Meet The Team

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Ingleton, a small village in the Yorkshire Dales - famous for its caves and waterfalls. It’s very beautiful, but as a teenager I just couldn’t wait to leave to go to the big city! I’ve been in London 10 years, and I definitely appreciate the beauty of Ingleton and the area so much more now. I love to go back and visit family and walk in the dales and bump into everyone I used to go to school with in the chip shop.

Did you like making things when you were little?
My mum is very creative and would often encourage us to be doing or making something - I used to love drawing and making models out of plasticine. One of my earliest memories of making something would be doing cross stitch samplers, we would draw the pattern onto aida and sew them on long car journeys when going on holiday.

Do you think of yourself as creative?
Whilst I do like to have some form of crafty project on the go at all times, I wouldn’t say that I’m particularly good at thinking up new creative ideas myself - I find doing a workshop or a kit brings me most joy without what I find to be the stress of needing to think up something original. That’s where I find my relaxation - the zoning out and just doing what the kit or teacher tells me to do! I’ve definitely noticed however, since working at The Fabled Thread and being surrounded by creative and inspiring people has really meant that I have begun to do a lot more creatively than I had done in the good few years before, so I am finding my way slowly into trying new things - I recently got myself a sketchbook and have started doodling when I have a free moment.

Favourite book?
I read the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood when doing my English A-Level and it had a huge impression on me as a teenager. It’s one that I regularly go back to. I like it so much that I’ve purposely not watched the TV series that was made based on thebook in case it spoils it for me.

Favourite thing to listen to?
Before working at The Fabled Thread, I worked in music for nearly 10 years and so listening to, and seeing live music is something I love to do. Recently I’ve been enjoying listening to Cleo Sol who writes and sings beautiful R&B and Soul music.I also just love an Audiobook - especially to listen to if I’m either cleaning or sewing. Being from Yorkshire I try to only use my Audible credits on extremely long books that are over 20 hours long so as to get my money’s worth - I just finished listening to Fingersmith by Sarah Waters which was great!

What craft would you love to learn?
How to master wheel throwing - I’ve done a couple of hand building classes but the wheel is a total mystery to me and looks so fun - I’d also love to get my head around pottery glazes one day!

What’s your dream craft project?
I’d love to be able to make my own clothes and to create the perfect capsule wardrobe. Jen makes most of her own clothes so I am hoping to get some lessons!

What is your favourite kit?
I just finished stitching The Atlas Strongmen and have absolutely loved it - It’s a big piece which I’ve loved getting stuck into and trying out some new stitches. As it’s a freestyle kit, it doesn’t come with a stitch plan so you can choose what stitches and colours to use where, which for me has been a step into the unknown but I’ve found I’ve really enjoyed that process. 

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in sunny Croydon with my mum, dad, little bro and our treasured family dogs. My family have lived in London for ages (centuries in fact), in recent family history my grandparents lived in Peckham, and Brixton and my great grandparents in New Cross. We’ve even traced back my Great (x6) Grandad who lived in South-Greater London and was called Marmaduke!

Did you like making things when you were little?
All I wanted to do when I was little was create things, it was usually drawing or painting. When I wasn’t doing that I’d be making everyone I knew a macrame bracelet! And there was nothing that brought me as much joy as the stationery aisle at thesupermarket.

Do you think of yourself as creative?
I do! Being creative is woven throughout who I am and I didn’t realise how special being creative is until I was an adult. I genuinely don’t know what I’d be doing if I didn’t have creative hobbies and interests, or thinking about what to sew next!

Favourite book?
This might be the hardest question to answer as I love reading and the top spot changes frequently. Some honourable mentions would have to be Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore, the Lord of theRings trilogy (of course) and Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

Favourite thing to listen to?
When I’m working on one of my many hobbies I’ll often be listening to audiobooks or whilst cooking/doing the washing up, it has to be something like Abba or Queen, the type of songs you can sing loudly to and have a dance around the kitchen.

What craft would you love to learn?
The list is endless but right now it’s quilting. 

