Summer craft highlights

First, apologies – oh dear, it’s been so long. But this delay highlights why we are not having a Fibre and Fabric Fair this summer: it’s the busiest time of year for most professional craftspeople in this area.

We’re rushed off our feet working, whether that’s in galleries and shops where we do time (nope, not like prisons, honest) in exchange for participating in a co-op, or whether that means ramping up production to cope with seasonal demand. So, sorry, but no Fibre and Fabric Fair this July – however…

there are plenty of places where you can buy crafts produced by local makers. Plenty!

Let’s start with HARLECH.

From Saturday 15 July until Saturday 2 September, there’s a pop-up shop in the Old Library opposite the church (on the walk onto the high Street from the car parks, the building with bunting outside). It’s open from 10 – 4, occasionally later if busy, every day of the week. What can you find?

A whole range! There will be stained glass, weaving, driftwood sculpture, knitting and felting,  jewellery, painting, sewing:

a variety of sewn items from Ruby Gingham…

And the Harlech Pottery is open, too, in Pentre’r Efail. Well worth a visit when you’re in the town.

Right, moving on, going north first, to PORTHMADOG:

Glosters have a beautiful selection of professionally made crafts, especially pottery – their own pottery is above the shop which is in Bank Place, just round the corner from the Factory Shop. They’re open 10 – 5 every day except Sunday.

Crafts North Wales have a huge variety of crafts in stock, from a huge variety of craftspeople. They’re on the High Street, and are open 10 – 4.45, again every day except Sunday. (That’s a Facebook link, by the way, though there is also a website.)

POP Local and Beyond has crafts from outside the area as well. They’re also on the High Street, closed on Sundays, but open 10 – 5 on other days.

And there are other opportunities in Porthmadog, too – worth nosing them out!

Going south, DOLGELLAU has a craftworkers’ co-op in Celf Aran Arts. This is under the arches in Eldon Square, and represents the work of a huge range of professional craftspeople working in many different media, from wool to precious metal. Again, they’re open Monday to Saturday, 10 – 5.

There’s another professional co-op gallery in MACHYNLLETH. This is Oriel Seren, where you can find a fantastic selection of work (and there are other shops in Machynlleth selling craft work, but this is a co-op run by a group of craftspeople, as is Celf Aran). It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but open the rest of the week including Sunday from 10 – 5. Wednesdays are market days in Machynlleth. Just saying…

Have a lovely summer!