Flambards in Helston will provide the venue for Cornwall's first ever lace and thread festival tonmorrow.

The event, which is being opened by radio presenter Emma Lloyd, will celebrate traditional crafts including beading, crochet, patchwork, embroidery, lace-making, quilting and tatting. Groups from around the county are taking part and, as well giving demonstrations of their craftsmanship, examples of their prize-winning work, like The Mousehole Cat, will also be on display.

Jill Parkins, from the Penzance Lace Circle, said: "The festival is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to view beautifully made contemporary lace and thread designs and to see what people can create from the simplest things. There will be a continuous slide show of locally made work, some of which is awe-inspiring, and there will be a hands-on table for children who want to have a go at craftwork like beading, bobbin lace, cross stitch and French knitting."

Participating groups include the Bude Stitchers, Camborne Lace, Carnon Downs Lacemakers, Celtic Beaders, Guild of Needlelace, Les Carrek, Mount's Bay Ps and Qs, Penzance Lace Circle, Ring of Tatters, West Cornwall Embroiderers, West Country Embroiderers and Wheal Catherine Craft Circle from Par.

Sam Hearn, head of marketing at Flambards, said: "We are delighted to be hosting this inaugural event for Cornwall. Local lace-makers have been giving demonstrations in the Victorian Village every September for the last few years and they have always proved extremely popular. There are a lot of very talented people in the county and I have no doubt that visitors are going to be amazed what simple implements like needles, shuttles, bobbins and threads can achieve in their clever hands."

Suppliers attending the event are G J Beads, Guild of Needlelace, Iriss, Mainly Lace, R Beasant, Sally Reason Bobbins and Truro Fabrics.

The festival will run from 11am to 4pm on Saturday in the Kingsford Venue. For more information, contact Flambards on 01326 573404.