Running With Scissors was set up by Emma Kent in 2009 after being inspired by other craft lounges in America and the U.K. As a life long craft junkie, Emma has tried many, many crafts and it still unable to settle on a particular one (because there are just so many to choose from). Over the past few years crafting has become increasingly popular, funky and radical. The craft world has changed from its traditional homely image to something much more cutting edge and contemporary (check out knitted graffiti tagging).

 

In 2014 Emma made the exiting decision to move to her birth place, New Zealand! Her and her family are currently enjoying their adventures on the other side of the globe. Running With Scissor’s long term crochet tutor Laura Faulkner decided to take over the management of the workshops and a more active role in workshop delivery. Laura endeavours to be true to Emma’s original visions and friendly, inclusive approach. She is a secondary school teacher and so is experienced in tutoring from the basics as well as differentiating for different abilities within the same group. Laura, like Emma, is a craft junkie and guilty of having far too many projects on the go at once!

The rise of the self-sufficiency movement and less affluent times mean that people are increasingly approaching craft in order to hand make something they would have previously bought. Emma’s environmental background meant that she is fully aware of the limited resources we have available. Wherever possible we try to recycle, reuse, re-fashion and re-craft things into a new (and hopefully infinitely funkier) existence. Why go ‘multi-national high street’ when you can go ‘your street’?

Running With Scissors is about opening the doors to your creativity and having a go at making something with your own hands with like minded people. We promise not to ask you to sign up to a £400 course over 30 weeks in a craft that you have never tried, that’s just not what we’re about.

Craft education has been slowly strangled and progressively more and more under valued (don’t get me started…) so that school leavers don’t know how to do the most basic things (… like sewing on a button that’s fallen off).

Running With Scissors believes that crafting is a valuable and life affirming skill for both adults and children. We welcome people of all ages and encourage some of the older ones amongst you to share your hidden skills with those younger than you. There are many, many, superb crafters who learnt their skills back in the good old days. Why not take a traditional craft and use (or re-use) contemporary materials to create something for you, or your home, that will be the envy of all your friends.

Crafting helps you go with the ‘Flow’. It’s been scientifically proven that engaging in a creative activity like crafting can help you relax. (‘Flow’ is that feeling you get when you totally absorb yourself in a creative process and don’t notice 3 hours have gone by). This is often referred to as Mindfulness and is the solution to an overly full mind! In between all the demands of modern life finding time for creativity is difficult so why not make space in your life for craft and get with the flow! You might even meet some new friends along the way.