March Meet the Maker - Week 3

Day 14 

How I learnt - having started on the floor 

of my bedroom (see Day 2), I left paper 

behind to do a degree in Theatre Design at 

Nottingham Trent University (though 

there was plenty of pattern cutting involved in that). I returned to textiles as a hobby and 

enjoyed seeing then one unremarkable 

day in a creative textiles class our 

teacher asked us to do a collage and 

all the joy of childhood flooded back. 

From there I’ve kept pushing myself 

and the paper to see what I can do with it.

Making a fair few mistakes and happy 

accidents along the way. 

Day 16

Work place tidy/messy - as has been well documented I’m a messy worker (guilty). My studio is currently in the window of our guest bedroom which means I have to tidy madly when someone actually wants to stay over. I did have the run of the back bedroom for several years, but it was requisitioned a couple of years back for home office for my husband. 

In truth I didn’t properly move out and As a consequence my paraphernalia is

scattered between the two rooms. It is therefore a dream of mine to one day

have a Studio where all my stuff can 

be in one place. I’m not sure it would 

make me any tidier mind. 

Day 20

Design process - I sketch my design first onto pattern paper, which is like a thick tracing paper. Then print stick the pieces of paper in place. Once varnished and allowed to dry the pieces of the puzzle can be layered into place like a set design.

Day 21 #throwbackthursday 

Kettle Chips - back in 2013 I was runner up in last years Kettle Chips Craft Challenge judged by Kirsty Allsopp

Day 22

Proud of....

Almost 10 years ago I attended a creative textiles course at Truro Library and after it finished a small group of us asked if we could start a free crafting group. It didn’t have any rules, the idea was simple, bring what you were working on (or just yourself) have a cuppa and a chat with likeminded ladies. The group grew slowly at first and we thought it was 

only a few of us that wanted/needed it. However, by 2012 there were enough members to have our first craft fair and since then we’ve grown and grown. Material Girls raise money for local charities as well as offering their creativity to local causes and most importantly each other. Last year they yarn bombed Royal Cornwall Museum which was later separated to make scarfs for the homeless in Cornwall. This group has taught me many new skills, but also the humility and power of female (and occasionally male) friendship. I am so proud to be a co founder of such an unique group. There is no age limit to our group we’ve had babies in arms and ladies in their 90’s. All are welcome and did I mention we eat cake too!!

See Instagram for more....