Textiles and creativity have been a part of my life for a very long time, my maternal ancestors were weavers in Lancashire and my paternal ancestors were wooden boat builders in Somerset.
As a little girl I remember my Nana visiting at Christmas and hand repairing our years worth of worn out clothing, and the pillowcases she embroidered for us all. My mums knitted cardigans that united us as one matching family and my dad’s hand made rugs on our bedroom floors.
Dolls and doll making was also a huge part of my childhood and was enthusiastically encouraged by my mum who took me to the big department stores with the fancy doll displays.
My first handmade doll was a topsy-turvy Cinderella doll, bought from a Salvation Army Christmas fair and she still has pride of place in my bedroom almost 50 years later. With such a great history it was probably inevitable that making textile dolls would become a large part of my life.
I graduated from Huddersfield University with a degree in textile Arts & Crafts and the Worshipful Company of Woolmen, Wool Innovator of the Year award for my crochet dolls.
You’ll find a wide variety of dolls styles and other toys that spark memory and creativity on my website and in the shop, and I hope you find something that brings you a renewed sense of Joy.
I’d love to hear from you, especially your own tales of textile history and the little handmade treasures that spark your memories.
Joy Renewed 