Welcome!

Welcome to the official blog for Hawthorn Tree Designs.

My design of a pair of bullfinches

My designs are inspired by a huge variety of sources but my two main influences are Celtic art and the natural world. Whether you’re already familiar with my work or if you’ve only just found me, let me tell you about my love of cross stitch and embroidery and how I became a designer.

I did my first stitching when I was a little girl in Mrs Habbershaw’s class at Codnor Infants School. One day, a kind older lady came in to show us how to make a basic embroidery sampler on large count canvas. We all took turns working in small groups sitting around this lady, whose name I can’t remember, and she showed us how to make simple embroidery stitches, such as blanket stitch, fly stitch and of course cross stitch. It was the first time I had ever held a needle and thread and I was fascinated by the bright colours and the shapes I was making on the fabric. I still have that sampler and i can see now that not all of my cross stitches have been worked in the same way but they are quite neat for a six-year-old who had never stitched before.

For a time, needlecraft became my favourite hobby and I tried several forms of it. I made a set of stuffed felt animals (with the help of my mum), a long stitch picture of a dolphin, a small tapestry of a yellow duck, and some small baskets that you created by weaving brightly coloured raffia over plastic frames. I eventually became distracted by other things and a small cross stitch picture of a cat lay unfinished for years. I can’t remember why I suddenly had the urge to take it up again but by that time I was about halfway through secondary school. After finishing this kit, which by then I considered to be quite childish, I decided I needed more of a challenge.

After I turned 16, I decided to spend my birthday money on my first proper cross stitch kit - a barn owl designed by Jayne Netley Mayhew for Janlynn. In my haste to get started on it, I skipped over most of the instructions and so didn’t realise I was supposed to separate the strands of cotton and use just two of them at a time. Consequently, I ended up spending quite a bit moremoney than I should have done, buying extra thread. This, along with the fact that I was doing my A-levels, meant that it took me over two years to finish it. Let’s just say it was a learning experience!

My next big project was a vintage poster advertising Titanic’s maiden voyage. I took much greater care with that one and it paid off. From that moment on, I was hooked and whenever I finished a project I had to look for another. I subscribed to Cross Stitch Gallery (which later merged with its sister magazine New Stitches) and thanks to designer Mary Hickmott, I learned heaps about cross stitch and other forms of embroidery and needlecraft. I began to experiment with adapting some the designs from the magazine and eventually this grew into wanting to create my own. I bought some squared paper and although my first attempts were fairly basic I persevered and my love of creativity was reignited.

I had been looking for designs where I could indulge my love my obsession with Celtic knotwork but I couldn’t find any that were quite what I was looking for. I started using the squared paper to create my own Celtic designs, using my collection of books on Celtic art and culture as inspiration.

My Ahenny Celtic Cross design was inspired by a stone cross

I bought a software package that not only made my life easier as a designer (thank goodness for the Ctrl + v function!) but it allowed me to create saleable patterns. Almost all of my earlier designs were of Celtic knotwork and I still have plenty more ideas. However, the majority of my designs are now inspired by birds of the world.

My design skills have really evolved over the years. Not only has cross stitch given me an exciting career opportunity and the chance to be my own boss, it has worked wonders for my mental health. I have learned to channel my energies into being creative. In fact I have learned that having your brain wired in a different way to most people can have great advantages as well as downsides. I honestly believe that I wouldn’t be this creative if my brain wasn’t so busy all the time.

Happy stitching!