‘Nurture’, An exhibition by East Anglian based Design Nation members | 4th – 27th July 2024

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Nurture (verb) – care for and protect (someone or something) while they are growing

Thursday 4th July to Saturday 27th July
Open Thursday-Saturday 10am to 5pm in the Upstairs Gallery at designermakers21

Saturday 20th July 11am-3pm – Meet the Makers


Design Nation is the leading membership portfolio for contemporary craft and design in the UK. The
East Anglian group hub was formed in 2020, and connects makers working from their studios in
Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk. Having met frequently over zoom for the past four years, six members
have come together to exhibit their work. ‘Nurture’ encapsulates an exploration of each maker’s
connections with their local environment.

Working across disciplines including Weave, Embroidery, Ceramics, French Beading and Mixed
Media, the conversations, and connections, between makers’ practices centre around becoming
increasingly environmentally conscious.

Makers draw upon a variety of backgrounds and experiences, from working in the fashion and textile
industry, to an increasing awareness of the amount of plastic in everyday life. The impact of human
activity and climate change on the East Anglian landscape, serve as a catalyst for all six makers to
strive to reduce the environmental impact of their work. Many utilise waste materials; transforming
single use plastic, paper pulp and nylon offcuts into highly tactile, contemporary art works, and
repurposing textile industry surplus yarns to create handwoven interior pieces.

Where materials cannot be repurposed, artists make conscious decisions about sourcing sustainable
materials, minimising waste and energy consumption. All seek to achieve balance and harmony with
the natural environment.

Featuring Work by:
Caroline Hyde-Brown
Holly Parr
Pamela Print
Lucie Summers
Kate Welton
Karen Whiterod

Huck Lace Embroidery Workshop with Sarah Boardman – Fundraising Event | Saturday 22nd June 10am-4pm, designermakers21

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Join Sarah Boardman in this special one day workshop in Swedish weaving or Huck embroidery. You will learn some basic stitches and work a small band that can be made into a card, bookmark, needle-case or similar. You will also be shown how to vary the design and how it can be used to create larger pieces.

No embroidery experience is necessary. Saturday 22nd June 10 – 4pm, £58 per person

Workshop price includes a full kit of materials.

This is a fundraising workshop kindly donated by Sarah to help designermakersCIO’s ‘Raise our Roof’ campaign.

Tickets available at deisgnermakers21, Maximum 8 people.

Huck Lace or swedish weaving embroidery workshop at designermakers21 on saturday 22nd june. tickets available now from designermakers21 £58 per person. this workshops is raising funds for designermakersCIO's Raise Our Roof appeal

‘Spring into Action’ Grand Draw, dm21 fundraising for essential building repairs | *Grand Draw extended – Tickets on sale until Friday 3rd May*

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We are fundraising again here at designermakers21!

‘Spring into Action’ Grand Draw is raising funds for essential building repairs & improvements to 21 St Nicholas Street.

ONE lucky ticket holder will win this bundle of Craft, handmade by our members! Tickets are £5, and available from designermakers21 Thursday-Saturday between 10am and 5pm until Friday 3rd May.

The single winning ticket will be drawn at our Ceilidh night at Roydon Village Hall on Friday 3rd May. The prize winner will be notified by phone.

spring into action grand draw at designermakers21 until 27th April, tickets £5

Textiles in Action Day , process demonstrations and drop in ‘have a go’ sessions at designermakers21 | Saturday 7 October  11am-3pm  

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Explore the textiles on display in both the Corn Hall and designermakers21. Come and join us to try your hand at a range of surface processes and watch artists at work!

Demonstrations of Surface Textiles processes with visiting artists:

Batik Demonstration with Helen Dougall

Machine Embroidery demonstration with Jean Fryer

‘Have a Go’ drop in sessions with our members:

Natural Dyeing with Caroline Hyde-Brown

SAORI Weaving with Kim Morgan

Sashiko inspired visible mending with Marie Mallen


A Celebration of Textiles – Surface | 2nd September – 14th October 2023, The Corn Hall, Diss

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In collaboration with designermakers21, this year’s exhibition will feature a selection of textile artists who utilise the surface of textiles to showcase their practice, encompassing a myriad of processes including: batik, natural dye, agri-textiles, fabric manipulation, embroidery and collage. The exhibitors will include designermakers21 residents, as well as eminent textile artists.

The exhibition will be held at The Corn Hall, Diss, open Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm.


Showcase Exhibition | November 2022 – January 2023

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The next Showcase will run throughout November, December and January. We are excited to welcome two local artists and a local charity to the showcase exhibition space, which is located on the first floor at designermakers21.

Delicate textile embroidery by Yvonne Pratt, brilliant range of leather work by Mark Papworth, and wonderful Bird, Hedgehog and Owl boxes by Street Forge.

Visit the Showcase from the 3rd November during our opening hours Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm.