81 BUSINESS INTERIOR DESIGN MASTERS The London Loom was the first time I had turned a creative idea of mine into reality and I worked with amazing institutions like Tate and Southbank Centre. I spent most of lockdown renovating my flat and working on my sewing and then studying upholstery. I love working with textiles and I’ve started designing my own fabrics which may or may not have something to do with one of the collabs I was talking about… Have you seen a boom in the craft industry since the Pandemic? I think a lot of people got really interested in garment sewing during lockdown because they suddenly had time to do it and the shops were closed. I think garment sewing is incredible - fast fashion is so scary for endless environmental and ethical issues - but also the fit always sucks and the quality isn’t made to last. No one is a standard shape and I think being a teenager in the early 2000s the way clothes were designed was also awful for my selfconfidence and body image. When you sew your own clothes, you have total autonomy. I love to buy vintage fabrics online and in charity shops and also love that so many fabric shops now focus on deadstock which means you can not only make bespoke clothing but it can be pretty guilt free. What’s the once crafty item you couldn’t live without? My sewing machine, I have four but the one I’m probably most attached to is a 1970s vintage metal domestic Bernina 707 which just glides through dress fabrics. I even brought that machine with me to Swansea to help me get through all the cork I had to sew for the cafe in episode 4. Where’s your go-to place to shop for fabrics and sewing materials? I’m very lucky living in Hackney, I live amongst loads of amazing fabric places. I love New Craft House for stunning designer deadstock fabrics. I bought the fabric for the dress I wore in the final of the show from NCH, it was an incredible primary coloured splodge silk. I also like WoolCrest Textiles and Dalston Mills Fabrics. William Gee is amazing for any tools or supplies and I love Ultimate Crafts in Stoke Newington. I also love Liberty, it is my dream to collaborate with Liberty fabrics. Do you visit any crafty consumer or trade shows? I used to do some trade shows for The London Loom so they feel a lot like work now, however I do pop into them when they’re in North or East London to visit all the amazing women I know who run craft businesses; they’re so enterprising and creative. I love being part of the craft business world, it’s something I cherish so much from running my workshop. What can we expect from you in the future? I want to work on more interiors projects. I love transforming spaces so much. I also want to work on my own textiles and homeware products and also want to start my own line of chic clown suits. I don’t miss teaching workshops but I do miss giving talks and meeting people with the same passions as me, so this is also something I’m working on. Do you have any tips for people looking to start their own crafty venture be that in retail/ publishing or creating a creative workspace? The main thing to focus on is your USP - what is it you want to offer or deliver and how can you make that as clear to your customer as possible? Then I’d say just go for it, there’s no right time and you can find so many advice resources at different libraries or local councils or mentoring schemes to help you set up. Craft businesses can be very seasonal too so it’s definitely something to consider - if you’re likely to have a lul in summer what can you do to pick up in the warmer months?
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