Meet the maker Sarah Hancox

Domestic home wares that celebrate our cultural heritage seem to be the perfect vehicle for the techniques and imagery I love working with; our homes have increasingly becoming a refuge from the pressures of the outside world and somewhere where we can express ourselves. For me creating a reassuring and peaceful retreat is essential in maintaining a healthy work / life balance.

For my tea cosy’s I like to use traditional materials; a focus on reworking; tweeds and felted woollens supported by velvet and cottons are evocative of days gone by and reflect my love of traditional British fabrics, the idiosyncrasies of British culture, heritage and tradition.

Inspiration often come from the fabrics themselves - favourite knitwear stitches, cables, traditional Aran’s and Fairisle are often the focus of the individual pieces and what makes each unique. Ideas for nostalgic, eccentric or quirky motifs can come from anywhere, the fabrics themselves, childhood memories, a poem or proverb, in fact anything that celebrates how wonderful it is to live in Britain and what a rich source of inspiration it has become for me.

Since moving to the Peak District my lifestyle and surroundings have become my greatest source of inspiration. Landscape; the colours and scents of the changing seasons, textures and patterns of the moorlands; sights and sounds of local birds and wildlife are always inspirational and provide starting points for all the things I want to explore.

I live with my partner Steve in a tiny stone cottage in a historic Peak District village so the luxury of a dedicated workspace surrounded by all my fabrics is not possible. Everything I’m working on gets cleared away when I’ve finished and at this time of year, I still produce everything on a little pine cricket table in front of a log burning stove surrounded by our dogs, but if I’m honest, what more do I need!

As a craftsperson I am still finding my feet; techniques and methods are all very new and I am learning as I go; that is one of the biggest joys – mastering something new or solving a problem – I find I am continually inspired by my surroundings and motivated to make; there are still so many ideas I want to explore and I can’t wait to see where they lead me.

I have worked on a number of commissions and am very happy to create something personal, special or just plain unusual - just email me to discuss your ideas. If you are interested in finding out more of what inspires me along with new ideas and work in progress, please stay in touch with my latest ventures and ideas through my blog http://www.sarah-averybritishaffair.blogspot.com