I was drawn to Anna Kime’s work from the first time I saw it.  I wanted to hold it in my hand and run it down my cheek.  I wanted it to sit on a shelf in my house so I could pick it up from time to time.  It reminded me of curios that you might discover when you pull open a museum drawer or pieces that you might find washed up on a beach.  Treasure.  To take home and display amongst feathers and dried flora. To enjoy always.

We discovered that we take inspiration from the same sources.  The sea. A harbour. Fisherman’s knots and nets, woven wicker baskets, shells entwined in hemp. Fluidity of fabric.  The perfect imperfect.

The white porcelain is the perfect backdrop for colour.  The naive shapes calling out to be wound with rope, to dangle and twist.  To move. To be encased but to be freer than before. 

The exhibition ‘Feeling Fabric’ ran at The Scottish Gallery from 30th October to 26th November 2019. It provided me with an opportunity to make some one-off pieces. I started by experimenting with some existing designs, making bigger, bolder versions of my most popular everyday necklaces. Through this process of making, play and experimentation, some new designs also emerged.

These necklaces are large, bright and playful, but still light and easy-to-wear. They are statement pieces, designed to be as impactful as the outfit they are worn with.

Fashioning my own cord to make necklaces out of was something that had been in my head for a long time and I knew that talented seamstress Sarah Wand at Craft was just the person to help me.  Together we experimented with sewing fabric tubes and threading with rope which I was then able to knot into my established necklace designs. All fabrics used were deadstock and included sumptuous velvets to vintage cotton stripes. Each design is limited in number due to the ethical way that we sourced the fabrics.

Kate Beaumont is a local Sheffield wedding dress designer who makes beautifully understated gowns. When she approached me to stock my gold and silver pieces in her shop I suggested that we could make a piece that was a collaboration of the two of us.  So we settled on sand casting one of Kates beautifully intricate vintage buttons in recycled silver and making it into a stunning pendant.

I worked with Guesthouse Hotels on their Do Not Disturb signs for their York hotel which opened in November 2021. They wanted something that would let staff know not to disturb the guests but that was also stylish and handmade, a step away from the traditional do not disturb signs. We settled on the colour and design to complement the beautiful interiors of the hotel. I have also been lucky enough to attend the opening evening of the York hotel and spend a wonderful night at the hotel with my eldest daughter in 2023, I would definitely recommend a stay at one of their hotels.