Turns Out Longridge Residents Are a Bit Brilliant

A Village of Makers: Craft, Skill, and a Lot of Heart at Longridge

A small taste of the amazing talent shared by Longridge residents at the Craft Market.

Inside Longridge’s Craft Circles: Where Skill, Stories, and a Bit of Glitter Collide

If you’ve ever wandered into a Longridge Craft Day, you’ll know what we mean when we say the talent here is next level. We’re not talking about the odd tea cosy or a knitted scarf. We’re talking hand-stitched quilts, carved wood bowls, painted artwork, detailed embroidery, and teddy bears so well made you’d think they’d walked out of a boutique.

There’s something quietly brilliant happening in our village craft groups. People turn up, get chatting, and make things with their hands, simple as that. Week after week, residents roll up their sleeves, get creative, and bring all sorts of projects to life. And like most good things at Longridge, it all happens because residents make it happen.

Quilts, soft knits and Christmas crafts on proud display at the Longridge Craft Market Day

Two Groups, One Creative Pulse

The Tuesday evening craft group was the first to take off, started by a resident not long after moving in. It’s relaxed, easy going, and usually sees around nine regulars, though numbers change week to week. That resident has since swapped craft gear for a pool cue and now heads up the resident pool team instead, at the village and in Paeroa. More on that in another story!  

Then came the Monday craft crew, a newer addition but growing fast. Running from 10am to 3pm in the Rec Centre kitchen area, this session was created for those who wanted to work on bigger or more equipment heavy projects during the day. Think sewing machines, rotary cutters, quilting mats, the works.

Monday Craft Session at Longridge

Between the two groups, you’ll find everything from patchwork, knitting, baby clothes, and jewellery to embroidery, cardmaking, stone painting, and more. One resident paints decorative rocks and hides them around Paeroa, Waihi, and Te Aroha — something that’s become a bit of a local treat for kids and grown-ups who stumble across them.

From painted stones to crocheted toys, residents brought colour, character and creativity to the craft tables at Longridge

Several residents in the Monday group are also part of the Paeroa Quilt Group. Right now, they’re midway through a Mystery Quilt, a project that usually takes a year but is being tackled in just six months. The final quilt top will be single bed sized and then layered with batting and backing before being quilted, either by a professional or one of the residents who prefers to do it themselves.

Jean, one of the regulars knows her way around fabric. At 13, she was accepted into a London technical college for needlework, not the usual path, and went on to study Ladies Tailoring at the London College of Fashion. She later worked in the clothing trade as a pattern grader and cutter. Her quilting journey began in 1999 and hasn’t slowed down since. She’s entered judged quilt shows, sold work, donated pieces for raffles, and given away more than a few just because. “I love the piecing,” she says. “It’s therapeutic.”

A Craft Day That’s More Like a Showcase

Last November, Longridge held a Craft Market Day, and the response was bigger than expected. With so many residents involved and not enough table space to go around, stalls were spread out across the village. The Longridge van made loops between villas. Visitors browsed, bought, chatted, and admired.

There were quilts, Christmas decorations, teddy bears, baby clothes, knitted garments, jewellery, needlepoint art, carved wooden bowls, and even a brewing demo.

(Yes, we have a few traditional brewers here too.)

The quality was high. The creativity was on full display. It wasn’t just a market; it was a village show in the truest sense.

There were fabric storybooks made for children, festive Santa decorations, hand-embroidered cushions, and colourful homeware pieces. Every table offered something different, and the variety of skills on display was nothing short of impressive.

Nothing store-bought here. Just the clever hands of Longridge locals.

Hand turned wooden bowls and colourful quilting made by Longridge residents, on display at the Craft Market

The next one is locked in: Saturday 18 October, 10am to 4pm

It’ll be advertised in town and online. Expect more stalls, more skill, and plenty of things worth taking home.

It’s fair to say that Longridge isn’t just full of friendly faces, it’s full of creative ones too. The residents here bring decades of experience, practical skills, and a genuine love of making to everything they do. Management helps by making space, encouraging ideas, and supporting events like these, but it’s the residents who drive it.

So, if you’re planning to visit, keep an eye out for the quilting needles, the paint pots, and the occasional teddy bear. They say it takes a village. Well, this one stitches, glues, spins, and carves while it’s at it, and you’ll see it for yourself in October.

More Than Just Crafty

Jean’s story is just the tip of the thimble. We’ll be sitting down with her soon for a proper chat about her London beginnings, her years in the fashion trade, and why quilting still brings her joy. Like many here at Longridge, she brings decades of skill and creativity to every project. We’ll be sharing more resident stories over time. Keep an eye on our blog if you enjoy a good yarn, the crafty kind or the storytelling kind. We’ve got both.

Also, mark your calendar. The next Craft Market Day is happening Saturday 18 October from 10am to 4pm. If you’d like to get reminders or updates before the big day, just flick us an email at info@longridgecountryestate.co.nz and let us know you’d like to stay in the loop.

And there’s more where that came from. Crafting is just the beginning. If you’re curious about village life at Longridge or want to see it for yourself, get in touch, we’d love to show you around.