I found weaving by process of exclusion: I didn't click with lots of other crafts.
I founded Woven by Eve as a good thing that grew out of a hard time.
I couldn't craft
I always loved crafting but was never very good. I'm not exaggerating: you wouldn't want what I made. My mum and my four aunts are all avid makers: baking, cross stitch, knitting, sewing and so on. They are great at it. Some making a living off it. On Guide camps as a child I was always doing the craft activities in between the abseiling and raft building, I loved them. But I wasn't naturally creative or 'good' at any of it.
A photo I used to launch Woven by Eve - weaving changed things!
No matter how many tutorials I watched I couldn't draw the nice landscape scene. Constantly counting while you crochet was hardly enjoyable or easy. With a science background (geography, biology, chemistry and maths A Levels - I know, what was I thinking?!) and working as a geography teacher, I felt as far from a maker or artist as could be. I just needed to find my thing, so I kept trying new things.
Finding weaving
Four years ago on social media I saw some modern weaving and thought, well I haven't tried that one yet. So I got a frame loom. I didn't know how it worked. So I found some helpful pictures online and had a play with some yarn I had lying around that I didn't like and made my first woven wall hanging. It was my thing. Weaving a simple weft and seeing the patterns appear is playful and fun. I instantly wanted to experiment more and see what shapes, patterns and textures I could create. I did watch a few video clips to guide me, but I have learnt through playing with the materials. It's fun!
The first woven wall hanging I made with a ball of pink yarn I had lying around.
Everyone in my life was gifted a wall hanging. My friends got married: wall hanging. Someone moved house: wall hanging. New baby: wall hanging. People really liked them. They were different to another print for the wall. They added texture and cosiness to a room. Each piece I made was completely unique too - nothing handwoven by me is ever the same as another piece. It's so cool!
An early wall hanging that was gifted to friends.
Life took a turn
Like most of us in 2020 I had covid for the first time. Initially it was nothing more than a cold for me. A few months later though I was increasingly unwell. From then on I've had a range of health problems due to long covid. It has changed my life. From a twenty-something who loved hiking hills and being outside who was recently married and ready to live life to the full; life had to change. Our plans are never guaranteed.
Despite my love for geography and teaching, I was struggling to manage my full-on teaching job. I wanted to work and progress in my job but all of a sudden I was too ill. I wasn't going to be able to mentor new teachers or work on curriculum any more. One Wednesday I had a meeting with my really kind HR team as I was struggling. They suggested I take the rest of the week off. So I did. Long story short, I was signed off work for months. I was gutted. Admitting I couldn't do it was so hard and sad.
'Slow Living Club' - this was my favourite t shirt in the tough times and this photo was definitely taken on a good day for my health!
While I tried various treatments for my symptoms there wasn't much I could do to feel productive. Going out was too much and had to be carefully planned, exercise was off the cards, socialising was down to next to nothing. It was tricky time. I needed to feel like I was successful at something. Weaving allowed me to feel productive and it kept me doing something without putting too much stress on my body.
It was during this time, I thought about selling my wall hangings. I had nowhere else to put them. People liked them. I liked making them. It made sense.
A good thing grown out of a hard time
In the space of a week, I dreamt up my small business. Woven by Eve. I had lots of ideas very quickly. I chose the name. Decided sustainability, handmade and bringing joy was what it was all about. Researched ways to sell. Planned a website. Worked out costs. Looked into taxes and rules. Worked out how to ship. Estimated start-up costs. Planned products. Designed my branding.
My branding and key values were decided
My body wasn't working but my brain leapt at the chance to do something after months of little to focus on but illness. Within a month, I'd made the initial plan. My husband and I prayed into it and I decided to just give it a go for one year. I could always leave it after a year. I didn't have a big business plan. The only plan was to see what works. So I cleared a space in the spare room and got set up.
My first iteration of a workspace in the corner of the spare room. I have since overtaken the whole room as my studio space and I've rearranged the room at least 4 times!
The website and social media launched on 5th March 2023. Kind friends, family and my church community gave me their vote of confidence. And slowly but surely strangers were following my Instagram and buying a few bits. I started selling at markets; some didn't work, some did. It's been a whole lot of trying things and seeing what happens.
My first market stall set up. I was so nervous this day, you can tell by how early I was set up!
One year on in my small business
I'm doing something I love. I can be creative. I can work around my health. I've met so many lovely people. I've introduced so many people to weaving. I've launched affordable weave your own bookmarks kits which people are loving. I've made commission pieces that mean something special. I have a new lease of life.
A commissioned woven wall hanging to fit in perfectly with a newly decorated room
But more than this, woven pieces that I've made are in homes all over the place. When I was thinking about Woven by Eve, I wanted to make pieces that bought people joy through colour and texture and playing with fibre in fun and new ways. Whether it's admiring a piece that was commissioned of a special place or stroking the wall hanging in the hallway or smiling at the colours of the bookmark - people are finding joy. That is what I set out to do.
Demonstrating and chatting about weaving at www.oemakers.com/markets
And now I'm at the end of year one already. I'm back at my teaching job for two days a week and I weave when I can. And I'm going to keep going. I'm not making big money. In all honesty, I still get a bit scared about taking money out of the business! But I have new ideas to try, I want to learn more about fibre, push weaving to do new things and continue bringing joy with sustainably sourced fibres in new ways.
I'm so grateful for weaving, which is an ancient craft, and all the people who have supported me along the way. Woven by Eve has given me a fresh start, that I didn't see coming. And I hope Woven by Eve is bringing joy wherever it goes too.
It is a good thing that has grown out of a hard time.
LOVE wall hanging
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