It’s been three weeks since this year’s Sew Up North event and I think I’ve just about recovered!
I have to apologise to anyone who came on the day and who I didn’t manage to speak to; I came down with the lovely cold/flu bug the week before the event, had spent a few days in bed that week and had totally lost my voice, so I wasn’t on top form! In fact a lot of my memories are rather hazy so I clearly wasn’t firing on all cylinders 🙈.
However, I am exceptionally fortunate in having some truly wonderful friends and volunteers who just pitched in and made sure things ran smoothly. I genuinely cannot thank any of you enough! Thank you to those who turned up early, shifted tables, sorted chairs, managed the fabric and pattern table, sold raffle tickets, shouted instructions at people when I couldn’t make myself heard, folded raffle tickets, helped draw the raffle and record email addresses for winners, cleared the fabric swap table, came to the bank with me, helped cash up, gave me a lift home ……. this really is a wonderful community and I am so grateful.
The day itself dawned grey and wet, but that didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits too much!
I arrived at the Belgrave to discover that they’d set up the coolest sign for us!
They were incredibly helpful throughout the day (especially when they found me a microphone for the raffle!!) and the space looked fabulous!
The bar was open at 10:30 (!) so many teas and coffees were purchased and then, once people had arrived, groups split up and headed off into Leeds in search of fabric!
B&M Fabrics had just taken possession of their new store and opened specially for us on the day: it looks as though it’s going to be a very beautiful space! They’d also got the banners out for us at their market stall.
We met up again back at the Belgrave in time for the raffle (and also in time for me to buy a fab burger, which was just what I needed to fight the cold bugs!)
Drawing the raffle is always entertaining, I love seeing who takes home the prizes I’ve managed to get hold of and how excited they are! I was incredibly lucky and claimed two prizes for myself, which was fantastic (and also, I make very sure to keep a long way away from any selling, folding or drawing of tickets: if I win a prize, I’m keeping it!)
I always enjoy seeing a big crowd of sewists together: when you get us in a group, you realise that we are just that but more colourful and individual than your average bunch!
So I made it through to the end of the day with the help of many brilliant people , Lemsip and a healthy dose of adrenaline! And boy, was it worth the effort: when we counted the takings from the raffle, we had raised an absolutely staggering £1,013.40! Thank you so much to all the raffle prize sponsors and everyone who bought tickets.
So, totally worth the effort! I hope everyone who attended had a great day, I know the Yorkshire Air Ambulance were very grateful and who knows, when I’m fully over the bloody cold and garner some strength, I might think about doing it again!
See you next year?
Becca xx
Red W Sews 
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