Hello there!
This is my first blog for the British Craft House and indeed, my first ever blog, anywhere! So please settle down with a cuppa and indulge me by reading on…..
…first, a little about myself. I’m Michele, I live in Berkshire in the south of England and I’ve been a sewist and crafter for many years. I first started selling my makes online in 2016 and now work full time in my business, regularly putting in 60 hour weeks. I’m not complaining though – I love what I do, even though about half of my time seems to be spent on admin! (Yukk!!) I’d heard great things about the British Craft House and how it supported sellers and insisted that all items for sale should be handmade, so it was the perfect fit for me. I’m so glad that I was accepted to join in the summer of 2023 and I’m really looking forward to my first Christmas season selling on TBCH.
So, (or should that be “sew”?! – don’t worry, you’ll get used to my crazy puns), what is it that I make and sell? Well, at this time of year I always have some fabric Advent Calendars for sale. They are the perfect sustainable alternative to those horrible cheap cardboard things that you can buy in supermarkets. My Advents are made from printed fabric panels, with individual pockets that you can fill with your own treats. I include a quality wooden dowel and a hanging ribbon, so all you need to do is find a handy wall hook or nail and simply place your new Advent Calendar onto it! How easy is that? I’ve had fantastic comments from my customers, telling me how the Advent Calendar that they purchased from me will become a part of their traditions every Christmas season. There was one lady who purchased two, for her elderly father to gift to his great grandchildren so that they would think of him in future years whenever they hung up their Advent Calendars (and this is why I love what I do!!).
Speaking of traditions, we all love a bit of Christmas decor don’t we? Personally I’m a bit of a minimalist, preferring to have just a few Christmassy pieces dotted around the house. To this end they need to be eye catching and interesting, which is why I love to have a good festive table runner on my dining table so that every meal throughout December has that special festive feel. The big glittery turquoise and silver star that you can see in this blog’s picture is actually part of my Winter Stars quilted patchwork Table Runner, which you will (of course!) find for sale in my TBCH shop. This lovely runner features some lovely fabrics, including birds and winter foliage (just seen on the edges of the photo). I really enjoyed making it and am thinking of using this pattern again with a different combination of fabrics – perhaps pastel shades for the spring or golds and reds for summer – because it will look totally different. That’s the great thing about One of a Kind pieces – you get original and unique and can be proud that nobody else has exactly the same piece as you! If you have any colour combination ideas of your own, please feel free to contact me as I accept commissions and would be delighted to make you a table runner exactly to your requirements.
Well, I think that I’ve probably wittered on enough for now, especially as this is my first blog. I’ll just quickly mention that I make all sorts of bags – quilted totes, shoulder bags, handbags and also decorative fabric covered trinket boxes. Oh and lots of cushions too, either patchwork or hand embroidered or a combination of both! I’d love it if you would visit my British Craft House shop, Four Seasons By Michele, so that you can see the entire range of my makes and hopefully treat yourself to something nice, or tick a couple of gifts off your Christmas shopping list!
Is it time for another cuppa yet? Bye for now….