Over 18 million UK women participated in at least one craft in the last year. Over half of them were either sewing or quilting, says Immediate Media Co.
Described as the “new heart of the sewing and quilting community”, the Sewing Quarter launches on Freeview channel 78 on Tuesday, 31st January as the UK's first TV shopping channel dedicated to sewing, patchwork and quilting fans.
The Sewing Quarter adds a new dimension to UK crafting, delivering a TV and online experience designed to educate, inspire and entertain, says Immediate Media. Launching initially on Freeview channel 78, the Sewing Quarter will broadcast every day from 8am until 12noon, bringing together workshops and tutorials alongside TV shopping, e-commerce, video and web content.
With over 3.4m home clothes makers, 4.4m home décor sewists and an estimated 1.5 million quilters in the UK, the Sewing Quarter aims to become destination viewing, delivering focussed helpful and engaging content whatever the skill level, alongside exclusive product offers. The brand’s website, www.sewingquarter.com, will live stream all programming, as well as provide a raft of video tutorials and workshops.
Presenters will include John Scott – for ten years’ resident fashion guru on ITV’s This Morning – and Natasha McCarty, one of the best-known faces in crafting TV. With a mission to help people improve their sewing skills and provide the tools to make their own fabulous projects, the Sewing Quarter will provide education and inspiration for sewists and quilters of all abilities.
Liz Taylor, Publisher, Sewing Portfolio says: “Sewing Quarter is an extremely exciting launch for us because it complements our market-leading sewing and quilting magazines perfectly by offering something new to this audience and further cementing our strength in this market. We have already received very positive feedback from the industry and crafters alike – they have been waiting for a TV channel like this for a long time and we are delighted to be an even bigger part of this thriving community.”
Francois-Regis Coumau, Group MD adds: “Immediate’s mission is to provide great content to its passionate audience in multiple formats and channels. We know sewists and quilters are looking for a place, dedicated to them, where they can be inspired and have access to a vast range of high quality products. Our commitment is to make the Sewing Quarter this special place.”
The Sewing Quarter launches as the sister channel to Immediate’s JewelleryMaker brand, which broadcasts on Virgin 756, Freesat 807, SKY 665, Freeview 76 (8am-1pm).
