Craft Workshops in Singapore

Posted on December 29, 2015 by admin

Hope everyone had a blessed and joyful Christmas! It has been a crazy two months for me fulfilling Christmas orders, participating in craft markets, conducting craft workshops in Singapore and more! Not forgetting that it is also the December school holidays and I need to find activities to entertain the kids too! I’ve been wanting to update my blog with the craft workshops in Singapore that I’ve been conducting but it has been such a mad house I couldn’t find the time to do so. Since I’m taking my well-deserved break now, it’s time I update everyone on what I have been up to.

Becoming a sewing and craft instructor was not something in my agenda, but something that’s God sent! Over the past year, I’ve been getting queries on whether I am conducting sewing and craft workshops in Singapore. Gradually, it started to dawn on me that this could be my calling, apart from selling my handmade creations. In addition, I have always enjoyed teaching and sharing my knowledge with people around me. Starting sewing and craft workshops in Singapore thus looked like the next natural thing to do.

It all started in June this year when friends from a Facebook sewing group asked if I could conduct applique classes. I had wanted to start a class for four or five people but it ended up over-subscribed with more than 50 people on the waiting list! This really kick-started a whole string of craft workshops in Singapore, with my first class in July. Since then, there were requests for other sewing and craft classes such as plush toy making, patchwork, basic sewing, tote bag making and more, which kept me busy for the past few months!

So far, I’ve been conducting classes at home, students’ homes, Spotlight and other craft events. Both private and small group classes are available. I’ve been conducting craft workshops in Singapore for the past six months and I wanted to share that the journey has been wonderful and most enriching! It has made my crafting journey more meaningful and fulfilling, as it allowed me to be more engaged with like-minded people in the crafting community. In a nutshell, it has raised my self-esteem and confidence as a “professional” crafter whom students look up to. I enjoy every single moment in a class, whether it’s for one or ten students, and always look forward to the next one. I guess the most fulfilling part of being an instructor is seeing my students grow from strength to strength and knowing how my sharing has made them progress in their crafting journey.

Check out some photos of the craft workshops in Singapore I had conducted over the past few months:

Owl Applique Pillow Workshop
Owl applique pillow class in session

Hand applique of owl pillow

Even the gentlemen are having fun sewing!

We have kids joining us too

Completed applique pillow by student
Owl Plush Toy Workshop
Owl plush class in session

Hand applique of owl’s body

Stuffing the owl plush toy

Final stitching of owl plush toy

Completed owl plush toys by students
Tote Bag Workshop
Tote bag workshop in session

Completed Star Wars tote bag by student
Patchwork Pillow Workshop
Student at work on pillow top

Patchwork pillow class in session

Pressing of pillow top

Piecing of patchwork pillow top

Students busy at work on their patchwork pillows

Completed patchwork pillow by student
Christmas Ornaments Workshop
Putting Mr Snowman together

Christmas ornaments workshop in session

Sewing of snowman ornament

Completed Christmas ornaments
Christmas Tree Pillow Workshop
Applique is done and ready for final assembly

Assembly of Christmas applique pillow

Completed Christmas applique pillow by student

In 2016, I will be introducing a series of new craft workshops in Singapore such as basic quilting, drawstring bag, felt ornaments, mug rugs and more . These are what I will be teaching in January 2016:

1. Owl Plush Toy Workshop
Date: 3 & 17 January 2016 (Sunday)
Time: 10am to 1pm
Venue: Spotlight@Plaza Singapura
Fee: $70 (2 sessions)

2. Basic Sewing Workshop
Date: 5 January 2016 (Tuesday)
Time: 10am to 1pm
Venue: Spotlight@Plaza Singapura
Fee: $50

3. Owl Applique Pillow Workshop
Date: 12 January 2016 (Tuesday)
Time: 10am to 2pm
Venue: Spotlight@Plaza Singapura
Fee: $50

