Hosting Craft Workshops in our Hobart Studio
- bombedyarns
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
One of Bombed Yarns's core values is fostering a space where skills are shared. I really enjoy hosting craft workshops and working with facilitators (both local, interstate and even internationally). Sharing creativity and learning together is such a happy place for so many people.
We've had some fabulous workshops in the studio recently. And I've been reflecting (reassessing) a lot about what it takes to pull off creative workshops on an island that has a relatively small population. So here are some thoughts for the blog.
Before you read any further though, I am thankful to everyone who has ever bought a ticket and joined a Bombed Yarns workshop. I have said this often, because of you, we can have these creators down. So much goes on behind the scenes to make these workshops happen, and without you, they would not happen. So, thank YOU!
Celebrating the Apple Isle and our creatives
Tasmania is beautiful. I love it here.
We have huge areas of forest and sea, which are very accessible. I live very close to the Hobart CBD. Within five minutes I can drive to the bush, walk my dogs, hear the birds, see the river, and have the sun on my face. Another 15 minutes in the car and I can be swimming in the river at a nice beach.
This State is good for your body and soul. After visiting New York for work a couple of years ago, I stepped off the plane in Hobart and took a big deep breath of our clean Tassie air. It is different. The recent tourist catch phrase, "Come down for air" is literal!
Tasmania has a population of just over 570,000. And just under half of us live in the Southern part of Tasmania.
Despite our isolation and small population, we have an incredible range of creators. I have been blown away with the skills and diversity of these makers! Many of them have run fantastic workshops in our studio. And if I can, I always like to profile Tasmanian makers first and foremost.
Nat Mendham is one such maker. Nat believes that "mending is a quiet act of rebellion" and ran a visible mending workshop in September 2025. It was wonderful!
While Tasmania is filled with creative people, many Tassie makers are happy to focus on their own creating, and not teaching others.
If you know of any Tassie locals who run great workshops, please let me know. I would love to chat with them about working together to share their skills with our community.
Creatives from further afield
It is also wonderful to be able to host makers from interstate or overseas.
I'm proud to say that Bombed Yarns is becoming somewhat of a go-to spot for makers to share their skills! Not only do I get to share Tasmania with them, but also share a skilled facilitator with our Tasmanian community. Win win!
Inviting teachers to our studio allows our local community to feel just that little bit less isolated and enjoy the same opportunities as those on the mainland.
As a creator and a teacher myself, I don't take for granted what a big thing it is for teachers to come down for the weekend. They leave their lives and devote their time to us. They are SO generous with their knowledge and skills when they're here. Behind scenes though, it takes a lot of work and finances (both on their end and mine!) to get them here.
Below is a short list of the makers (both interstate and international) I've hosted just in the past year:
Abbey Made - Abbey ran a weekend of Tunisian Crochet workshops. What a craft! It was a lot of fun.
Sánná & Co Showcase (Susanna Kaartinen) - Susanna came and spoke with us about being a knitwear designers and shared many samples. It was a beautiful evening.
Mimstermade (Tomomi Mimura) - Tomomi travelled to us from Japan to run a weekend of mosaic embroidery skill-sharing. What an absolute treat this was! We had people travelling from all over the country to join these workshops.
Fluff and Nonsense (Tess Vandekolk) - Tess ran a weekend of workshops targeted to those at the beginning of their knitting journey, as well as a lino printing workshop! We loved hosting Tess.
The above is just a snapshot of the facilitators I have hosted over the last year. Aren't I lucky?! Previously we have had Pru Raymond from Dear Pru, Mary Jane Mucklestone, Shelley Husband Crochet, and the list goes on.
The hold-your-breath moment of opening craft workshops ticket sales
Running workshops is something I want to offer. But it's not without its challenges or stress. Facilitators need to travel down to Hobart, and their accommodation and airfares do add to the ticket price.
I always hold my breath before a workshop's tickets go on sale. It's quite a risk to my small business about whether or not people will come. And luckily, the people do come! In droves more often than not.
I feel so proud when watching participants in their element, learning from fantastic teachers. Hearing "oh that's how it works", or "ah ha!" is the best. I know the teachers also feel a huge sense of satisfaction when they hear these comments.
Upcoming Workshops
In a few months, I'm thrilled to be hosting world-renowned knitwear designer Aleks Byrd for a weekend of workshops on the 8-9th of August,
I met Aleks at Vogue Knitting Live and instantly connected with her. She has this beautiful smile and such enthusiasm for what she does. Aleks is a contemporary knitwear designer best known for modernising traditional Estonian knitting techniques and making them accessible to knitters around the world. She has roots in Estonia and her work blends traditional Baltic knitting methods with modern wearable designs. She will be teaching us a range of new skills which is super exciting!
The three workshops she is running with us are:
Join in on a workshop and make the most of this opportunity!
And please let me know if there's a workshop you want to attend or a facilitator you would like to learn from. I will do my best to make it happen!
Comments