By Nicola Ogilvie, Just Sew
On Friday of last week I went with a friend to the UNICréa craft show in La Sarraz. UNICréa is a judged craft show, which means that the exhibitors need to be approved in order to take a stand and the quality was evident everywhere you looked, with beautiful craftsmanship and a wide diversity of crafts from art work and garden sculpture to intricately crafted jewellery using precious stones.
La Sarraz itself is a pretty little village not far from Lausanne – a perfect location for a day trip out with friends or family, with a couple of nice coffee shops and bars ideal for grabbing a drink or snack before or after visiting the show (we did both!)
As soon as you enter the château, you can’t fail to be impressed by the lovely setting and the individual rooms, each of which is themed according to a different type of craft, be it wood, metal, earth, glass, textiles, stone or paint. We started with the art work, a mix of styles and mediums with prices that make the opportunity to buy an original artwork within the realms of possibility. We moved on past a café, selling coffee, crêpes, soups and hotdogs to stalls selling sculptures, handmade lighting, precious metal jewellery, and leather bags among other things.
Another café selling coffee and snacks was in the courtyard – so there was plenty of opportunity to take a break inside the exhibition as well as outside! The net area had some innovative lights that would look great in any teenager’s room, as well as more jewellery – but the rooms that ignited my creativity were the ones which included fabric crafts, beautiful and different clothing that was priced in line with any department store in Switzerland, felted creation bags, hats, scarfs and even shoes!
A local craftswoman and friend, Micala Duvoux of Rose and Lula, was there selling her lovely screen printed pouches, bags and accessories, and as we chatted she told us how much she had enjoyed the experience of exhibiting. I restricted myself to only buying a couple of items at the fair otherwise it might have been a very expensive day!
In short, I can thoroughly recommend a visit to the UNICréa exhibitions. The next one is the 19th edition and will take place again at the Château de la Sarraz between the 7th and 10th May, 2015. Put the date in your diary now, as this is an event not to be missed. Whether you are looking for inspiration for your own craft projects, or are simply searching for unique and unusual items for your home or wardrobe, you are bound to find something to satisfy your needs. But do remember to allow plenty of time to browse all the stalls, as each stall holder uses every square metre of space allocated to them and we didn’t have time to see everything!
UNICréa
Château de la Sarraz
1315 La Sarraz
7-10 May, 2015
www.unicrea.ch
Micala Duvoux
Rose & Lula
www.roseandlula.fr
Author's bio
Nicola Ogilvie has been sewing as long as she can remember, and loves new challenges. From a very early age, she has attempted most things you can make on a sewing machine, from creating her own wedding dress and recovering a chair to quilting and embroidery. In her early career, she was employed by Courtaulds, working in a factory making underwear for Marks & Spencer!
Through her sewing business, Just Sew, Nicola now shares her passion with a new generation. She runs workshops, mostly for children, and teaches in the after-school program of a local international school. She loves the fact that even the youngest get a great sense of satisfaction from their completed projects. After a number of requests, she will soon be offering courses aimed at adults.
Although sewing is clearly Nicola’s thing, she admires all craftsmen and women, and loves to see how people use their creativity.
