Clever fingers bring crafts old and new to light

Don Scott

Wonderful woollies: Sarah Chisnall, of Spinning Candy, displays her work at Craft2.0's Christchurch debut at Our City O-Tautahi on Saturday. The event is designed to showcase different crafts, as well as teach visitors how to take them up themselves

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Exponents of over 30 different crafts wove, carved, sewed and knitted a rich tapestry of work at Christchurch's first Craft2.0 event on Saturday.

The event has been running every three months in Wellington and is designed to showcase different crafts, as well as teach visitors how to take them up themselves.

"It's been going in Wellington for about 18 months. We are hoping it can run every six months here," Christchurch-based co-organiser Lucy Arnold said.

"I think we got about 3000 people through over four hours," Arnold said of the event, held at Our City O-Tautahi.

"It was pretty packed. There was a really good atmosphere and people seemed really excited about the whole idea. The only slight criticism was that people wished it had gone on for longer."

Apart from being able to buy the various items on offer, visitors were able to take part in workshops which took them through the basics of different crafts.

Arnold said practising a craft gave people the option of making goods for themselves and having a choice about making them ethically.

"For most people to get involved in crafts is a lifestyle choice," Arnold said.

"It's a reaction to mass production and not wanting to look like everybody else."

- © Fairfax NZ News