I'm asked ...

When did you first start making anything and what was it ?

About 3 or 4 years old - a 'teddy bear' for my sister.

Have you always been interested in crafts ? 

Yes ... growing  up in West London in the early 1950s with wartime 'Make-Do-and-Mend' still flourishing, 'crafty' relatives would show me 'how to do it'.

What was your first textile craft?

Possibly FRENCH KNITTING … aged about 5 to make some dressing gown cords as  presents.

When did you start to knit and crochet ?

Between 6 or 7 ... making things like egg-cosies and scarves (as gifts for Christmas or birthdays) - often using large wooden needles.

Why did you start to sew ? 

Soon after starting to knit and realising individual pieces needed joining together somehow! I dabbled with a crochet hook but soon found it was easier using a sewing needle!

Why did you begin embroidery ?

At school around 8 or 9, making gym bags and aprons was a suggested needlework exercise - decorating them with colourful stitches (eg. running stitch, cross-stitch or herringbone) worked on blue, red or green gingham fabric.

What of tapestry ? 

Rug canvas first - it had large holes and was easy to stitch using either yarn or fabric strips.

When did you first use a sewing machine ?

I think about 10, just before going to grammar  school. The first machine was a black hand-turned Singer but by early teens, using an electric Singer with a few ‘utility’ stitches.

What of your interest in fabric and fashion?

It  began by making dolls clothes followed by the discovery of paper patterns, fabric and yarn remnants! At  almost 11, an entry in a local craft competition with a ‘highly commended’ certificate, ‘sparked off’ the idea of becoming a fashion designer! 

Do you only work with fabric-based crafts?

No, my interest is with many crafts ... generally including  those defined as working with a ‘needle & thread’ - an extensive range which over the years just keep growing!

What is your favourite item of clothing to make and why ?

Evening wear for making dolls clothes when I started sewing and still is now when making for adults. When young, I had a vivid imagination - dolls would go somewhere special and be transformed (like Cinderella) in fairy-tale style stories ... disguising their evening clothes under day or night wear! 

When did you first make your own clothes ?

As a teenager, as soon as an electric sewing machine was used! The first outfit made was from my father's de-mob suit - a 1940s 2-piece pin-striped suit, unpicked and transformed into a 3-piece for myself. With a waistcoat, flared trousers (turn-ups) and a jacket, it easily captured the spirit of the 1960s.

Which patterns did you first use ?

Teenage magazines in the 1960s often included instructions of how to adapt and make fashionable clothes - 2 personal favourites were Honey & Petticoat as they both featured popular and boutique-style patterns.