Learn to Screen Print at MITS HQ!

Book your place on our all-new screenprinting course! Over four 3 hour sessions, you will learn all you need to be able to make simple screen-prints from home with minimal investment. Pretty neat, huh?

Screen Print at Home Course

The MITS HQ, The Barras Centre, 54 Calton Entry, Glasgow

Wednesday 10th November
Wednesday 17th November
Wednesday 24th November
Wednesday 1st December

6.30pm - 9.30pm

£60 deposit, then £20 per session thereafter
(all materials + takeaway kit worth £40 included)

Book at: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Week 1:
Software setup ( image manipulation, preparation and setup for screen printing) Bring an image you want to print and learn how to prepare it quickly for efficient screenprinting!

Week 2:
Screen-making (simple mesh stretching/adhesion) You will learn about image burning and you will learn how to fix your image onto the screen. Tutor Peter Vallely will share some tricks of the trade to allow you to set up your own screens at home without the need for fancy, expensive equipment!

Week 3:
Printing using water-based ink onto fabric and paper.

Week 4:
More printing! Time allowing, Peter will share tips for multi-colour printing, printing on dark fabrics, plastisol inks, halftone printing etc.

This course will provide you with all the basic skills you need to get going. Once you've perfected them, the opportunities are endless. Endless I tell you! :)

Each course guests leaves the class with a 'lil kit containing a screen with their image on it, a squeegee to print with, a cotton tote bag they've printed on and around 1/4 litre of ink to play around with later. It'll be air drying ink so you won't need curing equipment either. Get printing at home!

The course costs £140. Pay just £60 to secure your space then £20 per session there after.

To book your place, email us at madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com and we'll send all the details you need to make your deposit.

Supermercado: The Early Days

Well, this Saturday we'll be hosting the fourth of our introductory market events at The Barras Centre. Over the last month we've been joined by 20-odd fabulous indie businesses in our new courtyard home. We've enjoyed the company of secondhand booksellers, wonderful bakers, designer makers, illustrators and photographers, fashion designers and vintage collectors. We've munched handcrafted sushi bites and we've giggled at pictures of naked Japanese men in the bottom of saki glasses. The courtyard may be chilly during these autumnal afternoons, but the atmosphere is warm and the support we've had from y'all so far has cosied up our wee hearts and overworked brains! Our Supermercado venture is in its infancy and as such needs some serious nurturing, love and care. We want our weekly indie market to grow into a real worthy shopping destination on the already mighty Glasgow style map. With continued help from you and additional help from others like you, over time, we'll get The Barras buzzing again :)



Over the next few weeks we have a TONNE of treats in store. Some of the upcoming Supermercado vendor highlights include...

Rebecca Johnstone

Rebecca (formerly Cotton Candy Corsage) returns to the market scene following a break last year. She'll be showcasing a new collection of handmade corsages, necklaces, belts and other textile accessories. Rebecca is also offering a range of wonderful craft supplies to Supermercado customers - get in quick to snaffle 'em up.

Hot Tam-Ali

If you're on the look out for the perfect vintage frock (and let's face it, we are always on the look out for the perfect vintage frock), then make sure you stop by and pay the Hot Tam-Ali ladies a visit. Hot Tam-Ali offer a fine range of high quality, genuine vintage items - and they also have a keen eye for a hot retro buy here and there too! Don't miss it.

Margolily

Designer maker Sara Greig joins us in the courtyard for the first time :) You may recognise Sara's beautiful fascinators? We stocked them in The Maisonette last year and many a gal came over all a-flutter at their feathery prettiness. Stop by and see Sara for gorgeous handmade headpieces and other textile accessories.

Morag Macpherson

A long-time Made in the Shader, we welcome textile designer, Morag Macpherson (formerly Global Guru) to Supermercado! She'll be showcasing her latest collection of luxurious pure wool scarves, silk accessories and glorious interior pieces.

