Welcome to the Craft Arena website!

The now larger Craft Arena sells needlecraft, knitting, crochet, mixed media and craft supplies, Brother sewing machines, haberdashery, beads, craft books, gifts and textile art. We hold regular workshops in a variety of crafts and showcase the work of local artists in frequently changing exhibitions at Alchemy, our dedicated Textile Art Gallery. Find us upstairs in the Barleylands Craft Village, Billericay, Essex., Studios 49 - 51

At Craft Arena we either use or personally recommend everything we sell. If you have a specific requirement please contact us and we will do our best to help. We stock a wide range of Brother Sewing and Embroidery machines and offer a full personal demonstration before you buy so that you get the right machine for your needs. We also give FREE training on most machines so that you can make the most of your new purchase.

Our regular newsletter contains special offers, details of upcoming workshops and everything Craft Arena. If you'd like to subscribe, simply click on the icon below. Newsletters are usually sent out weekly and we don't pass your email details onto anyone else.

I look forward to seeing you in the studio soon.

Workshops - coming soon

Powertex for Beginners with Denise Friday, 28 July 2017 - 10:30am to 4:00pm If you have not used this unique medium before, you are in for a treat! This workshop will allow you to create beautiful fabric works of art in a variety of colours and take your skills forward. You will use fabric, inclusions, paint and Powertex to make a textured panel. All materials are included in this workshop, but please feel free to bring your own embellishments to add to your work. This workshop is suitable for beginners. Price: £65.00 Read more about Powertex for Beginners with Denise	Machine Embroidery Skill Sharing Sunday, 13 August 2017 - 10:30am to 1:00pm A series of informal monthly sessions to help you get the most from your embroidery machine. A different machine embroidery technique will be covered each month. In this session we will be discussing basic labelling and lettering. Price: £10.00 Read more about Machine Embroidery Skill Sharing
Powertex & Mixed Media Vessels with Denise Friday Friday, 8 September 2017 - 10:30am to 4:00pm This workshop will allow you to create beautiful mixed media vessels in a variety of colours and take your skills with this versatile medium forward. You will use fabric, inclusions, paint and Powertex to make at least two vessels. All materials are included in this workshop, but please feel free to bring your own embellishments to add to your work. This workshop is suitable for those who have played with Powertex before. Price: £65.00 Read more about Powertex & Mixed Media Vessels with Denise Friday	Powertex & Mixed Media Vessels with Denise Saturday Saturday, 9 September 2017 - 10:30am to 4:00pm This workshop will allow you to create beautiful mixed media vessels in a variety of colours and take your skills with this versatile medium forward. You will use fabric, inclusions, paint and Powertex to make at least two vessels. All materials are included in this workshop, but please feel free to bring your own embellishments to add to your work. This workshop is suitable for those who have played with Powertex before. Price: £65.00 Read more about Powertex & Mixed Media Vessels with Denise Saturday
Intermediate Kantha with Mali Friday, 22 September 2017 - 10:30am to 4:00pm Take your skills with Kantha Embroidery forward in this workshop with Mali. You will be working on pre-printed cloth to make a wall hanging and will learn all the skills to complete your work at home. All materials are included but you may like to bring your own sewing kit (scissors, needles etc). This workshop is suitable for those who have tried Kantha before and those who have some experience with hand embroidery. The picture is a representation of the design you will be working with. Price: £40.00 Read more about Intermediate Kantha with Mali	Goldwork Spirals with Wendy Saturday, 23 September 2017 - 10:30am to 4:00pm Price: £50.00 Read more about Goldwork Spirals with Wendy