Make Town has closed
Ka kite anō x
The Make Town studio was a slice of paradise in our dirty and noisy city for the last 7 years. Those courageous enough to step through the weird padded door away from the chaos and into my dream scenario deserve gold medals.
For reasons I’ll never fully understand, our worlds collided, and I’m endlessly grateful they did. I opened the doors and you showed up. Fully, generously, just as you were. Sharing this space with you has been an absolute honour. You put your trust in my unruly ways, with my cursing kiwi twang, my unorthodox teaching style and together we created something truly special.
I have no regrets, yet I am painfully sorry to abandon you for the hope of a sunnier more balanced lifestyle with my kids, my Bobby and my nana x
Before I go, I just want to give you all a huge, overwhelming, wholehearted…
Thank you.
Thank you for the classes
You took a mighty leap to learn something new. You stepped into the unknown with an open mind and a 'can do' attitude and never looked back.
The workshops were never about finishing the thing. That was just a trick. You thought that was what you wanted but I asked you onto my ship and showed you a new way of looking through the world by making.
Watching you learn the art of patience and perseverance through your fuck ups (never mistakes) developing your skills, while slowly building a foundation of understanding in problem solving and reverse engineering through fabric, math, science, physics and fine motor skills with the quiet determination in accepting the process.
I will miss the superb creative energy in the studio when were together. The epic moments of pride, the sighs of quiet relief, the joy in sharing our favourite patterns an recent fabric purchases. The tears, the high fives, the 'for fuck sakes' and absolute joy that room embodied every day.
Thank you for trusting me and for encouraging each other. We made something super duper special x
Thank you to our resident artists
Listening to the stories of other creatives is inspiring and necessary. Please support these amazing people who make the world a valuable place because of their dedication to craft and sharing their knowledge with us all.
Shout out to Elizabeth Ashdown and her pasementerie magic, Emma of Socko and her mending skills, Georgia Borrett and her rope basket making and of course Cathy and her crochet brilliance every year.
High Fives to Debbie and her natural dying, Theodora and the amazing sheep jumper, Alexandra and her back strap weaving, Love & Salvage for teaching us to make our own shoes and Christabel the best tapestry weaving I know.
Sally Gunnett and her amazing Cyanotype Printing, Kate Owen and her modern classy patchwork, Noor who brought her tufting guns all the way from Amsterdam multiple times, Miesje Chafer and all of her creative goodness and Selina who showed you how to pocket the fuck out of all of your garments.
And of course Ali and their technical skills sewing with lycra, pattern drafting and general greatness. Arnika, Anouska, Martyna, Georgia, Charlyne and Rusty for holding the fort so brilliantly when I wanted time off x
Thank you for the parties
We had some wicked fun times with prosecco and cake. Never a problem with vomit or rowdy drunks. You guys know how to party respectfully. Much appreciated x
Kids parties, Hen do's, baby showers, team building, get togethers and big birthday parties. Thank you especially, to those who came back time and time again. Sharing your love of the space and what we were aiming to achieve and urging others to get in on the fun.
We also had the pleasure of collaborating with some hefty brands and businesses. did some amazing collabs with Five Points, El Bandarra, Tate Modern, Scouts, Young V&A, Hackney Council, Camp Wildfire, Dishoom, and of course the humungous collective effort of the Scrub Hub during Covid in 2020. What a ride that was.
I cherish these moments. Witnessing your group of special people coming together, sharing love over a little caerfree craft and leaving connected on a while new level.
Keep up the celebrations team x
And finanlly,
thank you for your support
You carried Make Town this entire time.
Thank you for backing us, speaking kindly about me and sharing your fun times with your friends who you convinced to come along. Thank you for believing in a concept makerspace that was hard to put into words. You just had to try it to get it and boy did you got it!
Ka pai for coming into the studio with a smile on your face so bloody happy to be here. Cheers for bringing me lunch and sweet treats, for popping in to check on how things are going or donating things that could be useful.
You allowed me the space and time to navigate this journey with you. I fell apart in your arms and you held me up in moments of despair. You patiently listened to me rant and rage at some new outrageous decision made by the latest moron in power, and together, we put to right all the wrongs in the world.
Thank you for rolling the dice and sticking with it.
Every small act of belief, quietly kept the heating on and my spirit steady. Thank you for every message, comment and kind word on google reviews and slipping into my inbox.
Closing the doors hurts so much. I'm still processing the loss because I know it mattered. Because you mattered! You still matter but I just can't hold ya hand anymore.
I had no idea this wild idea would evolve into so much love and respect. This community we invested in is something I am enormously proud of. We did this. What a legends x
Don’t go changing xxx.
Unless you’re a dick.
