Meet the Maker - Daisychain Designs

A week, only a week to go, and more Meet the Makers to squeeze in :)

Now it is the turn of Jo Tinley also know as Daisychain Designs !



What got me into crafting?

I’m really lucky that I come from a family where crafts were always valued and I was encouraged to knit, crochet, embroider, glass paint and lots of other crafts from an early age. I’ve still got a couple of pieces of (very simple!) jewellery that I made when I was about 11, and although I still do lots of other crafts, working with silver is definitely my passion.
It wasn’t until my little boy was born and I left full-time teaching that I turned a lucrative hobby into a business. I now work from home in a fully kitted out shed in the back garden where I can solder, cut and hammer silver to my hearts content and I love it!
It’s great being able to work my business around my family. I love passing on the jewellery making addiction too – I offer one-to-one private silversmithing tuition, teach workshops to small groups at home and teach City and Guilds Jewellery Making for Eastleigh College.

What’s the best thing about making your jewellery?

That I never stop learning and I can get inspiration from so many things around me – a pattern glimpsed on a piece of material may inspire the creation of a pendant by the following week. A fellow silversmith in the same craft guild as I belong to (Wessex Guild of Craftsmen) taught silversmithing for several decades, and told me that no matter how long I develop my skills there will always be something new to learn, and I really enjoy that challenge.



What Handm@de stuff do you have your eye on?

Where do I start?! I’m definitely going to have to ask a friend to come and help me on the day so that I can have a good browse and buy!
I’m really looking forward to see Quercus Silver's resin work as I love her use of colour. Then there’s Raspberry's beautiful bags (you can never have too many bags or too much jewellery as far as I’m concerned), 23 Beech Hill's gorgeous textiles, and Penny Spooner's cool ceramics – please, everyone, buy my jewellery so that I can spend the money on the other stalls!
I do at least half a dozen craft shows a year, but Winchester Handm@de is definitely the one I’m most excited about as it seems so fresh and there will definitely not be any mass produced products!



Some great selections there from Jo, and also very true about Handm@de, no re-selling, all made by the person behind the table! Lots more Meet the Makers this week, keep your eyes peeled for them!!

Meet the Maker - Carole King

10 days to go, I can hardly believe it!!! Time to fit at least another three or even four Meet the Makers in! So here is tonight's, it's Carole King, a very talented artist, and creator of lovely books.



What got you into making and creating?

Both my parents have always made things - marionettes, steam engines, clothes, working models, toys so it has rubbed off on their children- we all make things too.
I was introduced to various forms of printmaking when I trained as a teacher and have loved getting inky fingers ever since- there is always something slightly unpredictable about the results, which makes the whole process fascinating.
The books and cards came as an extension of the printing process- there are always so many test prints and experiments that are just asking to be used up in some way. Our annual Christmas card is becoming a collectors item.



What is the the best thing about making books?

The first books I made were sketchbooks for my own use: the manufacturers ones were never seemed quite the right shape or size and so I started making my own. Now I make books for all sorts of purposes; sketchbooks of different sizes and shapes-from pocket upwards, and notebooks: from tiny purse sized minibooks to special ones with pockets for keeping special letters or momentos. All are either completely hand stitched and bound or just covered with my own hand printed papers.

What Handm@de stuff do you have your eye on?

I am looking forward to seeing fiveinthemorning's prints and Paperleaf always have interesting and quirky images for their cards however its always the unexpected that I like to find at craft fairs and of course the interesting people that you meet!



Thanks so much Carole, it is always great to be able to feature sellers create slightly different pieces, and something that you yourself can be creative with : )

Meet the Maker - Corryvreckan

It's official Handm@de Winchester is full and raring to go! The last tables have been paid for, the postcards are out and about, so Hi if you have picked one up and found yourself here!

Still have some Meet the Makers to fit in before the big day, so please find out about Rachel Simpson, better know as Corryvreckan!



What got you into crafting?

I have always done some sort of craft, my mum taught me sewing and knitting but I preferred spending time hammering stuff at my dad's workbench. I always loved crafts at school and had a progressive junior school where if you worked hard and completed all tasks early you could go and spend the rest of the day in the pottery corner with the clay! I started a jewellery course at Whitehouse Arts in Cambridge about 5 years ago after wanting something a bit more long term as a hobby than the watercolour work I had been doing. With great tutors and facilities it all snowballed from there and I haven't looked back since. There's just so much to learn with metalworking that I think I've found my lifetime hobby. For example, I've recently taught myself pearl stringing and that's led on to me working on designs for new silver clasp endings for strung pearls as I'm not keen on the commercially available ones.



What is the best thing about making jewellery?

My work is heavily inspired by the seaside and I enjoy developing a design based on memories of the Norfolk coast. I remember textures and movement of light from spending along time living, walking and cycling around there. I work hard trying to recreate image into precious metals and then into a final piece. I make pieces that I like but the bonus pleasure is when someone also loves your work and gets pleasure from wearing it.

What Handm@de stuff do you have your eye on?

Quercus Silver, particularly the hewn bracelets. Also Hodge Podge Arts, her work is so diverse and creative. I have a large mouse button from Handmade Cambridge that will be sewn onto a cardigan my sister knitted for me.



Thanks Rachel, so much lovely stuff, and so much more to see at the Guildhall on 5th July!

Watch out for those postcards and posters in you live or work in Winchester, another Meet the Maker this week : )

Meet the Maker - 23 Beech Hill

Back again with another Meet the Maker after the postcard adventure, and hello if you are coming her for the first time after picking up one of the cards :) Please have a look around and visits our artists!

So this time on Meet the Maker it is time to say a big hello to 23 Beech Hill, also known as Laurie Redman!



