Leicester-based textile artist Ruth Singer (a former Creative Leicestershire bursary winner and Made in Leicestershire member) has been shortlisted for THE BIG IDEA, a competition supported by The Leicester Mercury and the Haymarket Shopping Centre to win a free shop unit for a month, a cash prize of £1000 and support from the businesses involved.
Ruth impressed the judges with her pitch to create a Create & Make Workshop in the city to get Leicester sewing and making. She says:
“I want to run a craft centre where anyone can learn new practical and creative skills and be part of a crafty community. I want to share my experience as a professional textile designer-maker and author of two sewing books to inspire the people of Leicester to rediscover the pleasure of making things themselves. I aim to run workshops that suit our modern lifestyles with short classes after work, weekend courses for busy people who don’t want to do a 10-week course and daytime activities for kids in the holidays. Sessions range from Learn To Sew to specialist textile crafts which I specialise in, and visiting artists will provide workshops in crafts as varied as jewellery & upholstery. Keen stitchers can also hire a sewing machine by the hour and have space to spread out.
To make the space even more inviting, there will be a small shop of hand-picked books (including my own two), vintage fabrics and patterns and essential haberdashery. My personal workspace will also be located in the workshop to inspire visitors and small gallery area will showcase local textile work. Sewing and making workshops are popping up all over the country – it is time the creative city of Leicester had one.”
Of the 10 entrepreneurs invited to pitch to the dragon’s den panel, only four have got through to this stage. You can vote for Ruth’s Big Idea at http://www.facebook.com/HaymarketShopping from 1st -14th December.
Ruth has over 10 years experience running craft workshops for adults, families, schools and community groups and has worked behind the scenes too as an education officer at the Victoria & Albert Museum. She is also a freelance project manager and author of two sewing books. Ruth’s work can be seen on her website: www.ruthsinger.com
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