Made by hand, made with love
STORY BY MATTHEW LOWE
Made by hand. There’s a more authentic feeling while crafting pendants, quilts, blankets and plushies than a manufacturing line could ever hope to achieve, says Jacqueline Hunter.
At the Christmas Made by Hand show at the Hamilton Convention Centre on Saturday, dozens of visitors shopped for gifts.
“There are over 100 Canadian handmade exhibitors; everything from fabric to wood, original artwork, paintings, pottery, ceramics – anything you can find by hand,” said Hunter, the show’s director.
Hunter started out making cards on ceramic tiles, and after participating in numerous shows, she decided to host her own. She still makes crafts, but said it’s too difficult to have a booth and organize the event at the same time.
She started the show in spring 2011 and it has grown considerably. Made by Hand is held three times a year in spring, fall and at Christmas.
On Saturday, the floor was packed with vendors who sold handmade wares including blankets, jewellery, tea, framed art and even soap.
Jennifer Byer, owner of OnYa natural products in Burlington, makes all her soap, lotion and ointments by hand.
“The difference with OnYa natural products is it’s all raw. We dehydrate it and get all the enzymes in the skin to heal,” Byer said.
Byer said that gathering the quality ingredients for her products is important and all the ingredients she uses are fair trade, ethical and natural.
As visitors walked through the doors, Evelyn Evers was there with a beaming smile and a massive array of quilts.
“I’ve been making quilts since 2006. I’ve always liked working with my hands and sewing, so this seemed like the best thing to get into. Plus, I like the art part of it,” Evers said.
Some of the intricately designed quilts take Evers two months to finish. The more handiwork involved, the longer it takes.
Anne Smith, a textile artist, makes art from fabric, with creations ranging from deep aquatic sequences to vivid portraits of flowers.
All the materials are sewn together using a domestic sewing machine and Smith sometimes uses an embellisher to create more vivid, appealing portraits.
Pendants and jewellery are Lorraine Zuccolin’s specialty, but she also makes blankets.
Zuccolin, founder of Elle Z’s Jewelry, said her blankets take about five hours to complete. A simple string necklace would take her an hour.
Around the back wall was a booth set up by Daniel Lewis, founder and owner of T By Daniel. He was showcasing more than two dozen types of tea, from black teas to herbals.
“We carry 30 blends of tea and seasonally interchange them. When fall comes, so does the pumpkin flavor. Winter, the walnut, ginger. Summer comes back, we have ‘Jamaican Me Crazy,’ which is a coconut blend,” Lewis said.
For more information about the Made by Hand show, visit their website.
Jewellery by Lorraine Zuccolin
OnYa natural products by Jennifer Byer
Milo and Ben handmade felted creations
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