Bay Harbour: August 26, 2020

PAGE 10 Wednesday <strong>August</strong> <strong>26</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

BAY HARBOUR<br />

Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />

News<br />

Craft studio gives disabled independence<br />

Myriad groups help<br />

keep our community<br />

moving. Reporter<br />

Bea Gooding speaks<br />

to the Handmade<br />

Studio manager Tori<br />

Peden about how the<br />

trust helps people<br />

with disabilities gain<br />

independence and skills<br />

in the craft industry<br />

Tell me a bit about the<br />

Handmade Studio Trust and<br />

how it came to be what it is<br />

today.<br />

Handmade Studio started in<br />

the early 80s as a place disabled<br />

people could go to be creative,<br />

help build their skills and gain<br />

independence. Over time, skills<br />

have been perfected and new<br />

opportunities have become<br />

available. Our completed<br />

garments are for sale in our<br />

showroom and at The Tannery<br />

in Wool Yarn and Fibre. We are<br />

hoping to build relationships<br />

with the fashion design schools<br />

as our fabrics are handmade and<br />

one of a kind. Many hours of<br />

love and care go into each piece<br />

that is made.<br />

What items are made at the<br />

studio?<br />

Woollen garments are created<br />

by our artisans using New<br />

Zealand wool woven through<br />

a loom and made into many<br />

different design fabrics. Once<br />

the fabric is complete our<br />

volunteers turn the raw product<br />

into garments such as jackets,<br />

capes, ponchos, and shawls. Any<br />

left-over fabric from this process<br />

is made into soft toy kiwis,<br />

rabbits, and bears. At different<br />

times scarfs have been created<br />

on the looms. Other crafts are<br />

also made in the studio, and<br />

currently, we are working on a<br />

group project creating a handstitched<br />

quilt, to be donated<br />

to another local charity when<br />

complete.<br />

Why is a place like this<br />

an important asset in<br />

Christchurch?<br />

Places such as Handmade<br />

Studio provide more than just<br />

a place to work, it gives a sense<br />

of belonging. Many different<br />

community organisations help<br />

support different groups within<br />

Christchurch. Elderly, disabled,<br />

refugee, youth, and parenting,<br />

all have special requirements<br />

and without these organisations,<br />

our community would be<br />

fragmented and cold. A real<br />

PRIDE: Handmade<br />

Studio manager<br />

Tori Peden (left)<br />

and artisan Fiona<br />

Berry believe<br />

the craft studio<br />

provides a sense<br />

of belonging<br />

for people with<br />

disabilities.<br />

PHOTOS: GEOFF<br />

SLOAN<br />

sense of belonging and purpose<br />

helps someone get out of bed in<br />

the morning, be somewhere, and<br />

be part something.<br />

What are the current<br />

issues impacting people with<br />

disabilities in the craft scene,<br />

and why?<br />

There are a couple of issues<br />

facing all people in the craft<br />

space, that is having outlets<br />

to showcase their work, and<br />

funding to be able to provide<br />

space for artists. Our artisans<br />

are special in that they have a<br />

few extra hurdles to jump when<br />

a comes to being an artist, but<br />

they all do it with dignity and<br />

passion. You ask all of them and<br />

they will tell you they love what<br />

do and they love having friends<br />

around them. It is a bonus to see<br />

their creation being turned into<br />

a garment and then going to a<br />

home to be worn with pride.<br />

Funding at times can be hard<br />

to secure for a lot of community<br />

groups and ours is no exception.<br />

Without the generous support of<br />

funding providers, Handmade<br />

Studio would not be available<br />

for our artisans. We will keep<br />

ticking along, this year like<br />

every year we will continue<br />

applying for grants and hoping<br />

to get money to carry on doing<br />

what we do. We are incredibly<br />

grateful for the support and local<br />

donations we receive; it does<br />

make a real difference.<br />

How can the community<br />

better support people with<br />

disabilities wanting to enter the<br />

craft industry?<br />

As we have all been reminded<br />

lately to shop local but also be<br />

okay with spending that little bit<br />

more on something handmade<br />

because each handmade item<br />

not only has a story but has been<br />

made with love by someone who<br />

really treasures what they do.<br />

Matuku Takotako Sumner Centre<br />

14/16 Wakefield Avenue, Sumner<br />

Wednesday 2nd September 7pm<br />

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