Meet the Maker - Sally Hampson

Meet the Maker - Sally Hampson

Sally Hampson weaves with 100% pure British wool and is passionate about being involved in every step of the process, from selecting the sheep breeds to creating the finished blanket, shawl or scarf.

The shawls and scarves are woven in natural un-dyed wool from the fleeces of Welsh Black and Jacob sheep, using a traditional twill which creates warmth in its open structure. Sally has recently started felting some of her shawls. This creates a denser, warmer and softer feel.

The blankets are limited edition, woven in 100% pure Shetland wool. The ‘Family Blanket’ a new addition to the collection, is a replica of a blanket Sally grew up with. The original label read, The Connemara Rug.

Sally has spent time with shepherds in the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border. This wild and rugged landscape continues to be an important part of what she wants to share through her weaving.

Sally will be at Homeworks on 8th December. 

Meet the maker - Cecilia Child

Meet the maker - Cecilia Child

By Cecil was launched to create modern woven textiles using traditional techniques and provide an alternative to today's mass-produced and environmentally damaging textiles. The intention behind my brand is to produce future heirloom pieces that people will treasure and pass down to the next generation. I design and sample on a handloom in my North London home with a collection of mill woven blankets and scarves produced in Bristol by a micro mill as limited edition runs. I hand-weave a selection of unique and individual products, including cushions, snoods and eye masks.

I love the merino wool scarves that I produce in conjunction with a micro mill in Bristol. I designed the collection in response to visits to various coastal towns such as Whitstable, St Ives and Dunwich. I am forever collecting pebbles from blustery, windswept beaches and fell in love with the bright colours of the Whitstable beach huts. The scarves themselves are generously sized and are so soft and cosy. 
The colours brighten up a grey day and keep me warm on a winter's day.

I love walking around my city, London, and my new collection of cotton snoods draws inspiration from the buildings and skylines of my surroundings. I love the Barbican and taking a stroll along the Thames finishing in the Tate. An afternoon spent wandering around the V&A always leaves me feeling refreshed and revived.

By Cecil will be at Homeworks on 1st December

Maker’s Choice – By Cecil

I started my weaving life during my Foundation year at Camberwell when we were asked to complete a weaving module. It felt like a lightbulb moment and the realisation that this is what I was supposed to be doing.

I went on to complete a degree in Textiles Design at Central Saint Martins specialising in weave. After a decade working for high street brands in product management, I missed the joy you feel when creating a product from scratch.

By Cecil was launched in January of this year and I haven't looked back. I mainly work with wool concentrating on techniques such as double cloth and twills with my main focus being on texture and colour. I have a collection of merino wool scarves and blankets created as a part of a limited edition run. There are between 5 and 18 of each design made as a reflection of my desire to create heirloom pieces.

I love nothing more than snuggling under one of my blankets on the sofa. You cannot beat a Sunday film session, fire crackling and tea on tap. I find that I wear the Heather scarf most as I love the combination of colours. The merino wool is so soft and comforting, and I love the way it holds the scent of my perfume.
 

I love a wander on the beach, particularly on a cold and blustery day. It blows away the cobwebs and leaves you feeling simultaneously fresh and exhausted. If I am feeling stuck creatively, then I usually take a day to go to the Tate. A trip into town tends to involve a walk along the Thames from Borough (and of course a trip to Borough Market for some brownies).

Come and meet Cecilia at our Homeworks Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 9 December.

Sally Hampson

Weaver Sally Hampson is passionate about pure British wool and sheep breeds such as Shetland, Welsh Black Mountain and Jacob and has spent time with shepherds in the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border:

This wild and rugged landscape is an important part of what inspires her weaving and this is evident in her blankets, wraps and scarves – Sally is always close to the colours and textures of natural materials and the simplest way of combining them together: 

The Connemara Banket or the Family Blanket as Sally calls it, was a wool blanket her parents brought over from Ireland when they came to settle in London. The blanket became a very special object, almost like another family member and it was well used for picnics and holidays.

Being the weaver in the family, Sally inherited this precious heirloom from her parents. She decided to replicate it, counting the threads of the faded check and softening the colours slightly to reflect the surrounding landscape along the Connemara shore line, with pools of water and light against the peaty, heathery earth:

These simple aesthetics continue to influence Sally’s artistic career, from working in the theatre on costumes and sets, to travelling to Egypt, Ethiopia and Kenya, to work with artisan weavers, potters and basket makers.

Sally Hampson will be back at Homeworks on both Sunday 3 & 10 December.

Meet the Maker - Sally Hampson

Sally Hampson is joining us at Homeworks for the first time this Christmas. She recently told us a bit about her design life and what inspires her:

My name is Sally Hampson, I’m a weaver and produce blankets, shawls and scarves. I mostly use 100% Pure British wool, from Shetland, the Welsh Black Mountains and from Jacob fleece. I am based in London where I have my studio, but I am also currently running workshops in Stroud where I have set up The Weaving Shed Project.

I studied at the Royal College of Art and graduated with an M.A in Constructed Textiles. Shortly after, I moved to Paris and set up a design studio working closely with the stylist bureaus - this was a real apprenticeship into design. I came back to London and set up my studio and began designing and making woven rugs, collaborating with interior designers and architects.Through my knowledge and experience in textiles I have been invited to Egypt, Ethiopia and Kenya to work on projects along side and support other makers, ceramicists, weavers, basket makers and embroiderers. This in turn has been an inspiration for my own practice as a maker and also as a tutor.

My earliest memories were always of the feel, texture and colour of fabrics. It just seemed inevitable that I would become a weaver. I grew up with a travel rug that my parents bought over from Ireland, when they first came to London. It was a very special possession in our family and has inspired me to produce limited edition woven blankets to be treasured and kept forever.

Sally will be at Homeworks on 4 & 11 December.