Mary Carter
Mary Carter
Mary is a hand knitter extraordinaire.She specialises in accessories – hats, beanies, scarves, shawls, gloves and booties for adults and children. Natural fibres such as wool, alpaca, mohair, soy and silk are Mary’s yarns of choice, but she will included synthetic fibres for special effects, often combining several of these fibres in one item. As a very experienced knitter Mary prefers to knit ‘in the round’ using a circular or set of needles. This has the great advantage of producing a seemless product!
ELIZABETH ROSE
Elizabeth Rose Ceramics
Elizabeth creates a range of ceramic items from earrings to bells and travel mugs to bowls. Her work is often inspired by nature and she is connected to living here in the Blue Mountains.
Elizabeth generally gas fires to 1280 degrees and use stoneware clay bodies. This allows her work to be dishwasher and microwave safe and daily used. However sometimes she deviates and uses alternate firing methods such as raku, lustre and pit firing.
JENNIFER EGAN AND ROSEMARY MANN
Lanasa Fabric
Lanasa Fabric specialise in hand dyed silks of unique style and brilliant colouring. Every piece they dye encompasses a little of the Blue Mountains, as the silks are dyed outside with the weather influencing the movement and blending of the colours on the silk.
Lanasa Fabric concentrate on producing scarves, but also dye lengths of silk or cotton to be made into other accessories. Various dyeing techniques are used. Their primary techniques are painting, shibori, and heliographic, but numerous other techniques including pot dyeing, dip-dyeing, stamping, LWI and resist are also used.
They make jewellery using Swarovski crystals and/or pearls, and also using leather and paracord. Small leather and paracord accessories are also part of their range.
CHRISTINE THOMPSON
Christine's Millinery
Christine’s Millinery specializes in unique, handcrafted millinery for women and men covering all styles and sizes.
Christine’s range includes Theatrical, Steampunk, Cosplay, Medieval, Racewear, special occasion hats and fascinators, Wedding; veil, Brides, Mother of the Bride and Street Wear; smart fabric hats and caps.
All of our products hats are custom-designed and hand-made in the Blue Mountains, Australia. Each design is unique and one-of-a-kind using ethically sourced materials. Each hat made by Christine is of the highest quality and will last you a lifetime if treated with care.
LIZ MACQUEEN
Ceramics
Liz makes functional pottery such as bowls, mugs, platters and teapots using earthenware and stoneware clay. Most pieces are thrown on the pottery wheel but she also produces some hand-built objects.
The natural environment is a constant source of inspiration for all the pots she makes and that thread runs through all her work.
AYAKO NIKI
The Niki Tree
Ayako designs simple, classic and long lasting style that chase no particular fashion trend and can be worn for years without fear of going out of date. Ayako makes women’s clothes and accessories. She uses good quality natural fabrics that are sourced from her home town in Japan and also from local suppliers.
STEPHEN HAWKINS
Grasshopper Woodcraft
Stephen has a carpentry and joinery background that led him to the perfect retirement hobby.
Stephen makes useful articles using beautiful timbers and likes his things to have an everyday purpose.
Finishing the piece with oils or timber sealers brings out the individual colours and patterns of the wood.
ANDY MACQUEEN
Author
Andy started to research and write history when, as a bushwalker, he took an interest in the journeys of an early explorer, the Frenchman Francis Barrallier. One of his journeys traversed what is now the Kanangra-Boyd Wilderness of the southern Blue Mountains. Andy enjoyed the process of research both in archives and in the bush. This led to his first book, a biography of Barrallier, in 1993.
Andy does his own historical research, writes the stories that arise from that research, and designs and publishes his own books. In all there have been five books, one of which he has been produced in a second edition. They all carry a strong environmental message.
VIRGINIA BURROW
Virginia Burrow Design
Virginia uses mostly Australian-grown fine merino or a sustainable cotton/cashmere blend to create her pieces, much of it having been purchased from other makers and manufacturers who have ceased production.
