A 17th century farmhouse set in a smallholding at the top of the Marshwood Vale, with glorious views towards Pilsdon Pen and Lewesdon Hill is the setting for a unique Makers’ Market in April.
School House Farm is a family home as well as home to a small herd of beef suckler cattle and the sustainable clothing company BlueBarn.Life.
Here BlueBarn.Life creates timeless hand-made clothing for men and women. Most of their designs are based on traditional workwear and clothes of the past, updated and adapted for today. ‘We use natural fibres: linen, silk and wool, often upcycling vintage and antique textiles’ explains Kat Bazeley. ‘We also make jackets and waistcoats in handwoven tweeds, and dresses and shirts in soft Irish linen.’
Although they stock a range of ready-made garments, if you want the fun of creating your own BlueBarn.Life garment, Kat says they will help you to customise something totally unique. First choose your style and size, then choose your fabric and lining from dozens of delicious textile samples, and finally, embellish the finished garment with exactly the right buttons.
On Friday 18th April and Saturday 19th April (Easter weekend), Kat and her team will be hosting a Makers’ Market. Alongside the BlueBarn.Life clothing collection they have gathered a group of carefully chosen artisans, crafting beautiful and unique artefacts.
Each is a master of his or her speciality, working with willow or wood, leather, porcelain, fabric, handmade paper and inks. They use the highest quality materials and time-honoured techniques to make individual pieces that blend cultural tradition with their artistic creativity. Each piece is made with care and attention to detail and is designed to last. If you choose to buy these pieces you are stepping away from the world of throw-away mass production and instead investing in a sustainable local heritage.
As well as the team at BlueBarn.Life, the makers include: Lin Lovekin, https://www.linlovekinbaskets.co.uk/makes wonderful baskets
Jon Hazell, a woodturner, general woodworker and part time woodsman.
Martin Hazell (Instagram @mr_the_creature ) is a world-renowned spoon-maker.
Warriner Leather https://www.warrinerleather.co.uk/ creates durable, timeless leather goods.
Lou Tonkin https://www.loutonkin.com/ is an artist and print-maker from Cornwall.
Jo Burnell (Instagram @potterybyjoburnell) creates individual hand thrown earthenware pottery.
Lorette Dare makes beautiful patchwork quilts and rag dolls from the tiniest scraps of fabric.
Martin Hazell will demonstrate his craft of spoon-making. Refreshments and lunches will also be available.
‘At our Makers’ Market you will be able to meet the makers and share the stories of our work: our inspirations, how we learned our skills, the sources of raw materials and the background of our crafts’ says Kat. ‘This will be a great day out in beautiful West Dorset and we hope to see you here.’
Makers’ Market – Friday 18th April and Saturday 19th April, 11am to 4pm at School House Farm, School Lane, Blackdown, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3LE.
What3Words: ///little.handyman.spud
Google Maps: BlueBarn.Life
Email: kat@bluebarn.life. Tel: 07887 530333
Instagram: @bluebarn.life. https://www.bluebarn.life/
