“Fabrications sits at the heart of Hackney a vibrant community hub brimming with creativity. I was truly delighted and honoured to be entrusted with baking a cake to mark its 25th anniversary and to celebrate Barley’s incredible achievements.

As I look back over the past year, I can see how much I have grown as a crafter. With the support of Barley and my fellow makers, I have made real progress finally beginning to master knitting, along with a healthy dose of patience.

As 2025 draws to a close and I step toward 2026, I am aware of the challenging situations ahead. Yet I continue to believe that crafting offers me a space to refocus, recentre, and reconnect with myself and my surroundings. It grounds me, restores me, and reminds me that creativity can carry us through even the most uncertain times” Kelly Kelly

” Once the country came out of  2020 Lockdown, I looked for a space where I could sew with support. It was then, that I stumbled across Fabrications in Hackney. Barley runs a freestyle sewing day once a month. I decided to go along to one of these sessions and with support I finished a skirt I was making.

Barley’s amazing knowledge of dressmaking, textiles and upcycling has really helped me to become the sewer I am today. I enjoyed that day so much that I returned every month for the freestyle sewing day for at least a year. During that time my confidence improved significantly. Barley is a patient teacher, who gave me the opportunity to learn from her. I will always be eternally grateful to her and Fabrications for making me the sewer I am today – I now make all my own clothes, which I thoroughly enjoy! Thank You Barley X” Dionne Collins

” For me Fabrications means frienship and warmth. I’ve been coming here for 20 years! It’s a lovely shop and community. Learning is another words that springs to mind. I started sewing 5 or 6 years ago and Barley has taught me all I know. It’s been a fascinating journey.

My knitting and crochet have improved too and its just brilliant having people that I can chat to about craft and who understand how important it is in our lives” Drue Zell

“Fabrications gives me connection, learning and joy (all the things I love) After a long day in the office, I can switch gears, be creative, sustainable and have plenty of laughs. Barley is a pleasure to be around. Incredibly imaginative, skilled, helpful and funny. I’ve made some truly kind friends (you know who you sre) and got to meet more people through Barley’s Sewcial events.

Set in the vibrant, trendy Broadway Market yet so clos to the city, Fabrications allows me to step into a different version of myself – it’s like Mr Benn! A show I loved in the 70’s” Vathani Warren

” I met Barley from Fabrications at the Knitting and Stitch Show at Alexander Palace offering up recycling fabric courses soon after I graduated from the Royal School of Needlework in 2009. There are things that draw me in to the founder of Fabrications, the name of her company “Fabrications”, “Recycling” and the person behind it “Barley”. One day we crossed the same classroom: she was ending her up-cycling course and I was starting my hand embroidery course. At this moment I guess she also liked my course and later on she invited me as a guest teacher at Fabrications Studio to teach hand embroidery for beginners. And here is where I met physically “Fabrications” where unwanted clothes get a new life made by Barley who specialises in Textile Arts. Fabrications: the wonderful shop floor where you can buy a pre-loved fabric in a completely new style to wear. I was mesmerised how Barley had created this friendly enterprise to stop and teach us in a subtle way to re-love un-wanted pieces of cloth for the benefit of the eco system.

Every corner of Fabrications are master works curated by Barley. A place where everyone must visit and learn where and how Fabrications has lived since 25 years ago – the years when no one cared as much as today about the environment. It survived the pandemic and still looks strong for the upcoming years. Thank you Fabrications and Barley and the commitment to preserve a healthy Mother Earth. Wishing you a Very Happy and Proud 25 Years of Legacy” Bella Lane

” Fabrications has been, and will always be, a space for me to have a work life balance with my creativity. Learning to recreate new garments from existing unworn items is something I always look forward to. Something I never thought I’ll be able to do at all.

Barley allows me to come up with my own ideas about what I want to make and guides me through the process from the beginning to the end result. Having a finished garment to take home at the end of the day is very rewarding for me and I’m always so happy to show them off, sometimes even wearing them home the same day!

I will always recommend Fabrications to anyone who wants to reuse, recycle, mend etc their existing garments to extend its lifespan and enjoy more from them” Grace Ayanfalu

” I was lucky to have discovered Fabrications about 5 years ago. Since then I’ve attended a variety of classes in knitting, sewing and embroidery and I’ve also been to the fortnightly Craft Club sessions regularly. Barley and the other workshop leaders have been supportive teachers who have helped me gain new craft skills and develop my practice, especially in sewing.

Barley is caring and considerate and has built a lovely crafting community. There are lots of interesting events focussed on repurposing, reinventing and repairing garments. Barley also runs social events such as the summer Pic-Knit and a Christmas party which includes craft themed games and prizes.

Fabrications is a real gem and I recommend it highly. If you are looking to tap into a supportive crafting community and/or attend workshops to learn new skills and gain more crafting confidence, Fabrications is the place for you!” Claire Chamberlaine