About Us
Here at Hawthorn Handmade, everything we do revolves around helping you to get crafty and discover your inner creative soul. Our kits are designed for beginners and give you everything you need to bring your creation to life. We’ve searched high and low for the best quality tools and materials; spent hours poring over our detailed instructions to get them just right and packaged everything up on a beautiful box ready to send straight to your door.
Our Story
Owner and kit designer Stephanie has been crafting and drawing since she can remember and spent her childhood with a pencil in hand doodling on anything and everything (see photographic proof!). After a brief spell in hospitality and event management, she was re-introduced to contemporary craft whilst working at a local craft centre and in 2010 branched out on her own to open her very own gallery and workshop space in North Dorset called Hawthorn. It was there that she taught herself how to needle felt on the quiet days (of which there were many!). This quickly progressed to selling her finished wool sculptures around the country at shows and exhibitions as well as teaching hundreds of keen stabbers how to magically turn fluffy wool into beautiful creatures and decorations. Her original needle felting kits evolved from these workshops, and in May 2013 after months of development, Hawthorn Handmade was born.
Stephanie’s initial 6 kits were some of the first UK made needle felting kits. It’s incredible to see how popular needle felting has become over the last 7 years or so and Stephanie is incredibly proud to have played her part in bringing this joyous craft to thousands around the world.
Since then, her love for doodling has come full circle and helped Hawthorn Handmade grow into the multi-craft design studio it is today. Stephanie’s hand-drawn embroidery and cross stitch designs, as well as her collaboration on weaving kits with her mum, Mary have turned the original side-hustle into one of the UK’s best known craft companies, partnering with key brands such as John Lewis and LoveCrafts.com.
Stephanie is still never far from a pencil, and with the support from her creative and hard-working team, is always on the lookout for that spark of inspiration for her next design…
Meet The Team
Stephanie
Owner, Founder & Creative Director
Stephanie started Hawthorn Handmade in her old craft gallery and has since built a flourishing creative company with the help of her amazing team. Stephanie is also a talented crafter, designing nearly all the Hawthorn Handmade kits. Away from the busy studio, you’ll find her out walking her rescue lurcher and doodling on her iPad.
Becky
Operations Manager
Becky keeps everything at Hawthorn Handmade running smoothly and is constantly looking for ways to make the studio that bit more efficient! When not at work, Becky can be found snowboarding and spending time with her Super Mario obsessed 6 year old.
Irina
Production Assistant
Packing kits by day and crocheting by night, Irina is always making something. She also often arrives with surprise delicious baked goods making her totally irreplaceable!
Kerry
Production Assistant
Kerry handles all of your orders, picking and packing and making sure everything arrives safely. She is a big fan of all things steam and can often be found working on her own Wallis & Steevens Steam Traction Engine.
Mary
Designer and Advisor
Coming from a long and varied business background, Mary is also Stephanie’s mum! Mary designed our best-selling Pop-Up Loom and despite being ‘retired’ is always there for pattern testing, sample stitching, design ideas and business advice!
Clodagh
Belly Rub Requester
A rescue lurcher from Ireland, Clodagh makes sure Stephanie takes plenty of breaks to play tug, rub her belly and throw her much loved ball!
With Thanks
Our core team is also supported by a wide variety of freelancers, temps, suppliers and manufacturing partners and we’d like to say a particular thank you to Stacy, Laura, Amy, Jan and Owen!
