I began Wearable Whatknots in 2022, on a summer holiday where all I wanted to do to wind down after a busy time at work was to sit on a blustery beach on the North Yorkshire coast and get crafty with embroidery threads and recycled cotton yarns whilst my kids played in rock pools and looked for fossils in the cliffs.
I love making (and wearing) colourful, chunky yet lightweight jewellery, and initially made items for myself and friends. After a few requests to make items as presents I started my Etsy shop, began selling at craft fairs and in early 2023 the wonderful Spirals in Hebden Bridge became my first high street presence.
Click on the image below to visit my Etsy shop to view my range of necklaces, bracelets, bangles, earrings and keyrings.
In February 2023 I began experimenting with cyanotypes using pressed plants and flowers found on local walks or growing in my tiny garden and yard, and soon after my other making brand, Calder Valley Cyanotypes, was born. Initially restricted to small scale cards I now enjoying making botanical compositions up to A3 size, and sell my work mounted and framed (via print fairs and Open Studios events) as well unframed in order to post for online orders. A number of local shops sell my greetings cards, and you can buy these individually and in packs, online.
I keep my photogram process as natural as possible, so use only the sun’s light to expose the image and don’t force my prints by developing with peroxide – just water. I also use recycled papers wherever possible and always in my professionally printed greetings card ranges. I sometimes offer non-perfect seconds originals, where due to the organic and unpredictable process I am not 100% happy with the finished cyanotype image. Click on the image below to shop originals, cards and prints, via Etsy.
Of course in the Pennine hills in West Yorkshire it is not always possible to have the sunshine when you want and need it, so when the sun is hiding I make my jewellery collections from my lounge, or in the case of ceramic earrings, from Northlight Art Studio where I take a weekly ceramics class. You can shop my ceramic earrings by clicking on the picture below.