Florence Box

one of the first vendors to jump aboard the Supermercado train, smiley-faced Sally Reid offers y'all a peep inside her jewellery box! You will find kitsch brooches, retro necklaces and upcycled charms galore. Our current favourite? Her twin swallow pin :)

Leah Halliday

Leah Halliday is BACK. With a range of vintage homewares and crafty collectables fit for a retro queen, Leah will be wooing you with beautiful ceramics, kitchenware and textiles - plus a smattering of handcrafted gifts to boot!

Zoe Makes Cakes

'Tis true. Zoe does make cakes. However, at Supermercado she'll be coming over all savoury and providing customers with tasty pies and scumptious jams! Cannot WAIT for this. If there's one thing a gal needs in Autumn - it's a pie.

Lynsey Robertson Textiles

Recent textile graduate, Lynsey Robertson, makes her first foray into Supermercado-land and showcases her latest collection of beautiful silk scarves and accessories.

Love Me Again

Last time Laura (the gal behind the treasure trove that is Love Me Again) set up shop with at Supermercado, we had our beady eyes firmly set on a beautiful, pearly French teaset. Amongst other things. Visit her in the courtyard and peruse her vintage craft supplies, patterns, books, textiles, glassware and ephemera.

t-boo & Stella My Star

Jewellery making crafty chums Tracey and Jo show off their respective collections. With an ever-growing and truly lovely selection of brooches, rings and necklaces on offer you will be sure to find the perfect vintage-style accessory. By using found objects, vintage charms and upcycled materials, each piece is uuuuuuuuunique :)

The Supermercado & MITS HQ Grand Opening Party!

The Made in the Shade Supermercado Grand Opening & The Barras Revival

On Saturday 6th November, Made in the Shade hosts the official launch of Glasgow's only weekly indie market, Supermercado. We invite y'all to the undercover courtyard of the newly refurbished Barras Centre to experience for yourselves, The New Barras.



Grand Opening Party - Bring your friends!

Indie businesses - including specialist bakers, artisan coffee roasters, vintage clothing sellers, designer makers, indie thrifters, florists, fashion designers and secondhand music and books traders - set up shop in the courtyard between 10.30am and 4pm.



As you shop, expect to be served a heap of old-style treats from The Barras Buffet, choosing from broken biscuits, hot donuts, peas & vinegar and cockle-warming beverages.

The Barras Buskers provide live entertainment during gaps in the Supermercado shopping soundtrack. The live music line-up features a special live acoustic set by rock'n'roll honky tonkers, The Meatmen.



The Made in the Shade HQ will have a 'doors open day' for visitors to sneak a peek at our new creative base and workshop space - with the opportunity to take part in drop-in sewing workshops with seamstress extraordinaire, Leah Halliday.



The Barras Centre Cafe will also be open for business providing a comfortable hide-out for public crafters and people watchers.

The Barras: Glasgow with Personality

The launch also marks the beginning of a DIY campaign by Made in the Shade to encourage shoppers back to the market district.

With a mighty budget of zero pounds, we've devised the first steps in their campaign to ignite a Barras revival. We're gathering quotes and stories from people about The Barras for use in our crusade. Local film makers, photographers and musicians are already onboard to help us raise the profile of the Eastend shopping hub through a series of guerilla events, online promotions and impromptu stunts. :) If you would like to lend a hand, let us know!

We will be offering guided tours of The Barras Centre and the surrounding area on launch day and we'll be presenting information on our plans and efforts to rebuild The Barras.

Like a wise man once said, "Let's get back on it!"

Whoopah!

Vote The Maisonette your Best Small Shop!

The Maisonette celebrates it's 1st birthday on 30th October. A whole YEAR has gone by since we opened our clattery black shutter and welcomed the first waves of jolly customers to our little home. Mad, huh? It seems just a moment ago that we were bopping around in our paper suits covered in green paint. It definitely doesn't feel like a year has passed since we bought up pretty much the entire stock of the Salvation Army to use as shop fittings! Remember when Angharad and Laura bounded up to the new shop with armfuls of homebaked cupcakes? Yes! Me too! And you remember when Elvis showed up? Yes! Like it was yesterday! Bonkers.

