How it Begins..
Last month saw the release of my 2023 Autumn/Winter cushion collection. For this capsule collection I was inspired by an Autumn palette of rustic tones of oranges, purples and blues. As with all my collections I don’t follow any trends, I dive into my fabric collection (which I am always adding to) and pull out fabrics that take my eye.
I always begin by going through my fur remnants and pick out furs that I like the look and feel of. I work very intuitively this way, putting different fabric combinations together to see what works. With each collection I try and make cushion pairs as well as stand alone pieces. It can be challenging to do this as sometimes I only have very small amounts of a certain material but that’s part of the joy (and sometimes pain!) of working with remnants.
Repurpose Over Raw Materials
Using rescued textiles and odds and ends is a more time consuming process than buying fabric new for collections, but it makes it all the more satisfying when you finish a collection. The design process is more time consuming compared to the conventional way of making with new raw materials, as you have to strategize how you can get the most out of the fabric offcuts. I brought along some candles made by local candle maker Tyninghame Candles to accompany my cushions too.
Photographing the Collection
For photographing this cushion collection I collaborated with my favourite local photographer Abbi King aka Folkenrose where we went on location to a stunning new accommodation, The Bonnie Wee Bothy. The Bonnie Wee Bothy is a quaint but cool revamped bothy just outside of my hometown, East Linton. Definitely one to check out if you are wanting a little get away to East Lothian! Abbi has such a great eye for capturing soft atmospheres and her photos instantly make you want to nestle into them.
The Bonnie Wee Bothy
The Bothy has bare rustic brick walls, a log burning stove and a custom built kitchen made from locally milled timber. The timber came from a Scottish Elm tree from Seacliff which had been blown over in high winds and my husband Sam milled it into planks for the kitchen, he is a talented man! There are also the most beautiful live edge shelves milled from the same timber which make a stunning addition to the kitchen space. I love them so much I’m getting Sam to make some for our kitchen! It was the perfect setting to be surrounded by rustic, natural elements, it felt very fitting for my cushions to be photographed there.
You can browse my latest collection online here. For more interior inspiration check out this blog post on a Spring shoot I did with Folkenrose. Or to see how I made an old fur coat into a gorgeous fur throw check out this blog post.
If you would like to commission me to make something for you, get in touch here.
The Editorial Pick
