♥ What? ♥

An annual (free-to-attend) meet-up of people who love to sew in Birmingham, England.

The 2017 meet-up will take place on Saturday 28th October. Sign-up here!

♥ Itinerary ♥

The planned itinerary for Saturday 28th October is below. Attendees can feel free to dip in and out, or only attend for part of the day.

10:00 – 11:00: Meet at John Lewis Cafe & Haberdashery

We’ll be meeting in John Lewis Cafe (The Place to Eat), where we’ll be able to drink tea and/or eat brunch while everyone arrives. We’ll also be able to shop in the Haberdashery, which is located on the same floor as the cafe (4th floor).

P.S. If you’re arriving by train, John Lewis is located in the same building as New Street Station – and the other stations (Moor Street and Snow Hill) are only a 10-15 minute walk.

P.P.S John Lewis opens at 9am for anyone arriving early.

11:00 – 13:00: Birmingham Rag Market & Fabric Shops

We’ll spend a couple of hours shopping for fabric at the Rag Market and nearby fabric shops Barry’s Fabric, EU Fabrics, Fancy Silk Store (who are also on ) & Sew Cool & Crafty.

13:00 – 13:30: Reconvene and travel to Moseley Village (Guthrie & Ghani) by bus

The journey between the city centre and Moseley only takes 15 minutes by bus, and buses are every 5-10 minutes.

13:30 – 17:00: Guthrie & Ghani / Lunch

At Guthrie & Ghani we’ll have time in the shop which sells a wide range of sewing and knitting supplies, and we’ll have use of the studio above the shop where we will be able to natter, compare purchases, and hold a pattern & fabric swap and raffle.

Attendees can also grab lunch at one of the nearby pubs or cafes. The Village and The Dark Horse bar/restaurant are both a couple of minutes walk from Guthrie & Ghani, and there are lots of other options available within Moseley Village.

Logo by illustrator and sewing blogger Maike Plenzke of Sew & Illustrate & on .

A map of fabric shops we’ll be visiting during SewBrum is available here:

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SewBrum 2016

Information about the 2016 meet-up is available here:

initial announcement / wrap-up of the day / raffle prizes / vlog

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SewBrum 2015

Information about the 2015 meet-up is available here:

initial announcement / wrap-up of the day / attendees / goodie bags / raffle prizes

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SewBrum 2014

Information about the 2014 meet-up is available here:

initial announcement / wrap-up of the day / attendees

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Birmingham

See my blog post about my favourite places in Birmingham here.

Fabric/Knitting Stores

We can only take in a small number of Birmingham’s craft shops during the meet-up, but a longer list is provided below.

Located in the City Centre:

Fancy Silk Store

Barry’s Fabric Superstore

EU Fabrics

Birmingham Rag Market

Sew Cool & Crafty

FabricUK

Adam Ross Fabrics

Outside of the City Centre:

Guthrie & Ghani – haberdashery, fabric, and knitting store.

The Cotton Patch – patchwork and quilting

Frank Nutt Sewing Machines – Machine sales and services

S.Nutt Sewing Machines – Machine sales and services

In the Midlands:

The Sewcial Studio – Tamworth

Crafty Sew & So – Leicester

Sew Me Something – Stratford

Yarn & Knitting:

Stitch Solihull – Shirley, inside

Hilda Haarhoff – Earlswood Lakes Craft Centre, Solihull

City Knits – Bourneville

Sitting Knitting – Sutton Coldfield

Withit Witch – Halesowen

Crafty Museums in the Midlands

In Birmingham

The Birmingham History gallery in Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery includes examples of buttons produced in Birmingham

The Birmingham Back to Backs include a restored tailor’s shop

The Coffin Works (factory which produced coffin furniture) includes a room with a row of Singer sewing machines where staff sewed shrouds

In Coventry

Herbert Art Gallery & Museum has a jacquard ribbon weaving loom in the foyer and the Coventry History gallery includes information on Coventry’s historical cloth weaving and ribbon industries

St. Mary’s Guildhall contains the ‘Coventry Tapestry’, manufactured around the years 1495 to 1500, it remains hanging on the wall for which it was created more than five hundred years ago

The Weaver’s House is a medieval house that has been restored to show how John Croke, a weaver, lived in 1540

Other Amazing Birmingham Things

Located in the City Centre:

Birmingham has some superb art galleries:

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery – a number of free permanent galleries, plus current exhibitions. Don’t miss the Edwardian tea rooms / Ikon – contemporary gallery, free entry, great cafe and shop / Parkside Gallery – small University gallery with interesting temporary exhibitions / Royal Birmingham Society of Artists – temporary exhibitions by local artists / The Barber Institute – perfect small University art collection, you’ll need to take the local train two stops to ‘University’ station / Eastside Projects – contemporary temporary exhibitions / Museum of the Jewellery Quarter – permanent exhibition about the history of the quarter, plus temporary exhibits and a great shop / Midlands Art Centre always has a number of exhibitions taking place. It is located outside of the City Centre in Edgbaston.

Favourite places to eat:

 – Hong Kong noodles / – Korean / Digbeth Dining Club – regular street food event / – pinball cafe & bar / Original Patty Men – burgers / Jacky’s Kitchen – Chinese

Wah Kee & Cafe Chino Chinese bakeries in the Arcadian Centre sell the best cakes / Char Wallah has an amazing selection of loose leaf teas

Also see Independent Birmingham’s lists of the best coffee shops / street food / burgers.

Shops:

/ The Custard Factory – vintage shops & regular fairs / COW – vintage clothes