Cool links
+ friends
Ka kite anō x
The Make Town studio was a slice of paradise in our dirty and noisy city for the last 7 years. Those courageous enough to step through the weird padded door away from the chaos and into my dream scenario deserve gold medals.
For reasons I’ll never fully understand, our worlds collided, and I’m endlessly grateful they did. I opened the doors and you showed up. Fully, generously, just as you were. Sharing this space with you has been an absolute honour. You put your trust in my unruly ways, with my cursing kiwi twang, my unorthodox teaching style and together we created something truly special.
I have no regrets, yet I am painfully sorry to abandon you for the hope of a sunnier more balanced lifestyle with my kids, my Bobby and my nana x
Before I go, I just want to give you all a huge, overwhelming, wholehearted…
Thank you.
Thank you for the classes
You took a mighty leap to learn something new. You stepped into the unknown with an open mind and a 'can do' attitude and never looked back.
The workshops were never about finishing the thing. That was just a trick. You thought that was what you wanted but I asked you onto my ship and showed you a new way of looking through the world by making.
Watching you learn the art of patience and perseverance through your fuck ups (never mistakes) developing your skills, while slowly building a foundation of understanding in problem solving and reverse engineering through fabric, math, science, physics and fine motor skills with the quiet determination in accepting the process.
I will miss the superb creative energy in the studio when were together. The epic moments of pride, the sighs of quiet relief, the joy in sharing our favourite patterns an recent fabric purchases. The tears, the high fives, the 'for fuck sakes' and absolute joy that room embodied every day.
Thank you for trusting me and for encouraging each other. We made something super duper special x
Thank you to our resident artists
Listening to the stories of other creatives is inspiring and necessary. Please support these amazing people who make the world a valuable place because of their dedication to craft and sharing their knowledge with us all.
Shout out to Elizabeth Ashdown and her pasementerie magic, Emma of Socko and her mending skills, Georgia Borrett and her rope basket making and of course Cathy and her crochet brilliance every year.
High Fives to Debbie and her natural dying, Theodora and the amazing sheep jumper, Alexandra and her back strap weaving, Love & Salvage for teaching us to make our own shoes and Christabel the best tapestry weaving I know.
Sally Gunnett and her amazing Cyanotype Printing, Kate Owen and her modern classy patchwork, Noor who brought her tufting guns all the way from Amsterdam multiple times, Miesje Chafer and all of her creative goodness and Selina who showed you how to pocket the fuck out of all of your garments.
And of course Ali and their technical skills sewing with lycra, pattern drafting and general greatness. Arnika, Anouska, Martyna, Georgia, Charlyne and Rusty for holding the fort so brilliantly when I wanted time off x
Thank you for the parties
We had some wicked fun times with prosecco and cake. Never a problem with vomit or rowdy drunks. You guys know how to party respectfully. Much appreciated x
Kids parties, Hen do's, baby showers, team building, get togethers and big birthday parties. Thank you especially, to those who came back time and time again. Sharing your love of the space and what we were aiming to achieve and urging others to get in on the fun.
We also had the pleasure of collaborating with some hefty brands and businesses. did some amazing collabs with Five Points, El Bandarra, Tate Modern, Scouts, Young V&A, Hackney Council, Camp Wildfire, Dishoom, and of course the humungous collective effort of the Scrub Hub during Covid in 2020. What a ride that was.
I cherish these moments. Witnessing your group of special people coming together, sharing love over a little caerfree craft and leaving connected on a while new level.
Keep up the celebrations team x
And finanlly,
thank you for your support
You carried Make Town this entire time.
Thank you for backing us, speaking kindly about me and sharing your fun times with your friends who you convinced to come along. Thank you for believing in a concept makerspace that was hard to put into words. You just had to try it to get it and boy did you got it!
Ka pai for coming into the studio with a smile on your face so bloody happy to be here. Cheers for bringing me lunch and sweet treats, for popping in to check on how things are going or donating things that could be useful.
You allowed me the space and time to navigate this journey with you. I fell apart in your arms and you held me up in moments of despair. You patiently listened to me rant and rage at some new outrageous decision made by the latest moron in power, and together, we put to right all the wrongs in the world.
Thank you for rolling the dice and sticking with it.
Every small act of belief, quietly kept the heating on and my spirit steady. Thank you for every message, comment and kind word on google reviews and slipping into my inbox.
Closing the doors hurts so much. I'm still processing the loss because I know it mattered. Because you mattered! You still matter but I just can't hold ya hand anymore.
I had no idea this wild idea would evolve into so much love and respect. This community we invested in is something I am enormously proud of. We did this. What a legends x
Don’t go changing xxx.
Unless you’re a dick.