Date: 18 January 2016 (Monday)
Time: 10am to 2pm
Venue: Tanglin Halt (near Commonwealth MRT)
Fee: $50

4. Flowers Mug Rug Workshop
Date: 15 January 2016 (Friday)
Time: 2pm to 7pm
Venue: Spotlight@Plaza Singapura
Fee: $60

5. Felt Animal Keychains/Brooches Workshop
Date: 16 January 2016 (Saturday)
Time: 10am to 1pm
Venue: The Art Faculty@Enabling Village (near Redhill MRT)
Fee: $35

Date: 20 January 2016 (Wednesday)
Time: 7pm to 9pm
Venue: The Art Faculty@Enabling Village (near Redhill MRT)
Fee: $35

Date: 30 January 2016 (Saturday) – CNY-themed
Time: 10am to 1pm
Venue: The Art Faculty@Enabling Village (near Redhill MRT)
Fee: $35

6. CNY Pineapple Coaster Workshop
Date: 27 January 2016 (Wednesday)
Time: 7pm to 9pm
Venue: The Art Faculty@Enabling Village (near Redhill MRT)
Fee: $35

7. Owl Mug Rug Workshop
Date: 29 January 2016 (Friday)
Time: 2pm to 7pm
Venue: Spotlight@Plaza Singapura
Fee: $60

8. Patchwork Pillow Workshop
Date: 31 January 2016 (Sunday)
Time: 10am to 2pm
Venue: Spotlight@Plaza Singapura
Fee: $60

For more details, visit my Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/madewithcotton/ or https://lessonsgowhere.com.sg/lesson-providers/the-cotton-shoppe. Visit http://madewithcotton.com/sewing-classes-in-singapore/ for more information on my workshops. If you are interested to join my craft workshops in Singapore, email me at vivien@thecottonshoppe.com or SMS/Whatsapp 9337-7872. My workshops size is kept small for better interaction, and spots tend to be filled up rather quickly. Register early to avoid disappointment! Hope to see you in class in 2016!

Etsy Craft Party 2015

Posted on June 10, 2015 by admin

The Cotton Shoppe was a co-organiser for the Etsy Craft Party 2015, which took place last Saturday, 6 June. This is an annual craft event which took place worldwide on 5 and 6 June this year.

Organised by Simply for Love, this annual event saw a collaboration with other talented Etsy sellers such as Azallea Craft-Smiths, Ozzy & Lulu, Rough Beauty, Noruyo Creations and The Artbug to bring about a day of making and crafting. This is the 3rd Etsy Craft Party which Singapore is hosting and my second year of participation.

We received an overwhelming response for the Etsy Craft Party this year, with all 80 places for the craft party taken up one week before the event and many more participants on the waiting list! This year, we are very thankful to The Playtent for the generous sponsor of their spaces in Joo Chiat for the event. A total of about 85 people attended the event.

The theme of the craft party is Kaleidoscope: Paper Taking Shape. Participants had the opportunity to learn about paper weaving and create paper bracelets and paper gems.

We saw people from all walks of life attend the event, such as families with children, couples, friends and more. This is what crafting is about! It bonds communities through a common language and hands-on activities using simple media like paper, fabrics, plastic and more.

The most interesting activity during the craft party where we saw people coming together is the creation of a big community collage art piece using coloured papers and magazine pages. It’s such a wonderful sight seeing participants cutting and glueing papers, and piecing the artwork together, as a culmination of each person’s creativity!

What makes a party awesome? Yummy food of course! Many thanks to Dainty Candy and Puteri’s Baking Boutiq who had kindly sponsored food to feed our hungry crafters and took so much efforts to decorate the food corner! Not forgetting the refreshing lemonade drinks by Simply for Love to quench our thirst too!

Another favourite hit during the craft party was the fun photo booth and photography services, that were sponsored by Blissful Studios. Participants and crafters present had loads of great fun posing for shots using the funky props available. To view the fun shots, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BlissfulStudiosSG.