12 months on and we've settled into our hidden secret spot in De Courcy's Arcade. We have lots of new neighbours and - our shop's considerably larger than it used to be! :) We now stock designer makers from all over the UK and beyond and we have introduced goodness only knows how many new designers to our roster in the last year. We've hosted tiny workshops, curated tiny exhibitions, hosted pop-up shops, put on the Piney Gir matinee gig and we've played hostess to the Lady Luck Rules Ok tour! We've catered to rock star requests, styled a tv pilot and featured in the blinkin' Easyjet mag! Waowsers.



We need your help. We would love, love, love it if you would vote The Maisonette one of your Best Small Shops as part of The Telegraph/Mary Portas campaign. Please submit a vote for The Maisonette in the homes/interiors category. Ah, go'awn, Y'will.
We need to gather enough online votes to be shortlisted. After that, the winners will be selected by a panel of judges. We're not usually ones for competitions and accolades, but on this occasion - yes siree, we want to be included, if only to receive a letter from the Queen (of Shops). The categories don't really work for us since we're as much a gift and lifestyle shop as we are an interiors store, but the silly categories are pretty rigid.

Vote for The Maisonette HERE!









:)

Dressmaking Course: Rescheduled & Ready To Go!

We are thrilled to announce that bookings for our Dressmaking Course with seamstress, Laeah Halliday have reopened and we've managed to reschedule the workshop dates for you! Hoorah! And the best bit? Even with the slight delay in getting started, you will still have your frock made in time for the Christmas party! :)

Here's all the info you need.

Make your very own 50s-style frock in time for glamourous festive fun. You'll be the envy of the Christmas soiree in your handmade, made-to-measure gown!

Make a Frock

During this six week course, you will build on your existing basic sewing skills. You will learn how to read a commercial pattern, you'll learn oodles of dressmaking techniques AND Leah will treat y'all to some indispensable hints and tips of the trade!

Sounds pretty swell, huh?

Make:

A fabulous 1950s-inspired frock. You will make your dress from vintage Vogue pattern V8615. The pattern fits UK sizes 8 - 24. It includes two style variations. You will take your pattern home at the end of the course so why not make one dress style in class and tackle the other on your own at home using your new found skills?

Skills:

You will learn how to do all these things...

1. Take your measurements

2. Understand & use a commercial pattern

3. Put a dress together

4. Sew darts

5. Sew eased seams

6. Sew a basic hem

7. Sew pockets

8. Insert zip

9. Line a garment

10. Get to grips with topstitching

11. Pinning, cutting & ironing techniques

12. Insider hints & tips of the trade!

Level: Intermediate

Course Length: Six 3-hour workshops

Cost: £30 per 3 hour session = £180 (£60 deposit required at booking then £30 instalments weekly thereafter)

Date: Monday 1st November, Monday 8th November, Monday 15th November, Monday 29th November, Monday 6th December, Monday 13th December

Time: 6.30pm till 9.30pm

Bookings: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Materials provided:

Vogue Pattern V8615

Basic tools of the trade*

Materials required:

Fabric: No more than 4 metres of Fabric

Lining: No more than 4 metres of polyester lining

Zip: 40cm

Thread: 2 x 100m polyester thread spool

More information on sizes, buying fabric and a list of suppliers will be emailed to you on booking.

Please Note:

This is NOT a beginners class. This is a great introduction to dressmaking but basic sewing experience is required. If you’re new to sewing or just a little rusty you can sign up to our Oh-Sew-Basic class in preparation for fancy dressmaking. Simple!

*If you have your own sewing machine, please do bring it with you - but don’t forget the instruction manual.

To book your place, email madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Starting from Stitch with I Heart...

Starting from Stitch: A Beginners Taster Course

with Iona Bruce (I Heart...)

HAND-SEWING, EMBROIDERY, KNITTING

Friday 5th, Friday 12th, Friday 19th & Friday 26th November 2010

The Made in the Shade HQ at The Barras Centre, 54 Calton Entry, Glasgow

6.30pm - 9.30pm

Course fee: £60 (£20 deposit then 4 x payments of £10 per week)

Taking place at the Made in the Shade HQ over four weekly sessions, Starting from Stitch is the perfect taster course for would-be crafters and curious stitchers. Starting from Stitch is a fun, relaxed platform to try out something new, learn a new skill and to share some crafty ideas with likeminded souls.

