakers Workshops

'The Duchess' Costumes

A superb capsule collection of stunning OSCAR and BAFTA winning costumes from the British hit film 'The Duchess' starring Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Hayley Atwell and Charlotte Rampling. The film traces the controversial life of Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire, who shared strikingly tragic similarities to Diana, Princess of Wales

Dressmakers Forum

This area is a must for all aspiring dressmakers, with our new-look Dressmakers Workshop run by 'Alison Victoria School of Sewing' plus a brand new 'Stitchclub' workshop for the under 16s. You can visit the Pattern Bar for the latest dressmaking patterns or our exciting 'Customisation Station' where you will be inspired by a wealth of ideas to update last season's fashions! As always, there's an opportunity to speak to our dressmaking experts and this year we've a brilliant 'Media Hub' with all your favourite sewing magazines, including Sewing World, Sew Today and Sew Hip, plus the on-line website www.isew.co.uk

Papercraft Demonstrations

Are you interested in making your own personalised cards for friends and loved ones? Why not watch our lively demonstrations to learn new skills and develop existing ones! Try out cutters and score boards for cutting card and making beautiful boxes or greetings cards and then use stamps, glitter, découpage, fabric pieces or stickers to decorate them!

In Celebration of Stitch

Many exhibitions have been put together on the subject of needlework and yet they differ from one to another because handwork has limitless ways of expressing the same thing. The alteration of a stitch or colour, or the filling of a space, gives variety; and even in the execution of the work can be found individuality, just as hand-writing reveals the character of the writer. This collection aims to show how various artists have expanded the horizons of stitch to create some incredible varieties of work.

Pearls of Wisdom

The 'Pearls of Wisdom' collection is the second 'In the Spotlight' exhibition from the Quilters Guild, who are celebrating their 30 year anniversary this year! The display brings together quilts selected from each UK region - putting unknown quilters literally 'in the spotlight'. Here is your chance to see this fabulous showcase of quilts, each region represented with a quilt of their choice

Stylish Stitches

In 2008, the National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) launched a brand new competition, challenging members to pick up their knitting needles and crochet hooks to create an original home or fashion accessory, using fascinating fibres and tantalising textures. Sponsored by the UK Hand Knitting Association (UKHKA), this is the first venture that the two organisations have worked on together. Stylish Stitches will be displaying the winners of each category, plus the best of the rest.

The Country Wife Mural

The National Needlework Archive will be introducing its latest venture to conserve Constance Howard's 4m x 5m embroidered mural 'The Country Wife', made for The Festival of Britain in 1951. Call at the NNA stand to find out how you can help with this exciting project. www.nationalneedleworkarchive.org.uk

Above and Below the Waves

Visit our 'Learn to Knit' stand to find out how you can take part in this brand new nautical knitting project 'Above and Below the Waves' by designer Alison Murray. Alison aims to create her most ambitious project to date: a tunnel, representing under the sea, through which people can walk - and above the tunnel: waves, lighthouse, lifeboat and the beach! The project will raise money for the RNLI 's 'Train One - Save Many' campaign. All fishy things are needed from anemones to starfish, seagulls to shells, plus rectangles for the seabed and waves. Completion for the project is 2010 so there is plenty of time to get knitting! The finished project will be on display exclusively at ICHF shows during autumn 2010 and spring 2011.

Free Workshops Talks and Demonstrations

Each day there will be a host of free demonstrations, mini-workshops and talks with talented local groups and artists. We are also pleased to welcome Jane Greenoff and the Cross Stitch Guild to the show with her popular 'Itch to Stitch' workshop for all cross-stitch and counted thread enthusiasts. No need to pre-book, just check the programme when you arrive - or on our website a few weeks before the show.

All this and, for 2010, 2 other shows too!

At the 2010 Sewing for Pleasure show, you will also be able to visit the Hobbycrafts show, plus the popular Fashion & Embroidery show which will be moving from Harrogate to the NEC.

For more details visit the Hobbycrafts and Fashion & Embroidery pages.

Details may change due to unforeseen circumstances.