What got you into crafting?

I can't remember a time that I wasn't being creative. I think my first memory of being creative was when I was about 6 years old. I would pull out the books from my parents bookcase that had a blank page at the beginning or end. Drawing paper must have been short ! Hey, I was just expressing my early creative flair. That's what I tell my parents now when they remind me of it. Still, better than drawing on the walls I suppose.
I always drew horses. Prancing horses, rearing horses, standing horses. Always horses. And my passion for horses has always remained.

At school, I achieved a grade 'A' in 'O' Level Art and also studied 'A' level Art and History of Art. Unfortunately the pull of working with animals was too great for me and I left my studies to become a Veterinary Nurse before taking my final exams. I did however pass my mock 'A' level exam with a grade 'A' before leaving.

I continued to dabble in watercolour painting and painted animal portraits for friends and family. However, my career took a different path and I never seemed to find the time to paint. This drought went on for many years. I got married and had my beautiful daughter, Tilly. When she was three years old I decided that I needed to plan for the day that she started full time school. I'd been a full time mum and I didn't want to be left at home missing my little girl.
So, one day I bought a sewing machine. Friends and family thought it was hilarious - I'd been asked to leave needlework at school ! Hopefully my work speaks for itself now.
If only that Needlework teacher could see me now ...



What is the best thing about creating your textile items?

I find it incredibly satisfying when a textile piece comes together after starting life as a doodle. I love colours, I love mixing the 'not so obvious' together. I love experimenting. I love the time that I have in my sunny little studio listening to the radio. I love to work whilst Tilly is being creative at her little table in my studio too. I love my Springer Spaniel, Archie, snoring underneath my sewing table. I love to hear people say 'Ooh, that's lovely'. I love the satisfaction that comes with making an appreciated , quality BRITISH handmade item.

What Handm@de stuff do you have your eye on?

Funky Mutts. Having a dog myself I can't wait to see their range of gorgeous goodies.



Thanks Laurie, it is great to have such a diverse and exciting selection of items that will be at Handm@de Winchester, remember it is now only 3 weeks away!!

Postcard printed!

I collected the postcards for Handm@de Winchester today, very exciting!!



These are to go to all the stall holders, and to advertise the event in Winchester, so if you live in Winchester, watch out!

Another Meet the Maker coming soon :)

Meet the Maker - Hatastic!

Creeping closer now, 4 weeks to go before we open at 10.30am on 5th July at the Guildhall! So without further ado, please welcome Hatastic! also known as Chloe!



What got you into crafting?
I've always had a keen interest in making things. Usually it comes about when I want something a little bit different, either in my house, or to wear and either I can't find it, or when I do its too expensive for my budget, so I make it instead!

What is the best thing about making making your range of items?
The satisfaction and thrill of having made something and it gets noticed and complimented on is the best. Before I started selling my hats, people used to come up to me and asked where I hat bought my hat! Wish I had had some business cards then!



Tell us something about yourself that people might not know?
I was Young Clothes Show Designer of the Year when I was 16.

What Handm@de stuff do you have your eye on?
There are a lot of things I love but I'll try to pick three:
I adore 'Chaise by Me' by Emma Hedley - such fun!
'Lovebirds' by Made with Love is going to be my definite treat as soon as I can!
Last but definitely not least is More Cake Designs Children's Mushroom/Toadstool Applique Cotton t shirt - TOO CUTE!

Who would you like to see dressed up in one of your pieces?
Ooo it would have to be people like Erin O'Connor, Alison Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy, Bjork and even Lady Gaga! C'mon - you know you want to...

Having only begun my business in March in this year, so much has happened! I have a 10 piece order, two commissions for bespoke pieces and next week a very exciting meeting to provide a service making bespoke headdresses for an ethical wedding dress service. But I have to say the buzz started with my application to attend my very first craft fair with Handm@de. I can't wait to see first hand what people say about my current collection!



What a fantastic Meet the Maker, thanks Chloe, and congratulations on winning the 'Fashioning Technology' competition on Folksy!!

More soon : )

Meet the Maker - Paperleaf

It's hot here, and we are now moving in the last month before Handm@de Winchester, so getting very warm indeed :)

Once again, it is time to Meet the Maker, and I would like to introduce you to Paperleaf, also known as Kate!



What got you into crafting?

Growing up I only had a passing interest in craft - my gran taught me to knit and crochet, but I was always more of a science nerd than cool art student. I only discovered how much I enjoyed making things when I moved to Oxford a few years ago and joined the knitting society at my college. When planning our wedding last year, we decided to do most things ourselves as we were on a budget. I had so much fun designing and making our invitations with my newly acquired Gocco machine that it turned into a full-blown hobby, and then Paperleaf was born so that I had an excuse to keep making!

What is the best thing about making stationery?

Well, it's great to have a never-ending supply of cards for when I've forgotten someone's birthday! I also love hunting down the images I use on my cards, which mainly come from old copyright-free books that I find in Oxford's Bodleian Library. And I've met some great people through the craft scene - both online and in real life, having taken part in the previous two Handm@de fairs at Oxford and Cambridge!




What Handm@de stuff do you have your eye on?

There are lots of sellers at Winchester who I haven't seen before so I can't wait to check out everyone's creations... I'm especially looking forward to meeting Frankie from Swell Vintage - she's such a cool and crazy chick, and her jewellery is amazing! And also excited to catch up with Vanessa (Monda) - she was my next-door neighbour at Oxford Handm@de and I just love her little monster creations!



Well it is just over a month to go, and I only have one table left, so if you are out there, and maybe make things from wood, or traditional sweeties, but you make it and it is totally individual, and you would like to take part, please mail me at handmadewinchester @ raspberry . co . uk

See you soon!!