My textile life began early, Gran lived next door but one and taught me to knit, crochet, embroider and make rag rugs. So, after school, my obvious route in life was to work for BT for 25 years with zero chance of being involved with textiles except as a hobby.
Before leaving BT I took up felt making as a hobby and was continuing to sew, crochet and knit. I left work and became a gardener for a couple of years before looking around me for a new experience. Having gained my City & Guilds Certificate in Felt Making when it was a hobby it then seemed the obvious choice for a career. I’ve not looked back and continue to exhibit and sell and to pass on my knowledge through workshops.
I love colour and texture, and am inspired by details and textures in the natural world around me. I love to create and felt is wonderfully tactile to work with. My aim is to create beautiful pieces which people are drawn to touch, to enjoy and hopefully, to own.
During this woolly part of my textile journey journey I’ve become a partner of Adelaide Walker, which sells fibres and equipment, learnt to spin and have bought a loom and have become sufficiently proficient to begin offering beginners spinning and weaving classes. Inspired by time at Leeds Industrial Museum I’ve begun incorporating print into my work and am now exploring felt and pottery. I’m using this also in my work with Metaphor Textile Group where we’re currently working on combinations.
I’ve no idea where all this will take me but the best bit is all the fabulous people I’m meeting along the way.
My work has been published in Felt Matters and I have exhibited in Armley Print Fest, Wool Stories – The Felted Mills at Leeds Industrial Museum, Bradford Open, Bradford Art Trail, Ilkley Felt Trail, Felt United collaborative exhibition, Felt Contained exhibition in Swaledale, In the Garden touring exhibition, Knitting and Stitching Show IFA exhibition, Dying of the Sun in Perthshire, Trawden Art Trail, Farfield Mill, Art in the Pen and local galleries.