Many of her scarves have a gradual colour change along the length – this is achieved by pre-knitting a “blank”, hand-dyeing the colour gradient with acid dyes using a technique she has developed over the past few years, then rewinding the wool back onto a cone for knitting.
Virginia’s Japanese-made knitting machines are over 30 years old and have been lovingly restored and maintained by her so they can continue to create beautiful textiles for many years to come.
ALISON DICKIN
Botanical Ali
Alison specialises in original artwork, signed archival prints and greeting cards of Australian native flora, birds and animals.
Inspired by the unique local flora and fauna found in the bush close to her home in the Blue Mountains. Her detailed artworks are created from initial studies taken directly from nature and photographs. She works in water colour and coloured pencil on hot pressed watercolour paper.
JANE TADRIST
Jane Tadrist Silver
Jane makes contemporary jewellery and objects including spoons and boxes. She predominantly works with sterling silver but also include other metals, both precious – gold and non precious – copper, brass and pewter. She enjoys adding the occasional pop of colour with semi precious gemstones, vitreous enamel (glass fused to a metal base) or non precious materials such as plastic or wood.
Jane loves the point at which a design or idea transforms into metal. Often the change from two to three dimensions produces unexpected outcomes, which can enrich the final product.
She also finds great satisfaction in finding seed pods that she believes will make great jewellery. It’s the start of a long journey as many do not successfully transfer into metal and the anticipation is tantalizing!
MARG TURTON
Black Cockatoo Ceramics
Black Cockatoo Ceramics make functional stoneware - mugs, plates, platters, bowls and tea bowls. Marg thinks people should use beautiful things every day. She loves to hear that her mugs or bowls are used and loved daily. Marg uses stoneware clay, predominantly thrown on the wheel and fired in a gas kiln. Marg is an ecologist, much of her work reflects her love of nature and wildlife. In a small way she hopes by people seeing the native birds on their mugs, or turtles in a bowl, or insects carved into a platter, will make them more aware of their environment and the creatures that live in it.
DANETTE ROWSE
Sami Bop - Vintage & Recycled Fabric Kidswear
Danette uses vintage and recycled materials, curtains, linens, tablecloths and chenille bedspreads.
Danette has created a select few children’s patterns in both woven and knitted fabrics and used her knowledge in pattermaking, cutting, sewing and grading sizes to create exciting kids wear in sizes 000 to 8.
Danette also makes nursing pads, cleansing wipes and the occasional ladies A -Line skirt.
LYNN LADE
Lynn Lade
All Lynne’s garments are designed and sewn by Lynne herself using selected colourful fabrics. She uses mainly natural fabrics like cotton and linen. Warm fabrics like velvet and cord feature in winter, while summer brings colourful florals and plains.Lynne has spent many years perfecting her patterns and creating a style that fits most people well. The most popular style is the Classic Pant: these are elastic waisted with pockets and tapered leg and are available in both summer and winter weight fabrics.Lynne says “I have been using the same patterns for over 30 years and have many clients who return biannually to buy new pants”
PAM DE GROOT
Pam de Groot
Pam has always loved to use colour in her work and the colours possible with wool give her that freedom. Her work uses a whole new palette using natural dyes made from the Australian bush. The eucalypt leaf is almost unique in its ability to dye wool and silk without the need for any adjunct mordant. The mystery of this new world of colour and botanic alchemy is incredibly exciting and endless in its possibilities.
Pam's work is informed by her love of form, the natural world and the materials under my hands. She learned long ago if you respect those things the object will do your bidding. She hopes to excite the viewer with the possibilities and mysteries of this ancient craft as we continue to explore the seemingly endless depths of its potential for art.
SARAH DELANEY
Rose Robin Soap
Soap is a wonderfully simple cleaning product made by the saponification of oils and fats. Unlike many modern detergents, beautiful soaps can be made from simple ingredients and are readily biodegradable. Sarah has created a set of rustic soaps, making them in Katoomba using a traditional hot process. They have a rich creamy lather, good hardness and longevity, and are gentle on the skin. She uses local ingredients wherever possible, natural colourants and essential oils for scent. They sit perfectly in your hand and are just lovely to use every day.