In the afternoon of this coming Sunday, February the 9th, at the invitation of Miss Sonja Todd of <a href="http://www.sewkits.co.uk/">Sewkits</a>, I shall be playing the role of Disc Jockey at an intriguing event called <a href="http://www.barket.info">Barket</a>.
Barket is a monthly craft fair with an alternative bent ("for crafty boys and girls"), held at the Public Life bar, Spitalfields. The bar's entrance is right in front of Christ Church, that Hawksmoor monstrosity that, having read Mr Moore's "From Hell", I shall never look at in the same way again.
There will be alcohol, stalls, wool, dancing, sewing kits, knitting, hand-made things to buy, and so forth, so I shall literally be playing Music To Cast Off By. There will also be storytelling when the music stops, in the form of readings from a new anthology of short stories by women on love, Strictly Casual (published by Serpent's Tail).
I'm really rather looking forward to it.
I myself have crafty blood. My father is an artist, illustrator and art teacher, while my mother is a professional patchwork quiltmaker and member of the Suffolk Crafts Society. She also teaches techniques of quiltmaking, has published books on the "cathedral window" style, and one of her more general "how to" titles, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0715313088/qid=1044533315/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_0_2/202-3000683-4418237">"The Sampler Quilt Book"</a> (also known in the US as "Making A Sampler Quilt"), is considered the definitive book on the subject, and has sold tens of thousands of copies. And she's appeared in craft videos, being interviewed by Una Stubbs. So now it can be told.
This month's Barket has a Valentines theme, and my set is entitled "Songs For Those In A Lifelong Marriage To Themselves". Needless to say, you can expect at least one Carpenters number. I'll be on at about 4pm.
I'm also told that the event is Critic's Choice in Time Out Magazine's Around Town section. Below the Star Trek exhibition.
