PROPERTY guru Kir­stie Allsopp recently visited Cowslip Work­shops at Laun­ceston as part of her new show which starts tonight (Thursday) on Channel Four.

For new programme 'Kirstie's Homemade Home', Ms Allsopp was helped to make a quilt by Jo Colwill, owner of Cowslip Workshops.

The new series follows Kirstie as she transforms a dilapidated country cottage at Welcombe into the ultimate homemade home, using traditional methods and crafts.

In each episode, Kirstie will use a range of crafts to decorate and accessorise the home, and visit auction houses to furnish it — as well as hunting out reclaimed pieces to restore.

Kirstie, who also co-presents property shows 'Relocation Relocation' and 'Location Location Location' with Phil Spencer, learnt 18 different crafts for the series, many of them from local people, including quilting, flower arranging and glass blowing.

Jo Cowling helped Kirstie to make a quilt for her two sons. Jo has worked in textiles all her life and has designed and made many patchwork quilts. As well as a shop, Cowslip hosts numerous workshops and weekly classes and activites.

Kirstie said: "I want to prove that you can create something unique and wonderful using amazing artisans from the West Country and around the UK rather than going down the same old mass produced route. I think it is possible to budget sensibly and buy British and I'm keen to show that."

Kirstie, who ran a property search company in London, bought the house in Welcombe with her husband, property developer Ben Anderson, last year. No-one had lived in the house for 37 years when the couple bought it.