Ready, steady, sew!

The Knitting & Stitching Show returns to Harrogate – don’t miss our exclusive discount on tickets!

Fi Oberon talks knitting and stitching

The UK’S biggest textile event is back at the Harrogate Convention Centre, from 28 November to 1 December, promising ideas, inspiration and workshops for budding and seasoned crafters. Prima caught up with needle felter Fi Oberon, 54, from Leeds, who is one of the teachers at this year’s show.

How did you get into crafting?

To earn money as a student at art college, I designed and knitted some jumpers, packed them into a suitcase and went to London. Aged 18, I talked my way into a women’s magazine editor’s office and wangled the sale of a jumper pattern. Since then, I have set up a display company, painted murals for a living, run a family crafts centre and worked as a product designer, tutor, speaker and author. In 2016, I published my first book, The Natural World Of Needle Felting.

What is needle felting? It’s a method of creating solid felt from loose wool fibres. You can make pictures and sculptures – any size, any shape, any colour – using a felting needle. As a craft, it’s great for complete beginners, but also offers challenges for more adventurous crafters.

What is your proudest craft creation? I designed a range of felt Christmas decorations for an ethical business based in Nepal called Nauseni (nauseni.org). It provides training and employment to women affected by an earthquake in 2015. I was invited to Kathmandu in 2017 to provide the initial training. It was very humbling as we had only expected about 20 women to attend but 60 arrived. Some had walked for three days to be there.

Where can we find you at the Knitting & Stitching show?

I’m teaching this year. My most popular workshops are needle-felted penguins and sheep. I have also introduced a basket-weaving workshop, but in miniature so we can make baskets for our needle-felted mice.