Kirstie's Handmade Fair Featured Designer TWIG

TWIG Interview and Featured Seller at Kirsties Handmade Fair Hampton Court Palace

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your creative background

Since I can remember I've always been drawn to colour - as I child I remember carefully
blending colouring crayons to carefully create a shades that were just ʻrightʼ. So my
connection with colour has been with me a while, I just adore the way they can change a
mood and enhance a feeling - itʼs this fascination that led me to become a designer.

2. Did you go to university to study textile design?

I studied textile design at Leeds University and my true understanding of colour really
blossomed there. I developed my own style and became confident creating with
unexpected colour combinations.

3. What was it that drew you to lambswool and working with woolen fabrics?

After working as buyer at Laura Ashley within the Home Department I had always planned
to create my own range. I adore tactile fabrics and aim to create a cosy and luxurious feel
with my products and lambswool was a natural choice for me.

4. What would you say are the best qualities about pure lambswool?

It’s wonderful! It’s natural, very warm and incredibly soft. I could ask for anything more
from our lambswool.

5. Have you ever worked with other types of wool?

I only ever use 100% lambswool, the pure quality and softness it produces are perfect for
my range.
6. What would you say most inspires your designs?

Colour is my unlimited source of inspiration.

7. You have a very sumptuous and distinctive colour palette that is very easy on the eye,
what motivates and inspires your colour choices?

I find colour combinations so invigorating and take inspiration from colour palettes in
nature, the amazing architectural shades I see on my travels to distinctive prints on vintage
dresses.

8. You work with a small family run mill to produce your lambswool products, how
important was it to you to use a local company and what were the deciding factors in
choosing your this firm.

We work with a wonderful Mill in Ireland to weave our lovely lambswool. Their traditions go
back hundreds of years and it's the time they take that really perfects our products. That's
what's important to me, I want our customers to receive a piece that's being cared for.

9. One of my personal favourite product ranges is the Lottie Citrus range, could you
explain your inspiration and drive behind this sumptuous and classic range?

Ah thank you - Lottie Citrus is one of our most loved collections. Itʼs got a striking palette
developed with mid turquoise, Ivory, Citrus, dark plum and teal. I was inspired by coastal
walks through sand dunes - the heathery tones of sea grasses amidst the soft sand makes
for a beautiful colourway.

10.Would you say that the demand for pure woollen and UK based woollen products is
increasing and what changes have you noticed in the current woollen market place?

I can certainly say that there is a distinct need for quality products that are beautifully
made. The domestic market is booming as customers look for products that are made close
to home but we ship worldwide and there is a real demand for UK designed and made
goods - there is a intrinsic link between Britain and quality design and we’re proud to be
part of that heritage.

11. Do you have any new product ranges in the pipeline at the moment that you’re working
on?

I'm busy working on some new design collaborations with some exciting brands, plus
getting ready to launch our new Autumn collection which I'm really excited about.

12.. When you create a new design, what methods or design process do you follow.

Once I have a colour palette in mind, I translate that to a design board - experimenting with
designs and layouts. Once a design is achieved I then have to ensure we can create that
colour mix in our lambswool. I work closely with our millers to create the hues we need to
get the look I have designed. It takes time and effort but is worth it when you see the
sumptuous shades produced. Nothing beats the thrill of seeing that first weave in a new
colour way!

13. Is there an average time frame that you work to, when creating new designs.

Iʼm always developing but when working with clients on collaborations, it usually takes a
few months.

14.What are your 3 most favorite of your designs? (Please supply 3 images of your work)

I have a connection to all of my designs but I’m so pleased with our new collection - Eloise
Sorbet, Eloise Quinel and Finn Storm. The colours are just so soothing and very on trend
this season.

15.Do you have any upcoming events that people can come and see your work and meet
you in person?

We're heading back to New York in August for NYNOW a designer interiors show which is
always a big event for us and we'll be at Kirstie Allsopp's Handmade Fair at Hampton
Court too - so Autumn is going to be a busy time for us.

16. Please tell us where we can find you online and how to get in touch with you.

http://www.twiguk.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/pages/TWIG/164899506879418
https://twitter.com/TwigHome
http://instagram.com/twig_home
https://www.pinterest.com/twigTM/

ALL DESIGNS AND IMAGES COPYRIGHT TWIG

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Hugs for Grandma Lily the lamb themed drinks coasters

Well hello there. lovely felt folk! Welcome to the very latest edition of the Tigerlily Makes blog.

We are talking Coasters today!  Lily Lamb Coaster and in particular Grandma Lily Coasters. Fun drinks mats to bright up your day in an number of Lily Lamb guises. Easy to clean these drinks mats will not only protect your delicate surfaces but they will be a fun talking point, on you dinner table or coffee table.

They have a lovely cork backing to help protect those lovely table tops with wipe clean surface area.

We think they are absoluely fabulous and at just £2.99 each, they are very easy on the pocket. They make great gifts for grandmas and Lamb lovers alike. You can purchase yours in the Lily the Lamb Boutique

For now though Happy Lambing!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Lily the Lamb Sumptuous Velvet Cushions

Welcome to another very woolly edition of the Tigerlily Makes blog.

We are talking cushions today, soft sumptuous and very comfy Lily the Lamb themed cushions.  These cushions have a lovely soft velvet front segment making them feel very luxurious. a cotton zipped back makes them easy to remove for washing purposes. There are two shapes the square and the oblong which make them great for layering.

This is the Lily the Pink design that comes in two forms at the mmoment, the square with repeat surface pattern and the single Lily version.  each cushion has a lovely decorative piped edge for a professional finish.

I am currently experimenting with other repeat patterns and combinations and in the process of testing different fabric types.

However these are the prototypes and therefore are the only ones of this type available at the moment.

These are available to purchase form the Lily Lamb Boutique 

But for now Happy Lambing!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Rosalily A5 Note & Doodle Books Featured Product

Another fabulous Tigerlily Makes blog post for you today a Tigerlily Makes featured product.

We won't make a song and dance about this one, but just simply share that these doodle books are of excellent quality with luxury, thick and smooth plain pappers that you can happily note and/or doodle in for hours, days weeks or even months.

They are a joy to write or doodle in and you can find yours in the Tigerlily Makes Boutique.

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Lily the Lamb A4 Ruled Exercise Books

Warm and wonderfully woolly and very lamby welcomes to the latest edition of the Tigerlily Makes blog straight from the top of Tigerlily Towers.

Today we thought you might like a little insight to the Lily the Lamb a4 Ruled Exercise books.

The Lily and Louis Lamb A4 Ruled Exercise books are fantastic writing books for children and grown ups alike. The silk paper is smooth and helps the pen or pencil glide across the page. The extra wide space between the lines helps with practicing handwriting techniques and the co-ordinating deep header and footers, help you make important notes as well as that all important title.

The side margin is generous in propoirtion for extra notes, bullet points, numbering and perforation should you need to remove the side notes and place them elsewhere.

The front cover has a lovely Lily the Lamb scene and even includes a space to right your name, ensuring your book clearly belongs to you.

All in all we think this is one of the most luxurious products in our range.

These can be purchased in the Lily the Lamb Boutique. 

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

A day in the life of a Burman Bear Workshop Part 3

Welcome to the 3rd and final part in our series A day in the life of a Burman Bear Workshop.

In the previous 2 posts we learnt about all the different body parts and sewing and stuffing  the head. If you take a look at the first picture here are all the parts of the bear ready to be stitched.

 

This is Sherlock Katherines bear all ready to be stitched together, with his friends watching patiently to see if hes going to make the transition from parts to being!

Here we are all stitched together now with our mechanical pieces attached and hidden so that we can move, just need to be stuffed now!

And here are some of the lovely ladies on the course together with our lovely host and designer Angela Burman, AKA Burman Bears. From Left to right: Noelleen with her bear Belle, April with her bear Simcoe, Angela our host, Katherine and her bear Sherlock, named after her cat and Liz with her bear Juneau. Enjoying a well deserved glass of something fizzy as graceously provided by Liz. Thank you ladies it was a wonderful day!

Finally here is Marley bear and his big brother George. Marley is a bear I purchased from Angel at Burman Bears and George his big brother is whom I made on the day. George has yet to be adorned with his handmade jacket and I will be back to share that with you soon. George has also been in the wars a bit, defending his little brother and has stitched battle scars in a number of places!

Well that's it from the A day in the life of a Burman Bears workshop series. Hope you have enjoyed sharing the day with us and always remember "The Bear Necessities of Life!"


Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

A day in the life of a Burman Bears Workshop Part 2

As promised we are back today with part 2 in our mini series of a Burman Bears workshop.

So the next stage was to sew and stuff the head, all by hand again, no machines here thank you very much. Once the head was stuffed we used pins to help us work out where we wanted to put our real eyes.

Although we were all given exactly the same pattern and the same shaped heads, I think you will agree that they all came out very differently.

 Katherine's Bear Head

 Lisa's Bear Head

 Noleen's Bear Head 

Liz's Bear Head

Well don't forget to pop back for the next part of our fun day Burman Bears workshop.

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

A day in the life of a Burman Bears Workshop Part 1

Hello and a very warm and fully felted welcome to the first in a series of blog posts that take you through the wonderful world of Burman Bears on a Burman Bear one day bear making workshop.

The puprose of sharing this series with you is firstly to say how important it is as a designer to create something just for fun and just for you. Secondly to show how much work goes into handcrafted projects like this and like the Lily the Lamb needle felted scultptures.

I aim to share the days experience with a mini series of posts taking you through this magical day from start to finish and to share with you the some of the makes from everyone who attended the course, including yours truly.

A Burman bears workshop starts bright at early at around 9-9.30am. Angela Burman founder and creator of Burman Bears, is always on hand with the kettle at the ready and to talk you through the first stages of the workshop.

So where to start with a hand sewn bear? well luckily for us Angela cuts our bear parts out for us and below is what we start off with!

We start with some of the smaller body parts to begin with and there is a well established order in which to do things and with very good reason as we learn throughout the day. This is unlike anything I have ever done before and it was a thrill to be part of a very special day and bring home a very special project.

Join me in part two for more progress throughout our day and be sure to keep checking back for our finale and big reveal of all our finished bears.

But for now I shall leave you with the Bear Necessities of a Burman Bears bear making workshop.

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Creative Storage Solutions for creatives working at home.

Well hello and wonderfully warm and fully felted welcomes to today's edition of the Tigerlily Makes blog.

Today I thought I would share the age old problem of a crafter, designer or hobbyist's dilemma when fitting your your passion into your everyday life and home.

Space always seems to be tight for the at home creative and usually comes at a premium or the expense of losing a room. So what do you do when you need the room and you need a space to create in? Well you get savy with pretty but practical storage solutions. As you know I run my business from home and for many years, we have suffered the loss of a guest bedroom and therefore haven't had people to stay.

So take a look at the photos below and my top tips for creating both a tranquil guest bedroom and an inspiring work space.

These pretty boxes from Ikea sit nicely on the top shelf in the guest wardrobe and will hold a lot more than you think. They are easy to slide in and out and being open topped its quick to pick and dispatch. 

I have a beautifully renovated 1930's wardrobe in my guest room and these slot in perfectly to its smaller dimensions. Further storage is held underneath the wardrobe with its shaped and slightly raised frontage. On top sits pretty floral cube boxes again from Ikea, which hold so much more than I thought.

I will feature more on creative storage solutions a little later on where I will focus on under bed storage and desk space.

For now though keeeeeeeeeep felting.

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Refurbished & Renovated furniture at its best...

A little something different today lovely felt folk and to continue my promise of sneak peeks into my new studio space!

I have to say that during the resurrection and rebuilding of our family home during the flood damage there has been one constant driving force with regards to the replacement furniture. My thanks have to go the The Vintage Emporium gals at Middleton Hall Courtyard Center, as to be quite honest I am not sure we would have found the enormously special and beautifully renovated unique pieces that we have now. Nothing was too much trouble, if pieces couldn't be found at the right sizes then TVE and their husbands would build it from scratch, they took the nightmare out of the nightmare and were there every step of the way making the process so much easier.

Beautifully renovated to specification this gorgeous 1930's wardrobe now in situ in my studio. 

Sneak peeks - The old desk removed from Middleton Hall and beautifully  renovated chair.

Somehow thank you doesn't seem enough! So if you are looking for something extra special that is lovingly restored, then The Vintage Emporium is your first stop!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

A place for everything and everything in its place...

Big cheery waves from the top of Tigerlily Towers today. Just a short post today to share with you some of the new display shelving in  the new look studio. As you know Tigerlily Towers suffered major flood damage last year and as such very little that wasn't damaged. It has been a long road back to recovery, though I have to say the results are stunning.

This shelving unit has been lovingly and beautifully restored by The Vintage Emporium gals at Middleton Hall Courtyard Center. 

I think everyone looks very at home in their new space.


Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Family Von Tweet & Mrs & Mrs Von Tweet have a new home!

A lovely warm welcome to this latest edition of the TM blog, calling from the top of Tigerlily Towers!

Today's post is to share with you a little bit of progress on how the flood damage is concluding and to share that our bird families finally have new homes to settle into.

Master Von Tweet is looking very proud of  the new play space he shares with his sister

Miss & Master Von Tweet are very excited to be re-joining surf school, something that has been put on hold during the evacuation of their home last year. 

Miss Von Tweet is simply itching to try out her new surf boards, happy times! 

The new studio space where our bird families new home is, is almost complete and I will be bringing more insights and sneak peeks very soon.

For now thought keeeeeeeep felting!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this website are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously, Unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person.Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Sneak Peek into Craft Stash Drawer

Welcome to the Tigerlily Makes blog, bringing you newsy news from the top of Tigerlily Towers!

Today's blog post is a sneak peek into my craft stash drawer and some of my most essential items! We all have those drawers that are full to bursting with our can't live without items... so today I thought I would give you a brief insight into mine.

So here is the first glimpse of the inside of my drawer, its a big central drawer as it forms part of a stunning desk saved from Middleton Hall in the midlands. it has two sets of 3 drawers either side of it and has been beautifully restored by the gals at The Vintage Emporium at Middleton Hall Courtyard Center. 

It houses my felting needles, my Stamping up Stamp Carving Kit, my favorite sewing threads, paper cutters, glues, glue sticks and so much more. 

This Gutterman Thread box is one of my favorite things as it houses so many of my favorite colours. 

So whats in your craft stash drawer? 

Take care for now and in the meantime keeeeeeeeeeeep felting!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All copyright, design rights and all other intellectual property rights existing in our designs and products, and the images, text and design of this bog pertaining to Tigerlily Makes are and will remain the property of Tigerlily Makes. Any infringement of these rights will be taken seriously Otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person. Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design) and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com  www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Welcome to the New Look blog...

Hello everyone,

a very warm welcome to you all. I shall keep this post really short as its just to say welcome to the new look blog. I hope that you will be as pleased as I am with it.

Its crisper, cleaner and easier to find your way around. From my perspective the new, crisp clean look will allow you to focus on what is the most important things which are the designs.

They say a picture paints a thousand words, so I shall leave you with my new look avatar and I will be back very soon with more newsy news from the top of Tigerlily Towers!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All content and design work, including text, photos, etc are © copyright 2015 Lisa Marie Olson owner of Tigerlily Makes (unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person)and cannot be copied without prior permission from the copyright owner. Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes