Indie Edit - CraftySmith

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Meet CraftySmith, an entrepreneurial mum with a passion for cross stitch. SoLo Craft Fair meets founder Laura to discuss how the business evolved and her plans for a growing embroidery range.

“Hello, I'm Laura. I am a passionate crafter who has been doing this both personally and professionally for the last 10 years. I have a Degree and a Masters in Product Design. I love designing and creating things which has led to the start of my very own business.”

“I have a space in my house that is my little crafting area where I make and design everything but hopefully I'll upgrade to spare room soon. I currently live in Surrey but I move around so much that who knows where I'll be in the next couple of years.”

“I am a very crafty person. I'm always starting projects and making things. One of my craft skills is cross stitch which I have been doing for many years.”

“Whilst I was pregnant I wanted to make something for my newborn and, as my mum had made lots of beautiful cross stitch for me, I thought I could make one for my daughter. I couldn't find any designs that were what I wanted so I designed my own.”

“I loved making the embroidered designs and that inspired me to start creating some other patterns which eventually became CraftySmith. With a full time job, a small business and a toddler, life can be very busy but I love it!”

“I am constantly designing new kits and even non-cross stitch ones which I’m excited about. My current obsession is plants so I'm in the middle of designing a cross stitch range featuring all my favourite plants.”

Want to learn more about CraftySmith? Find their products in the Indie Maker’s Shopping Guide, head over to their website to shop their full range and follow them on Instagram and Facebook for their latest updates.

Indie Edit - Handmade by Tinni

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Meet Paulomi from Handmade by Tinni, a self-taught textile jewellery designer based in London. SoLo Craft Fair sits down with founder Paulomi to discuss the difficulties of building a business during a global pandemic, the ethos and inspirations behind Handmade by Tinni, and her top tips for other aspiring makers.

“I decided to launch my brand during a very challenging time when the whole world was going through a crisis. The life we used to know has changed drastically and we’ve all had to adjust to a new normal – hello Zoom, sanitisers, masks and lockdown.”

“It’s nerve-racking and scary for any business, let alone a new independent creative launch. Additionally, I’m a social person at heart and thrive on face-to-face meetings and interactions. The lack of human interaction at craft fairs and exhibitions has really added to the challenge. But when life throws you a lemon, you learn to make lemonade with it.”

In difficult circumstances Paulomi took to building her brand online. “Social media was a big help and with the use of intelligent hashtags, engaging content, clean photography and my creative prowess, I was able to convert visitors to my social media page into followers and then customers. I am a sales and marketing professional after all.”

The name Tinni is used as it reflects Paulomi’s alternative personality. “It’s my pet name – cheeky, full of fun and colourful.” Handmade by Tinni was a natural step for Paulomi who has always had a passion for unique, handcrafted jewellery.

“When I set up my brand in 2020 my inspirations were drawn from the bright colours of nature, the amazing places that I have travelled to over the years and most importantly from the rich heritage of India. I’m really proud that at the age of 40 I took a leap of faith and bravely started a new design venture. Although not an easy decision, it’s certainly been very satisfying.”

“I mainly use age-old rope knotting crafts and techniques like macramé – creating colourful, unique and bold designs is what makes my textile jewellery stand out! I chose cotton as my main design medium as I am passionate about the environment.

It’s sustainable and biodegradable, soft to wear, hypoallergenic, colourful, and extremely flexible to use, allowing my imagination to flow.”

Paulomi admits that she takes great pride in making each piece by hand. “I believe jewellery has the power to bring joy to our day. This motivates me to design colourful, bold designs that can make the consumer look beautiful, glow with happiness and stand out in a crowd. Love nature, look beautiful and be proud.”

Paulomi hopes to grow Handmade by Tinni over the next two to three years, with the aim of scaling up the business into a reputable, sustainable UK design brand.

“I plan to explore creative partnerships and brand collaborations to add flare to my business. At the same time I want to expand my wholesale partnerships and grow the revenue from that angle. I hope to always remain true to the original ethos of being a small independent design brand that is sustainable, colourful, and unusual – just like me.”

Paulomi recognises how demanding a new business can be. “As a business owner you need to be prepared to wear multiple hats. It’s exciting and liberating. In one day you can be the creator, the digital marketing manager, the accountant, the administrator, the social media manager, the customer service manager, the salesperson, and the head designer. Remember to take a break from it all as balance is key for your wellbeing.”

“My other top tips would be to not waste too much time on perfecting your images. Aesthetics are important but often that time could be spent doing something far more productive. Make use of image-editing apps! Start an email list, and don’t worry too much about follower numbers, just focus on creating engaging content from the very start! And remember, it’s never too late to set another goal or to dream a new dream!”

Want to learn more about Handmade by Tinni? Find their products in the Indie Maker’s Shopping Guide, head over to their website to shop their full range and follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for their latest updates.

Indie Edit - Allie & Co. Studio

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Meet Allie & Co. Studio, a fashion designer hoping to revive the art of sewing in a world where 'fast fashion' is stifling creativity and harming the planet.

SoLo Craft Fair sits down with founder Cleo Weeden to discuss where it all began, the ethos behind the brand and plans for an expanding product range later this year.

Allie & Co. Studio’s namesake, ‘Allie’ was Cleo’s grandmother, an incredibly creative woman who, if born in a different era, would undoubtedly have run a successful creative agency. Cleo has been sewing from as early as she could thread a needle. She was taught by her mother and grandmother, but also honed her skills sub-majoring in Fashion Design during a design degree in Sydney at The University of Technology.

“Sewing has always made me feel more centred and sparks creativity in me that other aspects of my design career are unable to do. I want to share this with people through Allie & Co. Studio.”

Allie & Co. Studio aims to make sewing more accessible and fashionable in a world where 'fast fashion' is stifling creativity and hurting the planet. Allie & Co. unlocks the joy of sewing for beginners through curated sewing kits – a beautifully presented box with everything needed to make a fashionable well-fitting garment, including in-house designed patterns and fabrics and notations sourced from the founder’s favourite fabric suppliers.

Over the coming months Allie & Co. will be expanding their range of women's patterns and in the summer they will be launching a few men’s kits too.

“We’re planning on offering free online basic video tutorials and keep an eye out for some free fun patterns that we will be releasing soon. We’re working on some gorgeous new fabrics as we near spring and summer, and we’re always on the lookout for collaborations, especially UK based fabric designers.”

For years sewing had remained a pastime for Cleo. “It’s been an amazing journey to turn my hobby and passion into a business. We are in the very early stages of growing as a company. I still juggle the running of Allie & Co. with a part time role in the interior design industry, but the days I have set aside for Allie & Co. Studio are the days I look forward to the most in the week!”

“I truly believe that an understanding of sewing and making plays a key role in how we will turn the tide on fast fashion. If you have spent time sewing and creating a garment, you see the value in it, you repair it when it needs attention, and you certainly don't throw it away after just one or two wears.”

“Similarly, my sewing skills have meant that I've always gravitated towards vintage and charity stores, renovating, adjusting and breathing new life into any pieces I find. Sewing has always provided me with an outlet to express myself that buying the same, replicated garment from the high street, reproduced thousands of times over, simply never could.”

Want to learn more about Allie & Co. Studio? Find their products in the Indie Maker’s Shopping Guide, head over to their website to shop their full range and follow them on Instagram and Facebook for their latest updates.