What’s your dream craft project?
I’m getting married next year and I’m hoping to sew my wedding dress (scary), the napkins, and also I want to marble the paper for the place settings, save the dates, invites and confetti cones but that might be just a tad over-ambitious. We’ve been asked a few times if it’s just an excuse for me to get creative and make everything I can, ha!

What is your favourite kit?
I’ve been sewing the Tiger and the Woodman Fable kit recently, which makes it my current fave. But I can’t stop eyeing up the bargello cushions especially The Weave in Yellow.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Bristol until I was 10 and then we moved to a small village in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. As a child I adored being in the middle of nowhere, however I definitely resented it during my teenage years. I have a new appreciation for it now and I am actually quite grateful I spent a lot of time being bored, I think it expanded my imagination. London is where I want to be for this chapter of my life but I can see myself moving back to somewhere rural eventually. 

Did you like making things when you were little?
I have always loved making things, in fact I did virtually nothing else when I was little. Some favourite projects would include paper dolls, clothes for Bratz dolls, homemade insect entomology frames (gross) and mud perfume.

Do you think of yourself as creative?
Yes, I think because I have always made, drawn or painted things I have always felt creative. I tend to think in moodboards, references and pattern recognition, rather than in information and logistics.

Favourite book?
Reading is not my strong suit so I don’t have a huge back catalogue, but I do remember being captivated by Lord of the Flies during my school years. I think studying a text made it much more enjoyable for me because I love character analysis and there are lots of themes and symbolism to pick apart in that story. A more recent book I liked was Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason. Not a beach read but beautifully written nonetheless.

Favourite thing to listen to?
Music always! I do enjoy podcasts, but more often than not it’s music. Every month I make a playlist of all the songs I love and then listen to that exclusively until the next month. I find that way, I am always collecting new favourites and then certain songs will remind me of very specific memories later down the line. Currently, the artists I am listening to the most are Lizzy McAlpine, Dominic Fike, Royel Otis, Mk.Gee and Kacey Musgraves. 

What craft would you love to learn?
There are so many crafts I would love to learn but top of the list is silversmithing. I am obsessed with personal style and fashion plus I think I would really enjoy the detailed, technical process of jewellery making. 

What’s your dream craft project?
My dream craft project (if you can include this as craft) might be building a house! However that is extremely ambitious, so perhaps I will say making a set of chairs and a table. I really like the idea of making something you can use for a lifetime from scratch, using natural materials. I think that would be extremely satisfying. 

What is your favourite kit?
At the moment I am sewing my first ever kit, one of the Fables, which I am really enjoying. My favourites though are the tapestry kits, specifically the bargello. Again, perhaps it is because they are cushions; I love when craft meets function. I have my eye on one eventually.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, which is a lovely market town on the Welsh border. Since leaving home for university in Manchester I have lived all over England. We moved to London 7 years ago and absolutely love it, as do all our visiting friends and family.

Did you like making things when you were little?
Definitely! My first Saturday job was at a needlecraft shop called ‘Osa’s’, in Shrewsbury. As well as working in the shop I also used to stitch up the tapestry and cross stitch kits for display - bliss!

Do you think of yourself as creative?
I do. I enjoy dabbling in all sorts of crafts from encaustic wax, quilting, printing and of course embroidery, to name but a few. In the past I have put pressure on myself to be perfect which does not encourage creative freedom, but more recently have found myself being much more experimental and embracing imperfection, (well almost)!

Favourite book?
Many years ago, whilst on work placement at IKEA, Wembley and before smart phones or the internet, I read a book called 'Just Some Stories for Eleanor' by Stephen Pegg on my daily commute. It is about a father who, diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, writes stories about his life for his young daughter Eleanor so that she would know something of her father and his love for her. I still remember how it made me feel today.

Favourite thing to listen to?
I am a big musical theatre fan and love to listen to songs from the shows and yes, a bit of Elaine Paige on Sunday. My perfect afternoon is stitching whilst listening to an audio book - I’m currently really enjoying listening to a series of psychological thrillers by Freida McFadden.

What craft would you love to learn?
I would love to learn upholstery. I have an old chair that belonged to my husband’s Grandad. I stripped it right back about 15 years ago and have done nothing since. I firmly believe that everything is ‘work outable’, however, I have no idea where to start with upholstery and really should get myself booked on a course. 

What’s your dream craft project?
I adore craft books and working at The Fabled Thread am completely inspired by the wonderful books Eppie has in the studio. I would really like a craft book that would help me understand the basics and then encourage me to break all the rules and find my own creative voice - I have followed other people’s rules for too long!

What is your favourite kit?
That’s a difficult one, because I love them all and have a fair few adorning my walls at home. I think the one that is most special, however, is The Fisherman, because it was my first kit from The Fabled Thread and re-ignited my passion for embroidery. I am currently stitching one of the Bargello's, which I am really enjoying - I like the counting element and the repetition and whilst I may have run out of wall space, you can never have too many cushions!

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a tiny village in Oxfordshire. I loved being surrounded by countryside, but as a teenager going to school in Oxford, I wished I lived closer to my friends. I've lived in London for over a year now and I definitely miss the green space, but love being able to access so many different inspiring things like exhibitions and shows. 

Have you always enjoyed making things?

Yes! I used to love drawing and painting in particular, and once I learnt how to knit, I knitted scarves and hats for my toys.

Do you think of yourself as a creative?

Yes, I've always thought of myself as a creative person - my family is much more creative than scientific. At school and during my bachelor's degree I always didart and writing in my spare time. Now, as an illustrator, I definitely think of myself as a creative, and am lucky enough to be able to make art every day.

What is your favourite book?

This is tricky, since there are so many books I love. Old favourites are One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Northern Lights trilogy, and Crime and Punishment. More recently I've loved Pachinko and How to say Babylon.

What do you love listening to?

When I'm illustrating, I love to listen to audiobooks or illustration podcasts, though when I need to concentrate more I listen to music. This can be anything - whether it's Miles Davis, Beyonce, the Beatles, or Little Simz. I like R&B, jazz, pop, rap, classical... There's not really a pattern!

What craft would you love to learn?

I would love to be able to make my own clothes!

Which is your favourite fabled thread kit?

I'm currently stitching the Crow and the Snake, which I love. I've also got my eye on the Just So cushions - I've never done needlepoint before and would love to give it a go while creating something practical.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a tiny town in Oxfordshire. Think Agatha Christie, Midsomer Murders etc. Whilst I love the greenery, I really do feel more at home in a bustling city with everything at my fingertips.

Did you like making things when you were little?
Drawing and making things are my most vivid and cherished memories of childhood. My mum encouraged creativity above all else, and even when I was too little to conjure up my own fully formed projects she would always involve me in hers. I was obsessed with books as a child and would write and illustrate my own books and leaflets on every topic under the sun, most often involving fairies and mermaids.

Do you think of yourself as creative?
I’m a very visual person, and although I think I sometimes lack the discipline to finish one project before I pick up another I really do trust my eye and I instinctually know what works for me and what doesn’t. I love drawing and painting most of all and can often be found drawing a stranger with a striking face on the tube.

Favourite book?
Any author who can build a rich sensory world appeals to me. It’s hard to choose one but Perfume by Patrick Süskind and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier are firm favourites. I’m also a big non fiction fan and have lots of books on mudlarking, witchcraft and neurosurgery.

Favourite thing to listen to?
If I’m doing something repetitive like embroidery I like listening to a true crime/ history podcast so I can fully absorb it. When I’m drawing or painting I like to have music on because it brings another element of joy to the process. I particularly like albums that have a strong visual narrative, Graceland by Paul Simon comes to mind.

What craft would you love to learn?
I’d love to learn how to make clothes and accessories - particularly knitwear. So often I’ll have a dream where I’m wearing a killer outfit and be dismayed upon waking to realise that said outfit doesn’t exist!

Do you have a dream craft book?
Most of the books on my wish list for inspiration sources are children’s picture books. There’s a new one i’d like which is Shakespeare’s first folio illustrated by Emily Sutton, whose work I really admire. I would also love to have some of Phoebe Wahl’s illustrated fairy stories.

What is your favourite kit?
Definitely the Elephant and Rat which I’ve just completed myself! It’s a bit like a take on an Indian miniature painting which I adore.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in South London with my mum, dad and older brother, alongside a menagerie of animals including cats, dogs, hamsters and chickens. I love where I grew up but I always longed to live in the countryside when I was little. 

Did you like making things when you were little?
I have absolutely always loved making things. My mum is an illustrator and really creative so I grew up with that being the norm. My favourite thing to do when I was small was drawing and decorating things. When I was about 6 my parents helped me redecorate my mums childhood dolls house - it was the most exciting thing to choose tiny wallpaper designs and find tiny boxes to repurpose into Sylvanian furniture.

Do you think of yourself as creative?
I suppose I would! Nothing else ever really interested me at school. I studied illustration at university and Fine Art and Printmaking for my MA so drawing and creating is just my daily life. All my free time is also spent trying to learn new crafts. In the last few years I have been very into crocheting - particularly making baby cardigans and bonnets!

Favourite book?
My favourite books are all children’s books! A few years ago I discovered a wonderful German children’s book called Duck, Death and the Tulip. It’s so beautifully illustrated and is so quiet and touching. Story wise, I love the Just William books by Richmal Crompton. they are the soundtrack to my childhood and they still make me laugh out loud.

Favourite thing to listen to?
I listen to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks while I work and draw. My favourites are RedHanded, Off Menu, and Off Air with Fi and Jane. Currently, though, I’ve been re-listening to another of my favourite books, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. It’s so comforting and full of charming turns of phrase that remind me of my wonderful Granny, and the way she, my mum, and I would speak to each other.

What craft would you love to learn?
I’m desperate to get better at knitting and be able to get further than endless straight lines that need to be completely unravelled if I make a mistake or drop a stitch! A lovely lady who lives near me has given me a lesson in casting on and off, so I’m hoping I can go back and see her for the next step, which is increasing and decreasing. Once I’ve got to grips with that, I’m hoping to start a cardigan pattern that I’ve had my eye on for a while.

What is your favourite kit?
I have only ever done a freestyle embroidery so far because I found it so difficult to choose which Fabled Thread one to try - I love them all! I have just got The Crab Who Played With The Sea needlepoint kit which I’m so excited to start. I also absolutely love The Fisherman and The Catch embroidery kits - I can’t resist anything nautical or with fish in the design!

Where did you grow up?
I grew up near Banbury, you might have heard the nursery rhyme?! Living in the middle of know where with many dogs, cats, chickens and a potbellied pig called Wendy was a lot of fun and much of it was spent outside.

Did you like making things when you were little?
Always! When I was little I used to draw in bed before going to sleep. I always kept myself busy with painting, drawing and my mother taught me how to use her sewing machine, we made a patchwork bag out of scrap fabrics she had collected over the years.

Do you think of yourself as creative?
Yes, I would think of my self as a creative. I have been doing pet portraits (Kitty Draws Dogs) for around 8 years which I love. I hope to branch out and experiment with painting much more than just animals! I have also done many tapestries and cross stitch projects which I adore.

Favourite book?
The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah is hands down my most favourite book. Set in Alaska just after the Vietnam war, a family moves for a new start. It follows the daughter and her parent’s relationship as a family and with their new surrounds. It’s epic, and will make you want to visit Alaska.

Favourite thing to listen to?
I love an audio book, you can completely submerge your self into a story without the ad breaks you get in podcasts. When I’m drawing I usually listen to crime thrillers or biography’s. Podcasts also have their place and I am currently obsessed with Miss Me.

What craft would you love to learn?
I would really like to learn to knit a chunky cardigan or jumper. The best I can do is a hat, so perhaps there is a jumper in my future, I will just need some help getting there!

What is your favourite kit?
The Snake and Farmer which I’m working on at the moment is my favourite. The farmers coat is very detailed and the colours are cozy and warm. I also have my eye on a tapestry, it’s between The Elephants Child or How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin.