Woollen Designs

We spent a lot time together when we were in the same AS level Jewellery class at Sixth Form College.

I’m a knitwear designer in the hand knitting industry. After my A levels I went to Birmingham School of Jewellery to do a HND. I went from there to a job in the design department of a manufacturer in the Jewellery Quarter.

Following having a child, I could not commute to Birmingham anymore and I took office jobs closer to home. I was knitting in my spare time and I started to write my own patterns. There are a lot of skills I found I could transfer from jewellery design to knitwear design. The pieces I design are small – socks, hats, mittens. Now I have self published 5 books of patterns and most recently I have designed my own line of knitting yarns.

Publishing my first book. I learned a lot along the way and had help from a lot of great people, there was a week where I was sure I was going to die of stress but I made it through and I was incredibly proud!

Is there one piece of advice that you would give to someone thinking of starting their own creative business?

Believe in yourself and go for it! On the totally practical side – open a business bank account and keep things separate from the start. It will save A LOT of time and effort when you are trying to do your accounts.

How has running your business changed in the time you’ve been involved in the industry?

I started out producing digital pattern and working for magazines. Then I moved in to publishing physical books and selling my yarn directly to customers and through yarn shops around the world. I have learned to focus my time on what I good at and find solutions for the things I am not.

It’s very hard to do everything and I think it’s well worth considering how much your time is worth. It could be that you could pay an expert who can do a certain thing much quicker than you could do it. You could be doing something that will drive your business forward with the time you save.

I remember someone coming in to my school and talking about Marie Curie, it really resonated with me. It is so, so important for everyone to see female role models in areas that have been traditionally dominated by men. The whole ‘I cannot be what I cannot see’ is really important, representation matters.

I love wool, it’s tactile and warm. Woollen designs have a natural memory to them, so they’re great for knitting socks that won’t fall down! I’d like to do some more knitting with plant based fibres. Also, I’d like to knit some summer tops in linen blends. I’ve seen some interesting yarns using natural bamboo and nettle fibres recently. I have been thinking a lot about going back to the bench lately, I’d love to find some time and space to work with metal again.

I had a pendant my Grandad made, he used to polish stones and glued them to fittings. I’ve also got a collection of opals that were his, they mean a lot. Making jewellery was one of my grandads hobbies and knitting was my grandmas – I’m a like a mash-up of both their creative sides.

Things that can’t be replaced – time spent with people I love. Things I made at a particular time so they remind me every time I see them.