Hen parties in York are usually associated with noisy bar crawls, but the opening of a new shop offers a very different way to celebrate.
“It’s no longer looked at as something that your granny would do. I actually came to York for a crafty hen party myself.”
Her parties will cover activities from sleep mask making, bridal party clay modelling and the creation of applique bunting and banners.
Meanwhile York’s shoppers can enter an Aladdin’s cave of crafting sundry, with stock including silk modelling clay, hooked Zpaghetti T-shirt yarn and even knicker making kits. Prices range from five pence coloured clothes pegs to £54 metal stamping kits.
The events don’t stop at hen parties.
“We’re doing classes in anything from crochet and knitting, to lino-cutting and printing,” said Kayleigh.
“We’re hoping to have something for everyone so that at some point over the four months that the brochure of classes will cover, there will be something that most crafters will fancy.”
And children’s parties are also proving popular, she said.
Making things and making a mess and being creative is something that children are really fond of, so I’ve found already that I’ve got quite a lot of children’s parties booked in.
Kayleigh has loved crafts from a very young age, citing memories of creating items from bits and pieces around the house with her grandad, who was a carpenter.
After spending some time down south teaching art as well as design and technology, the loss of her father two years ago prompted her to change career paths. She explained:
Something about someone passing away makes the memory stronger, so I thought he would definitely be proud of me for doing it.
And the people around me believe in me so it was worth making the transition.
Originally from Sunderland, she sees York as the perfect place to begin a new career.
“York is just beautiful, and it’s far away enough [from Sunderland] that I have my own life, but close enough for me to still go and see my family.
“The city also seems to constantly be on the up in terms of tourism, so hopefully it’s a match made in heaven.”
Kayleigh also wanted to thank her store-owner neighbours in Gillygate for their kindness and support.
It’s definitely a good place for independent business. It’s lovely to talk to people who can identify and offer a word of advice.