The Make Lounge

Jennifer Pirtle

Founder, Director

In 2007, busy magazine journalist Jennifer Pirtle longed for a tactile experience after spending hours at her computer each day but had little recent experience with crafts. When she looked for a teacher, her enthusiasm quickly turned to frustration: most courses were several weeks long and required hundreds of pounds in fees. Worse still, their approach to crafting – and their venues – felt decidedly old-fashioned.

As she searched for an alternative, she met plenty of other people who felt the same way. Some wanted to make things but didn’t know how. Others simply wanted something different to do on their own or with friends. For each of them, she created The Make Lounge, a stylish, welcoming space featuring short-term, project-oriented craft workshops. And now The Make Lounge has a retail shop, featuring all manner of crafting supplies, including gorgeous fabrics, haberdashery, trimmings, craft books and magazines, stylish kits, and even lovely handmade goods.