A handmade craft stall event will be held in Brendale this July, led by volunteers from The Nest Community and hosted at the Gladys Mary Studio.
Event Overview
The Nest Community will hold its next craft stall from 9 to 12 July in Brendale. The stall will take place at The Nest’s Gladys Mary Studio, located next to The Nest Haberdashery at The Sheds, 2A/264 South Pine Road. Operating hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Visitors can expect a wide range of handmade goods created using donated and reclaimed materials. Items on offer include hand-knitted babywear, crocheted handtowels, colourful cushions, sturdy tote bags, lavender bags, and more. Proceeds from the stall support women’s mentoring and programs run through the Textile Recovery Centre.
Background and Community Roots
The Nest Community began in 2012 as a small Saturday craft group for teenage girls in Fallon Cottage. Founders Roz Fenson and Jodie Behn noticed the therapeutic and social benefits of shared creative work, which led to the formal founding of The Nest Community in 2014.
From 2015 to 2023, the group operated from a heritage home in Everton Park, eventually gaining charity status and broader community support. Donations of textiles, often from deceased estates, shaped the development of The Nest Haberdashery as a social enterprise. By 2023, increased demand led to the group relocating operations to a larger facility in Brendale.

The new location offers greater accessibility and storage capacity, supporting a higher volume of activity. More than 500 women now access the Brendale site weekly as customers, volunteers, or program participants.
Craft With Purpose
The upcoming craft stall is part of The Nest’s broader mission to support community programs like the Exchange Project, which mentors teenage girls through skill-sharing in a safe and inclusive environment. The event is coordinated by a team of experienced volunteers, many of whom have been involved since the organisation’s earlier days.

Future Events
Another craft stall is scheduled to run from 27 to 30 November at the same Brendale location, offering additional opportunities to support the initiative.
What’s Next
The Nest’s Brendale craft stall continues to serve as a platform for sustainable craft, volunteer collaboration, and funding for social impact programs. It reflects a growing demand for community-driven markets with a purpose beyond commerce.
Published 29-May-2025