A little bit about Katherine Hill (that’s me!) and how Katherine Hill Handmade came about…
I’ve been sewing since I was a little girl. My Mum was a needlework teacher and she taught me to sew on an old Singer treadle sewing machine, bought from a local auction. Back then I spent many happy hours making cuddly animals and clothes for my dolls. Later, as a teenager and student, I made my own clothes – some outfits were more successful than others!
Throughout my adult life sewing had gradually become more and more about practical jobs. I worked as a civil servant, and then in IT and sewing was reserved for things like making curtains, or shortening trousers. When my son was born, I stopped working, but I still didn’t have time to return to the sewing machine… until I decided I wanted some new cushion covers. The first few I made were for me and are still on my sofa today. Then I made some more for friends and family as presents. Finally, buoyed up by their enthusiasm, I decided to try making some to sell. Katherine Hill Handmade was born! I opened my etsy shop back in 2015, and my range has been growing ever since.
To make my cushion covers (and other items) I use mostly recycled fabric. Some of it is true vintage; some is just second-hand! As well as having a cupboard full of my own old clothes and leftovers, I trawl our local charity shops on a regular basis, looking for clothes, curtains and bedlinen that I can cut up and re-use. Sometimes I buy remnants of furnishing fabrics if a design takes my fancy… and very occasionally I buy fabric off the roll (usually when a customer has asked for something specific)
More recently I have discovered the joys of vintage and secondhand eggcups. I don’t have enough space to accumulate my own collection, but I have developed a method for turning them into beautiful little one-of-a-kind pincushions, and these are slowly filling my shop! Read more about them here
All items are made to my own designs and created using a mixture of machine and hand sewing. I still use the sewing machine I was given for my 16th birthday!
