Hello and welcome!
My name is Pauline and I'm a mum of two with four grandchildren, I've been knitting, crocheting and enjoying crafts for over 50 years.
My first experience of hand crafting was when my mum knitted me some clothes for my teddy. I can still vividly remember the bright pink jacket with gold coloured buttons, I couldn't have been more than five years old.
At seven I was give a toy Vulcan sewing machine for Christmas - which I still have - and spent many happy hours making clothes for my dolls from scraps of material. They were not great and the seams often came undone but it was a start into the world of craft and creativity.
When I was about 10 a great aunt gave me a big box full of embroidery cottons, iron on transfers, unfinished cross stitch and assortment of knitting needles. I was so happy and had all the entertainment I needed for the long school holidays. The deer cross stitch never did get finished, although I added a lot to it. Maybe one day I will finish it, or maybe pass it on!
Later in life I used some of the iron on transfers to make embroidered pictures.
As my love of crafts developed I moved into trying crochet and knitting, being shown how to knit by my mum but the crochet tutorials came from books and an elderly neighbour.
My working life was in childcare and for over 30 years I had the opportunity to use my creativity with my own children and the children in my care - helping them experience different media and crafts. I now continue this with my grandchildren.
Now my favourite crafts are knitting and crochet - I've have found it all very therapeutic over the years helping to keep busy and focussed during some very emotional times.
I now sell some of the things I make to help raise funds for SoBS (Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide), a Registered Charity in the UK which supports those bereaved by suicide - I am a volunteer for my local group.
When I am not making things to sell I make toys for my grandchildren and family.