It'’s one of Australia’s largest craft shows, and it’s finally coming to Canberra.
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The CraftAlive fair will be setting up at Canberra Racecourse over three days, running from May 5 to 7.
This will be the first year the event will take place in the nation’s capital, with the travelling craft fair touring regional areas such as Toowoomba, Wagga Wagga and Bendigo.
Among the exhibitors will be stalls on patchwork, scrapbooking, jewellery and quiltmaking, with there also being live demonstrations and workshops over the three days.
One of the stall owners is Canberra resident Jackie McNab, who runs Brindabella Quilting.
Often when craft fairs come along, we give [those interested in craft] a shot in the arm.
- Jackie McNab
Mrs McNab travels frequently as a stall owner for craft shows around the country, and said the upcoming show in Canberra is one of the largest in he ACT.
“This is different because there’s more exhibitors and a bigger variety of people there, not just quilting,” she said.
“Often when craft fairs come along, we give [those interested in craft] a shot in the arm.”
Mrs McNab, alongside her husband Malcolm, used to run the craft store Pins and Needle in Wanniassa for more than 25 years, until it was burnt down in a fire in 2003.
Since then, Mrs McNab said she has been focusing on regional craft fairs, showcasing various quilts as well as historic sewing machines.
“People in regional areas are often starved for these things because craft stores have closed down because they can’t compete with online,” she said.
“We’ve been doing the shows now for about 20 years.”
The Fadden resident said it can take a day or up to a week to finish a quilt, depending on how elaborate the design is.
“It’s a relaxing hobby, but to finish off the quilt can take more time than actually putting it together,” Mrs McNab said.
“If I’m putting together a queen-size quilt, for instance, it can take up to two or three days.”
The quiltmaker said while online retailers are proving to be more popular in the sector, craft shows are proving to be just as popular.
Mrs McNab said many attend fairs such as CraftAlive to gain more skills.
“It’s a place where it’s actually hands on so they can see how everything is done.”
Andrew Brown
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
