The Making Space

In the dark and cold from Old Street I pottered along into the wilds of that no-man’s-land between Shoreditch and Hackney to find… The Sunbury Workshops! And that was when trepidation promptly turned to boyish excitement at the different workshops I peeped into, and the plethora of masks and tools and gadgets and gizmos that filled Simon’s The Making Space.
See below for some of the basics as to what went down (in short: free food and drink — yum; free tuition and equipment for chaining — tough but rewarding; great company & a lovely ambience — delightful). My own personal impressions were sort of as follows…
It’s easy to turn up and talk about something but it’s much harder to do something crafty and feel like you’re getting somewhere and potentially achieving with it. I think that’s where Simon comes into the fore as a great instructor — there was a delicate balance between encouragement and cajoling and he urged all of us on with the relaxed atmosphere and, for lack of a better phrase, creative ambience of the place. He was really open and happy to discuss everything, and he let me try on his chainmail, which was, of course, totally awesome!
Very enjoyable, highly recommended, such a fun and rewarding way to spend an evening.

Like my mother used to say «If you don’t end up with bloodied and calloused hands, then you’re not having fun!» (gardening and forced child labour were one and the same to her)… judging by my hands today, last night’s chainmail workshop (aka ‘man knitting’) was more fun than should be legal.
Simon, who runs the show, provides outstanding catering for the evening classes (pizza, g&t’s and cake!), and is able to get even the most uncoordinated and artistically challenged create something, and enjoy the blister-​forming task of doing so. Also, you get to try on some chainmail, and anyone who says they don’t want to is lying.
If you’re of a more puerile bent, go for the ‘cane-​making’ class, so you can make gags about knob design and shaft polishing.
And if you’re struggling to find a gift for someone at this time of year, get them a session here and tell them to make it themselves. If they don’t like it, it’ll be their own fault.

Last night’s Guru event at The Making Space was a resounding success due to a killer combination of gin, chainmail, pizza and cupcakes, presided over by props maestro and tutor extraordinaire Simon. We learned how to make European chainmail flat and folded over and all bonded over gin and «man-​pliers».
I found it tough going at first: turns out I’m not the most adept at wielding a pair of pliers in each hand or, indeed, folding over «butterflies» of chains to make a rope effect. Simon, one of the most patient men in the world, kept calming showing me how to do it until it all eventually clicked in to place (literally). Ahh, the sense of achievement!
Enlisting his and eph_brinkley’s assistance was a wise move as we went in to the creative part of the workshop — making something to take home. With their help I skipped home with a rather fine chainmail bracelet adorning my wrist, and having picked up a bit of an addiction to opening and closing metal rings with pliers. My boyfriend was very jealous of my new jewellery so I think we might be making another visit to The Making Space very soon — their list of forthcoming workshops is too tempting!

I was also one of the very privileged people who got to go to this workshop last night. I cant remember when i’ve ever had so much fun while actually learning something. Simon is an excellent tutor — he’s funny and informative, and not once did he laugh at my appalling co-​ordination and chainmail creation efforts.
I also got a chainmail kit and sat and worked on my husband’s christmas present when i got home — thats how inspired i was.
NOTE: to new attempters of chainmail — It’s not a good idea to go straight for the smallest links when making your first piece, they may look really wicked, but they are really really very difficult to work with… Or it could just have been me…
The venue is fantastic — the groups will be small, but because everyone sits around a large table you end up chatting so much more than you would normally — i think.
And a special mention for the wicked cupcakes, g&t’s and pizzas which graced the table. I must be honest, mixing g&t’s and chainmail creation is a bit of a bad idea — which are always the best ideas to have…
I loved my time there, i now have my eye on at least 2 more classes that i want to go to soon, and i’m working on getting my husband to go to another of the classes so he can make his own christmas present!
But i would never hesitate to recommend any of simon’s classes, whether you want to learn something particular, or you just want to go and have some fun.
Thank you again for a great evening Simon (and warriorgrrl for letting me attend)…

I LOVED IT! I was lucky enough to get to go to a chainmail jewellery making workshop here and it was absolutely fantastic! We were met with a G&T, freshly baked cupcakes and pound cake with pairs of pliers and coloured metal rings. It turns out there is a method to the madness of the colours and you need them in order to learn. And learn we did!
I haven’t made chainmail forever and so I’d forgotten how to. Not that there’d ever been any pattern to what I did, I just linked rings together. Not so here — we were taught how to make chain mail easily. We were stepped through it and even when things went wrong, we were helped through it.
This was possibly the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I have to admit, G&T inebriation and making chainmail don’t quite mix but it made it just that bit more fun. I bought a chainmail kit to make more (a cheap deal at £10 as it contains 2 pairs of pliers!) and after I finish my bracelet off I may experiment with earrings :-)
Next time I’m going to the steam punk kaleidoscope one I think!

I went to the glass etching workshop and it was great fun! People of all artistic ability were catered for with Simon helping to bring out the best even in those who professed to having none, such as myself.
Cookies, coffee, gin and tonic were supplied and conversation flowed easily!
An excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon.