Rachael Lamb of Hannah Zakari fame!
I met Rachael back in 2004/2005 when we were both stall holders at The Miso Funky Market at Hillhead Library. Aaaah – those were the days! She was one of my very first crafty pals. We bonded over a mutual curiosity about Blythe dolls!
This is Rachael :)
Years later, and Rachael remains one of my top indie business idols. From starting her creative journey as a bag designer and jewellery maker, Rachael has since developed her Hannah Zakari brand and successfully grown one of the UK’s best online indie boutiques. Last year, Rachael opened her first bricks and mortar Hannah Zakari shoppe in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket. It is, unsurprisingly, beautiful.
Slighty worried I make a mess of my wall art and embarass myself infront of Rachael :/
Since Rachael was all too aware of my tendencies to make a dog’s dinner of even the simplest of sewing projects, she started me off easy. I wasn’t joking when I said I didn’t know how to stitch a button on properly – so Rachael’s embroidery hoop art fixed that! A simple project – yes, but one that requires a certain creative flair and tonnes of patience. For the care and attention you invest in this little project, the higher the impact of your finished piece. I now have stacks of embroidery hoop art adorning the walls of my house! One of my favourites of the book… Go get your button box out and have some fun!
Kirsty Anderson of Wooden Tree fame
Having discovered her work online and fallen in love with it, we invited Kirsty to take part in our first Made in the Shade boutique shopping events in 2008. It didn’t take long before we realised Kirsty was surely a good egg and we’ve been crafty pals ever since. She’s been hugely supportive of our Made in the Shade endeavours and since she’s quite the stitchin’ queen, it made absolute sense to ask her to supply a Wooden Tree design for the book.
This is Kirsty.
Kirsty is probably best described as an uber-thrifty, vintage lovin’ textile artiste! Like many of the makers featured in the book, she takes a wonderfully inspiring, organic approach to her work. That really shows and is deliciously appealing to me :) I hope you like it too.
This is Kirsty's amazing studio.
When I visited Kirsty’s studio in Edinburgh for my sewing lesson, I was hard pushed to stay tuned into the task at hand. Every nook and cranny of her creative space is home to some interesting artefact that made me ‘ooo’ and/or ‘aah’! The Hanging Tree project Kirsty contributed to this Busy Girl is a simple project but such a versatile one. Follow the rules maybe once or twice – then start shakin’ things up and see where the project takes you! That is, after all the spirit of the book :)
Doing as I'm told, stuffing my 'lil tree.
Misbehaving. Can't resist the opportunity to fashion a wadding beard.
Susie Brown aka Susie Maroon
Susie Maroon is one of my very favourite makers and one of the funniest gals I know. Another crafty pal gained through our Made in the Shade network, Susie’s work makes me whoop aloud and her chatter makes me guffaw like a pig.
This is Susie.
On the day of my sewing session, much guffawing and whooping could certainly be heard emanating from Susie’s PRISTINE studio space. I was excited to get my mitts on Susie’s fancy embroidery machine and felt truly honoured to be allowed a sneaky peep into Susie’s creative world. Together, we made a beautiful leather Phone Home – though while Susie demo-ed her special sewing gizmo, she made me stitch my leather phone case by hand. How mean!?
Susie's studio space. Swoon!
Good times.
The Phone Home project is flippin’ fabulous. Whether you work with leather (as I did), or if you decide to experiment with different fabrics, the result is a super stylish ‘lil DIY accessory. Make it your own, people! Make it your own!
Claire Brown of Miso Funky
Claire Brown has been stitching away in the Glasgow craft community for years and years and years. We first crossed paths around 6 years ago. Once upon a time, Claire and her crafty chums organised an ‘alternative’ craft market in Glasgow’s westend – I’d say, the very first of its kind in the local area. It was here I set up shop for the first time as ‘Lady Wurlitzer – purveyor of fine lather & bath products’. I do miss Lady Wurlitzer. Anyway, Miso Funky was instrumental in the subsequent development of the craft scene in Glasgow since it was here in the early days that businesses were roadtested, alliances were made, ideas were sparked and silly chat and bonkers ideas were turned into viable, workable projects! It would have been weird not to include Claire in the book.
She is a bit of a clever crafty all rounder, our Claire, but her Miso Funky label is probably now best known for funny, tongue in cheek cross-stitch captions. Claire’s stitchin’ catchphrases go on to form the basis of gifts and homewares – from mugs and teatowel designs to cushion covers, magnets and framed textile art.
Claire & I about to get started with some serious stitchin'. Limbering up!
I’ve always been a little bit intrigued by cross-stitch. I have a vague recollection of trying my hand at a kids’ cross-stitch kit when I was little. I think I enjoyed the process but, as was the case with most crafts, I didn’t have the patience to actually complete a project! I knew that if there was ever a time for me to re-engage with cross-stitch, this was it. The cross-stitch project in the book is only little – so ideal for completing before the patience runs out! Once you’ve gotten in the groove though, that’s when y’all can go off and tackle more complicated, larger pieces. Y’see?
I found this 'lil fella hanging out in Claire's sewing station. Super. Cute.
Jolene Crawford
Jolene feels a little bit weird having me refer to her in the book as a maker – though I’m not sure why. She may not make a living from crafting up a storm unlike some of the other contributors, but my word, the woman can sew! I met Jolene two years ago. She is a regular Maisonette customer and has been crazy suportive of Made in the Shade since we started our little business. The more we got to chatting over the shop counter, the more we realised we had in common. I was delighted to have Jolene agree to be part of the book.
Meet Jolene!
With a background in film and television, Jolene is truly one of the busiest girls I have ever met! She juggles work, home life, family, projects, campaigns and various labours of love like a pro. I was lucky she had time to set aside to teach me how to make her updated version of quilt art.
Getting to grips with the rotary cutter.
The pros help me out of a stitchin' fix!
As I learned, from sewing session to sewing session, these projects require a certain amount of spontaneity. As a stitcher, you need to be able to ‘go with the flow’. Going with the flow doesn’t really come naturally to me but once I’d found my little rythmn, I settled into the projects with much more ease. Do what you feel. See where you end up!
Happy sewing!
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