We caught up with Stephanie from Hawthorn Handmade! Let’s see what she’s been up to at Hawthorn HQ!
Hi Stephanie, thanks for having a chat with us! Letās get startedā¦
Tell us a little bit about yourself – your background, general day to day life, hobbies (other than crafting).
Iāve been running my own business for nearly 15 years now, starting out with my gallery and haberdashery space, then selling my own art and sculpture, and now Hawthorn Handmade! I love all things craft and am passionate about small businesses, recently starting my own mentoring service to help others. When Iām not working or crafting, I really enjoy board games, musicals, and spending time with my husband and our beautiful lurcher Clodagh.
When and why did you start crafting?
Iāve always been creative, spending hours drawing and doodling as a child and trying out lots of crafts including ceramics and even enamelling, but it wasnāt until my early twenties that I really got the crafting bug when I discovered needle felting. I bought a simple kit from the US in 2010 to make a pumpkin for the shop Halloween window, and I havenāt stopped since!
What was the inspiration for Hawthorn Handmade?
I was teaching needle felting for a few years before I started Hawthorn and I originally created a starter kit for people to buy on workshops. That sparked a thought that kits to make something specific might be popularā¦ There were barely any 3D needle felting kits then (about 2011) and I was keen to spread my love of this amazing craft! I launched the first 6 kits in 2013 after 6 months of development, and it really hasnāt stopped since then.
Do you have any specific inspirations behind your projects?
Iām a big animal lover and am always fascinated by animal behaviour and their amazing personalities, which informs a lot of my designing. That, and the incredible countryside we find ourselves in here in Dorset and around the UK. Iām also really inspired by our customers and what theyāre looking to make, and Iām always open to requests and suggestions!
If thereās a day where youāre facing a creative block, what are some of your go-tos to get your creative juices flowing again?
If Iām struggling to design, I know I need to take a step back and get out of my head for a bit, so Iāll take myself off for a walk, or into our local town for a coffee and a mooch in the independent shops. Or Iāll sit down with a jigsaw or watch a bit of TV. I tend to find the creativity then creeps back in when I least expect it!
What are three essentials you need in order to have a successful day designing?
My best designing days are spent on my sofa, with my iPad, plentiful hot drinks, and my dog Clodagh curled up beside me.
What does a typical day in look like for you in the business?
A typical day just doesnāt exist! Weāre only a small team, so I wear a lot of hats.
This means each day could involve anything from designing and product planning, to writing marketing emails, creating social posts, dealing with a shipping issue, staff training, answering customer questions, setting up new wholesale accounts, planning a trade show, and so much more in between!
One thing that is consistent is that I make sure I take time to rest, and I try not to burnout ā thatās been an ongoing struggle but one I feel Iām far more on top of now.
Whatās always a highlight in your working day?
Definitely getting to work with my amazing team. Theyāre a constant source of inspiration and keep me going when things are hard work. Every decision is made as a team, including new designs and what shows to attend, so everyone has ownership over the business and the direction weāre going in which I just love.
You offer a range of different disciplines; did you always have in mind that you wanted to launch with multiple crafts?
When I started Hawthorn, the focus was very much on needle felting, but it didnāt take long to realise that I wanted to explore other crafts. Our second range was a lovely collection of crochet kits including amigurumi animals and cushions, but we were a bit ahead of the crochet curve and struggled with sourcing British wool consistently enough for kits so they were eventually retired. The other ranges of embroidery, cross stitch, weaving and felt craft have all come from my own experience with these crafts and wanting to pass on the joy they bring.
If you had to choose, whatās your favourite kit youāve designed so far? Tough question, we know!
I think my favourite kit so far has to be the Stargazing Whale embroidery kit I launched earlier this year.
Itās a design style thatās been in my head for years and it felt so good to finally get it out in the world! Iām working on more similar kits at the moment and canāt wait to share them.
Whatās your proudest achievement thus far?
This is really hard because Iām so proud of everything myself and my team have built here at Hawthorn, but I think it really comes down to knowing that the kits Iāve designed are in hundreds of thousands of homes around the world, and that theyāve helped so many people discover their own creativity.
And finally, do you have any tips for readers developing a passion for crafting?
My main tip is always to just get started! If youāre scared of going wrong, youāll never get going, and then youāll never learn and improve. And second to that, if you do go wrong, that is just part of the process. Would you expect to be able to create a painted masterpiece on day one? The same is true for crafting ā be kind to yourself and it will be so much more fun!
Thanks for taking the time, Stephanie! We canāt wait to see what you do next!