Tutor, Iona Bruce (I Heart...), will offer beginners instruction on hand-sewing, embroidery and knitting - sharing tips and handy hints throughout. Iona will demo all the techniques you need to get started, providing one-to-one tuition where needed. You'll even get to take home your very own workshop booklet detailing all the skills you've acquired and featuring a variety of alternative crafty projects to try at home!

Not only will you learn the basics of a crafty discipline every week, but you will start and complete an entire project! You'll be showing off your handmade creations right from the start of the course. Pretty neat, huh?

You'll learn to do/make all these things...

WEEK 1: Hand-sewing

Learn basic sewing techniques and basic stitches as you start (and complete) a fun textile figure project.

WEEK 2: Embroidery

Pick up a variety of basic embroidery stitches as you learn to design and make your own craft book cover.

WEEK 3: Knitting

Learn to cast on, cast off, knit and purl as you learn to make your own knitted purse!

WEEK 4: Recap/Group Project

Iona will spend time in week 4 making sure you leave with all your new skills intact and all your projects complete. You will contribute to a final fun group project - designed to show off all the new crafty techniques you've learned!

Each Starting from Stitch session costs £15. All materials are included in the course fee - as are all Friday night treats and refreshments. You'll be provided with all the tea, coffee, soda pop and cake you can fit in your tummy. There will also be more than enough opportunity to enjoy a 'lil mug o' wine here and there too!

To book your place, email: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Workshop News: Gem Sweater is GO!

At last! At last! It's time for Gem Sweater!

Everyone's favourite textile artist, Kirsty Anderson (Wooden Tree), leads this super-fun customisation workshop - just in the nick of time to get your woollens spruced up for winter! We'll be livening up dowdy ol' sweaters with a touch of colour, blingy-bling and zsa zsa zsa whilst enjoying trashy snacks, soda pops, special gem sweater punch and Leslie Hall videos!



Bring garments of your own, or pick some from our Gem Sweater closet.

Kirsty will offer instruction on gemology, affixing your embellishments and other crafty ways to bring your sweaters up to scratch for a night on the tiles.

All materials and treats supplied.



So! Embrace the gold lame jumpsuit and join us at MITS HQ for a night of Leslie Hall, music, wine and crafting as we gem up our wardrobes and add a bit of sparkle to an otherwise dreary Autumn... Fellas? Ladies? Everybody needs a gem sweater :)

Oh-Sew-Basic Workshop!

We welcomed our very first group of workshop guests to our new HQ space on Monday for Leah Halliday's Oh-Sew-Basic beginners sewing class. Clare and I primped and preened the room in preparation for the arrival of our happy stitchers. By the time Leah arrived to prepare her work spaces for the class, Clare and I had gone a bit wild with with the furniture polish and the Dettol spray (our new favourite cleaning product)! The room smelled like a mixture between sun-cream and apples. Or - according to everyone's favourite Meat Man - like one of those retro traffic light in-car air fresheners. In short? Quite nice really.



I think we must have been more of an irritating hinderance than a help to Leah as she set up her materials. Excited by the all the beautiful things she was pulling out of her (Cath Kidston) luggage, we ooo-ed and aah-ed and squeaked and squealed everytime she brought out some other sewing tool or crafty aid. We were very nearly sent out of the room when we caught sight of the spotty handmade sewing tool belts! Wheeep!



The workshop guests arrived right on time and were each welcomed with their very own handstamped name sticker and piece of shortbread. (We had invested in some Pink Lemonade for our guests - but failed to remember to purchase some suitable drinking vessels - so the bottle remained unopened. Sorry!) Following some pretty hardcore sewing phobia chat, we left the stitchers to overcome their fears and enjoy their Oh-Sew-Basic sewing session.



And overcome their fears they did! When we returned from our meeting in the courtyard, our stitchers were all beaming with pride as their clutched their handmade cushions! We were oh-sew-proud...





Leah will be running regular sewing classes at the Made in the Shade HQ - including reruns of the beginners sewing session and a fabulous 6-week dress making course. Keep your eyes on the blog for details or get in touch with us at: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Supermercado is HERE!

So. We opened the big silver shutters of The Barras Centre to Supermercado vendors and visitors for the first time on Saturday (2nd October). My, it was nerve wracking... There were a few hairy moments where we feared we may have lost a couple of our star-turn vendors to stupid taxi drivers and unfortunate incidents, but in the end, everyone arrived in (just about) one piece and we were able to get fully set up, ready for kick off.



Made up of some friendly new faces and a whole load of smiley loyal residents, our vendor line-up for mercado numero uno was quite, quite splendid. Jo Sushi provided guests with tasty sushi boxes for lunchtime nibbling and Flamingo Bakery made darn sure that sugar cravings were satisfied. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm as big a fan of Pia's Fish & Chicken Bar on The Gallowgate as much as the next person(they do a real mean steak pie supper), but I'm guessing that Jo Sushi - without too much of a doubt - offers the healthiest snack in The Barras aside maybe from the fruit & veg guy.



As far as cakes and buns go, Flamingo Bakery surely has to be up there with some of the best quality Barras treats! :) I enjoyed a veggie sushi box for lunch and chipped in with Beardy to take a box of 6 cupcakes home for private living room enjoyment!



Made in the Shade newcomer Sparklecandy and crafty old-timers (?!) t-boo and Stella My Star showed off their respective jewellery collections in style. Jewellery consigner, Lauren Anderson, stocks all the best indie accessories brands including a few of our very favourites Love From Hetty & Dave, Cherryloco and Tatty Devine. Stella My Star & t-boo make their handcrafted collections from found objects, vintage charms and other upcycled treasures to style a range choc-full of one-offs. Perfect additions to the Supermercado.

Love Me Again and Leah Halliday set up shop with their respective spreads of fabulous vintage finds and crafty ephemera (oh how we drooled over Love Me Again's French teaset!) and the lovely Kirsty Anderson of Wooden Tree showed off her beautiful display of textiles, homewares and gifts. She even hosted a mini badge making workshop at her stall! ;)

The lovely Mairead Macaulay (aka Breagha) wowed our visitors with her latest collection of beautiful handmade tweed bags and accessories and Jane (Funky Frilly) stocked up her market barrow with her upcycled ceramics. We'll be looking forward to seeing Funky Frilly and Breagha back at Supermercado again soon! :)

We welcomed a lovely bunch of customers to The Barras Centre during the day. We noticed a great mixture between familiar Made in the Shade faces and new visitors and everyone we spoke to reported that they enjoyed hanging out with us in the courtyard. The overwhelming piece of feedback we've received was that The Barras needs Supermercado - and that Glasgow needs The Barras.



So - 'tis a good job that we'll be setting up shop every Saturday from here on in then, huh?
This week, come along to sample handmade sushi, tasty cake and coffee by our all-new artisan roaster. You'll also find handmade jewellery by Florence Box, fashion and accessories by We Are The Robots, art & photography by YHF photo and a wonderful collection of secondhand film, culture & lifestyle books by Ottoline Books. We'll also be joined by the fabulous Bedcrumb and new comer Eilidh Muldoodles! Look out too for our very own Clare Nicolson and our favourite new jewellery designer, Canary Yellow :)

Oh! And if you missed out last time, we'll be setting up the Made in the Shade Trunk Sale again this week. With a bargain suitcase of past designs by Primarko, secondhand retro clothing and accessories from the likes of Top Shop and H&M AND a brilliant selection of vintage dresses, jackets, shoes, bags, blouses, knits and accessories - you can't possibly not find the perfect thrifty fashion steal!



We love The Barras - warts and all. We don't wanna change the overall feel of the market district - we just want to add something new. Come join us! We need vendors, we need visitors, we need folks to get chittering about Supermercado and we need y'all to explore The Barras and embrace it as an integral element of shopping culture in Glasgow. You don't get much more indie than The Barras now do you? More chatter about the Supermercado and the wider landscape later. Viva Las Barras!