26th September 2012

buttonbag craft book launch

ReCraft – the launch party

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You know how nervous you can get before your own party? That’s how we felt about the launch of our first book, ReCraft last week. What if no-one turned up? What if too many people did? Had we got enough cakes – and more importantly, cocktails? What if our ReCrafted dresses (mine from 3 pairs of second-hand jeans – Sara’s from an old tweed coat) looked horrible, or worse – fell down? And nobody wanted to make any of the craft projects we had carefully prepared?

In the end, our fears were groundless. The party went brilliantly. Well, that’s the official Buttonbag view. We met lots of lovely people who all made lots of lovely things. Sasha, the manager of the Oxfam shop we took over in Camden Town for the night was a calming, serene presence from the word go. And after one of SipSmith’s delicious sloe-gin cocktails, Sara and I just relaxed and enjoyed the whole thing. We managed a short talk about ReCraft and introducing some of our favourite projects from the book. Then everybody, cake and cocktail in hand, had a go at making button necklaces, vintage corsages, Silk tie purses and woolly jumper penguins.

Some thank-yous

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Sophie and Sasha – for lending us your lovely Oxfam shop

Mel, Amy and all the Rumour team – for general hand-holding and organisational brilliance

SipSmith – your Sloe Gin is our new official Favourite Tipple. Hey everyone, we promise your craft projects will be more creative after a few sips of this delicious nectar

Murray & Wiz – for crafting technology, organisational help and merriment. Parties are your forte!

Anna and Naomi – for running our crafting activities with so much patience and humour

Lucy from Shinythoughts – whose pictures (and penguin) were definitely the best of the night and has allowed us to use them here for our blog!

Serena – the button-decorated cup-cakes were delicious

Frances Lincoln – our lovely publishers who agreed to throw a launch party for ReCraft

Shay & Isobel – your bartending skills were brilliant – if those high-paid jobs at an investment bank don’t work out you can always open your own cocktail saloon

Finally to all our guests who came, created and crafted. Lots of them have their own fantastic blogs – a must read for everyone who loves making things. But don’t take our word for it – hit the keys below and read for yourself.