Karen Kirk is bringing back the old world charm of cross stitch and she will be just one of the special needlework queens at the popular Craft and Quilt Fair in Canberra at Exhibition Park next Thursday August 11 to Sunday August 14.
Mrs Kirk founded her business Linen and Threads in Katoomba in 2001 and answered some questions about the cross stitch and all things crafty revival.
How do you bring people together with linen and threads?
“In this fast moving, quickly changing world, we find our customers enjoy taking a break, getting off the roller coaster, and settling down and relaxing with a pastime/skill that has been around for centuries. It’s a great way to unwind and create something beautiful that transcends time. Our shop motto is “where friends gather for a simpler time.”
Why are you excited about Craft and Quilt Fair, Canberra and what you will have on display there? Do you attend these events every year? And why?
“We love doing the Craft and Quilt Fairs. We are really looking forward to Canberra. We do the Sydney Craft and Quilt Show each year but this will be the first time we have done Canberra. The shows give us the opportunity to meet some of our online customers who are not able to make it to Katoomba to visit our shop, and to meet many new customers who may not have seen us before or only have the opportunity to see us at the show.
“We take heaps of samples of our needlework to display on our stand, along with all the supplies to make them, and we never get tired of hearing lovely compliments on our work from visitors. Often times we find it is enough to inspire someone to take up needlework who may never have done it before. So, in the future we will be taking Linen and Threads to even more shows, in more cities and towns, around the country.”
What events do you do locally?
My husband Brendon and I run several retreats each year. We hold our two needlework retreats in May and August at the historic Carrington Hotel in Katoomba and our patchwork retreat every October up next to Scenic World in Katoomba. We have stitchers come from all over Australia and have even had some from the USA and NZ. Their aim is to just leave all their worries behind and gather for a carefree weekend of laughter, fun and of course, stitching. Some only catch up once a year at our retreats.
The fair charges adults $16; pensioner $14; seniors card holders $15; Children 5 to 16 $9. Buy tickets at the door or purchase discounted tickets online via www.craftevents.com.au.
