About me
I have been sewing since I was very young. I didn’t learn anything about sewing from my Mum, she was a knitter, and made our cardigans and jumpers, but my Dad taught himself to sew using my Nan’s old Pfaff sewing machine (one of the old hand crank models), and I too learnt to sew on this machine. People were always amazed that he made mine and my sister’s dresses! So I suppose I come from a creative family, in fact my Dad’s Dad was an upholsterer. My Dad was always making things for us children. I remember him making cardboard Thunderbird models and a garage with a working lift for my brother, and a dolls house for me, and dolls bedroom sets for me and my sister that included bunkbeds, wardrobes and dressing tables. Unfortunately neither my daughter nor my son seem to have inherited the ‘crafty’ gene, but I can see a little of it in my grandchildren.
My Dad was an inspiration and a great teacher. At first I didn’t really know what I was doing, my first attempt at making a dress for my doll was basically a tube with holes cut in for the arms! Not technically brilliant, but I was delighted that I had made something that my doll could actually wear. At school we were taught cross-stitch and I remember making a sewing needle book, In fact they thought me so good that I was asked to help the younger children. In my last year at junior school the girls had to make a completely hand sewn sleeveless blouse – lots of backstitching in that! At secondary school I continued to learn and even made my own school summer dress.
Since then I have made everything from clothes for myself and my daughter, to curtains and soft furnishings. In fact I had my own business making the latter for a few years. I gave up my curtain making business, (not because it wasn’t successful – it was, I had a three month waiting list), but to look after my Granddaughter so that my Daughter could go back to work. Once she started school I got a part time job working as a merchandiser for a well known greetings card company. Gradually the job changed, became more pressured and my hours were cut, and I soon started hankering after working for myself again. I began thinking about making bags – why? I don’t really know where the idea came from, but it did and it stuck. So having nursed this ambition for a couple of years, I finally took the plunge and left my job in June 2010. On October 23rd of that year I launched Wild Rose Designs, selling handmade evening bags. I’ve since added everyday bags, accessories and accessories for the home as a nod to my former soft furnishings business. I also offer a bespoke service.
My inspiration
I love beautiful things! I have neither the income nor the lifestyle where I need lots of fabulous evening bags, but they’re so gorgeous that I just want to make them. I draw inspiration for a lot of my evening bags from the Hollywood glamour of the 1930’s, I do love a bit of bling! For my everyday bags, the chic designs of the 1960’s give me lots of ideas. For my home accessories it can be anything from retro, to ostentatious silks and velvets in rich jewel colours. Anything beautiful really.
I feel very privileged to have been able to set up a business doing what I love.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.