Hang on…the sweet finale to the craft party has to be the lucky draw with attractive handmade prizes contributed by the organisers and other crafters. There were a total of five prizes worth hundreds of dollars! Congratulations to the lucky winners!

Many thanks to Simply for Love for distributing a certificate of appreciation to all sponsors and organisers. It meant a lot to me and made me feel really proud to be a part of the organising committee!

Here’s a group photo of the participants and our wacky team who had spent many hours and weekends putting this awesome party altogether. See you at our Etsy Craft Party 2016!

Christmas Crafts Workshops

Posted on November 11, 2014 by admin

It’s November now and Christmas is fast approaching! Have you started your Christmas shopping or lugged those decor out of your storeroom to doll up your home for this beautiful season? Perhaps you may even want to consider doing Christmas crafts as gifts for your loved ones, or using them as decor at home. This would add a nice handmade feel and warmth to your home this Christmas!

There are so many Christmas crafts you could work on, such as Christmas cards, Christmas ornaments, paper wreaths, wall hangings and more. You really don’t need to be an expert crafter to create them. If you are an experienced crafter or quilter, you can of course work on more advanced Christmas crafts projects such as Christmas stockings, wall quilts, table runners etc.

When I was approached by my organisation to conduct an interest group activity for my colleagues last week, the first idea that came to my mind was to organise a Christmas crafts workshop. For this, I designed a Christmas ornaments workshop, which is so appropriate for the season! Not just that, doing craft work is really an excellent idea to bond with colleagues, friends and family members. It is also a great means of therapy to drive all the work stress away! Everyone had fun and it was amazing seeing my colleagues putting their creativity to good use.

In addition, I was also invited by The Playtent to conduct a similar Christmas crafts workshop last Saturday. Although it was not a great turnout, the workshop turned out really well. Guess having small groups can be a perk as there are more opportunities to interact with participants. This is my first attempt at conducting workshops and I hope it will not be the last. It was great sharing with everyone my skills and experience. I will be working out some plans with The Playtent to conduct more regular craft and sewing workshops next year. Looking forward!

The Playtent has more $10 Art Rojak! workshops planned for the whole of November. Check them out now at http://www.theplaytent.com/art-rojak-10-workshops/!

Craft Workshop in Singapore

Posted on November 4, 2014 by admin

If you are looking for an affordable craft workshop in Singapore, check out the Art Rojak! workshops organised by The Playtent at http://www.theplaytent.com/art-rojak-10-workshops/. These 1-hour workshops cost only $10 each, inclusive of all materials. There are lots of workshops in November ranging from jewellery making, finger painting and Christmas ornaments making to Christmas origami, scrapbooking and manga drawing. At just $10 and so many to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choices!

It’s sometimes not easy to find a good craft workshop in Singapore as there are not many studios or crafters out there conducting such classes. If you are interested to pick up a new arts and crafts skill, or you are looking for a weekend or school holiday activity for your children, then these Art Rojak! workshops are perfect as they cater to all ages and skill levels and won’t burn a hole in your pocket!

I’ve been invited by The Playtent to conduct the Christmas ornaments making workshop. In this workshop, you’ll learn pattern transfer and the basics of sewing such as running stitches and edging stitches. I would then show you how to sew simple Christmas ornaments using felt and embroidery floss. There are three patterns available for the craft workshop – snowman, Christmas stocking and Christmas tree. They are so cute and will add lots of warmth and cheer to your home this Christmas! Great as stocking stuffers or simply as a decor on your mantle or Christmas tree. Join me to find out how simple it is to put them together, they are really not as complicated as they look! To register for my workshop, visit http://www.theplaytent.com/product/make-your-own-felt-christmas-ornament/.

For more details of the Art Rojak! series of craft workshop in Singapore, check out http://www.theplaytent.com/art-rojak-10-workshops/. Do register early as places are limited and on a first-come-first-served basis. Grab your kids or friends for more crafting fun. See you there!