Kirsty's Handmade Home - a good thing?

[Quiltingmoomin]

I started off loving this programme and last series got all excited when quilting and knitting were covered but lately I've found myself wondering whether it's all a bit, well, 'breath-y' in a Nigella Lawson kind of way - as in 'wow, wow I can't believe I put a needle in fabric' sense. I'm probably being unfair but I was wondering what other crafty adicts thought...

I like to watch it to nick ideas but I am mostly clapping and saying "Oh well done!" in a very sarcastic way whenever she does anything.

when's it on please?

Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel four.

thank you!

Haven't watched it yet. Fear it might make me want to throw the remote at the tv!

First series was good. This one is crap, footage of herself wandering round car boot sales or watching people do whatever it is they do with pewter but almost no practical or inspiring bits that we could do at home.

Hurrah, I'm not the only one! If I have to see that second hand fair one more time....

Or yer man with the terrier giving her a special price on fireplaces. Or that woeful candle last week.
Then they do interesting bits off camera: arranging the pieces, making blinds, sanding floors, stripping furniture etc and we only see Kirsy Allsorts buying pot pourri to put in a (frankly fugly) cushion. Not good.

My major objection is that by handmade she seems to imply that the item is handmade by some skilled craftsman that Kirsty can oooh and aaah over. While I agree that there are some wonderful pieces of art that have been "handmade" (usually either by some colourful yokel or by someones old schoolchum Lucinda) I wanted the program to inspire people to make their own art.

My house is full of handmade goods. Dh made a lot of our furniture and I have cobbled together cushions, curtains, rugs, vases, candlesticks, photoframes and mirrors. While these may not be up to professional standards; they give me joy because they are unique, absolutely to may taste, and contain memories.

In this age where everyone's living room seems to be full of Ikea and Venture Photography I would like people to have a go themselves.

And the twee music in the background....drives me mad!

I think the problem is that Kirstie goes along to 'try' these crafts; we see her doing it (usually quite badly) for about 5 minutes, and then hey presto! the completed items appear as if by magic towards the end, finished off by the expert.

It's not really the way to encourage people, imho, but there must be scope for a programme that does enthuse and, more importantly, show techniques in an appealing way. Kirstie just airily dismisses it all with a 'there are loads of courses you can go on....' Well, yes, but it would be nice to see these things in a bit more detail.

I do wonder why there aren't any craft or 'how to do' programmes on tv at all.From the amount of people who are interested in learning something new or making stuff for themselves,I'd have thought that it would be a winner.It would be an improvement on the deluge of bargain hunt type programmes/cookery shows that are on.

I've only watched 10 mins of it: KA learning cross-stitch from someone who makes c/s cushions for a living

and K grumbled that it would take her a year to finish her cushion

and the expert said, 'Well, you can have this one then,' much to KA's satisfaction (talk about a champion ligger...)

The whole prog devalued in a trice!

MrsTITCONG (Felicia Snoop?) - you're right about the lack of crafting programmes vs the number of cookery shows. Why is this? Craft shows would be dead cheap to make too.

I remember (peers shortsightedly through wire-rimmed specs and clutches shawl round shoulders) when there used to be a dressmaking prog on TV - centuries ago, obviously - with a woman whose name I can't remember, but it was really interesting. And I made loads of my own clothes then, so it was very useful for little tips and hints.

In fact it's a crime that some TV commissioning ed isn't tapping into this whole movement for making things, what with Stitch'n'Bitch and all that jazz. Kirstie just doesn't cut it, I'm afraid.

Evenkeel - I remember that too. Do you remember those sunday classics "Paint along with Nancy" and "Erica on Embroidery"? Great fun. Wonder if they are on Youtube.

Love KA but agree the programme is a bit ambitious for those of us who don't have a chum who can do for us, or a handy blacksmith nearby for the boookends....

Ha, yes, 'Paint Along with Nancy'! She slapped massive gouts of acrylic on with a palette knife, rather than a brush, I seem to remember, and her golden rule was that everything had a dark tone, a medium tone, and a light tone. Consequently, everything she painted, be it a vase of flowers or a dog, looked exactly the same.

I loved that 'Fast Show' sketch with the painter who went beserk at the mention of 'black' - clearly based on that strange bearded chap called Alwyn Crawshaw, who also had a painting show. Bring back 'Watercolour Challenge', I say!

Oh I loved that sketch! Whenever children at work go near an easel I mutter "black! black like the night" to myself.

The beginning is annoying me too - telling us that her programme is responsible for the whole "make do and mend" trend. Sigh, I was so prepared to love it.

There used to be a quilting show on PSB in the States done by Alex Anderson but it got cancelled. If the stations in the US where a craft like quilting is huge wont carry a show what is the chance here? I'd love a craft show, love love love one. Surely they can bin a cookery programme and extend the 'homemaker' agenda a little. I am still amazed that India Knight never did a TV version of her Thrift book - I'd watch that like a shot too.

Butterfly I agree, its got to be good that handmade is championed but stil... And no mention of resources like Etsy.

I enjoyed the Monty DOn series a while back becasue it showed the time and efforto craftpeople put into the production of lovely things. And I quite like Monty

Um...unlike the effort I obviously put into checking my spelling - sorry.

Had a good laugh at the last episode- my old mates ex boyfriend was on it (the stonemason) but other than sniggering at him the episode was shite- twee and patronising

Does he go out in public in that bandana thingy btw?

LemonDifficult,you are the only person to have got my name.I think I love you!

I?ll do what I can to help y?all. But, the game?s out there, and it?s play or get played. That simple.

Ya feel me?

Quiltingmoomin t'is just to keep the hair out of his eyes (too vain to wear hairnet on the telly) He used to have such fab long, black hair but is grey as a badger now