My name is Helen and I live on the Isle of Man with my grown-up daughter and two very active German Short-haired Pointers called Dolly and Daisy. I’ve always had a love for textiles and I was taught to knit by a great aunt, when I was 5 years old and I’ve never stopped. I’ve always had an affinity for detail and small, shiny things; I was often found rummaging through my mum’s button box which I never tired of looking at; sewing and embroidery were also a passion and I made many of my own clothes.

Now, I mainly use wool, in fact I’m a bit of a wool ‘o’ holic and my wool collection is large.

I am also passionate about native and heritage animal breeds with a primary focus being our Manx Loaghtan Sheep where my main and best-selling products are based on these fabulous creatures.

Over the years, I have designed a range of craft kits which highlight some of these animals, which I will be continuing to develop in the future. I try, wherever possible to use sustainable materials and packaging for these kits. My art, craft kits and homewares can be bought through my website and online shop.

I was actively involved in the 7^th Northern Atlantic Native Breed Conference, held on the island in 2017, with the concentration being our native Manx Loaghtan sheep, where I delivered a workshop to delegates from various Northern Atlantic Countries, showing them how to make a Loaghtan sheep brooch. This led me to design a large 3D felted Loaghtan model, called Aldyn, (meaning ‘wild’ in Manx) made completely with fleece from the island, who’s now my business mascot and goes everywhere with me.

In 2022, I was invited to teach needle felting at the Festival Interceltique Lorient, France and I chose to show participants how to felt mini Manx Loaghtan sheep using genuine Manx fleece. The reactions to our native breed were amazing, they loved the 2-tone fleece and the 4 horns, they had never seen anything like it and all left with their own mini Manx Loaghtan sheep and took a bit of our island home with them.

My art has developed and I now create wool painted pet and animal portraits. Instead of using paint, I use carded wool and a barbed needle to create 2D pictures, blending coloured wool together and transforming it into a beautiful image and I can also include the fur of the animal too.

With needle felting, I find it fascinating and incredible that such a humble product such as wool can be manipulated and created in something amazing just by using a barbed needle that causes the wool fibres to felt together into something beautiful.

Another avenue for my art is in providing fun, creative and inspiring workshops and I get great joy from teaching, coaxing and encouraging participants to connect with their creativity.

Apart from teaching new skills, I also focus on well-being and the benefits derived from having a bit of peace and a restful mind during the crafting sessions. The responses and results I get are amazing.

Participants usually leave the workshop feeling excited and inspired, often fizzing with ideas on how they can progress further with their craft and feeling the value of a time spent being creative in a nurturing and mutually beneficial environment.

Currently my workshops are based on wool crafts and needle felting, I passionately believe that there are many therapeutic benefits derived from this pastime.  The process requires focus and concentration, so it has an inbuilt meditative quality, in addition to the social aspects of spending time in a safe space with like-minded people.

I have mainly worked with groups of ladies.  Some will attend with friends, whilst others will come along alone, knowing nobody else.  In both cases, my workshops provide a non-threatening way to be with other people and a feeling of togetherness with the support of the whole group.  There is no pressure to talk or interact unless you choose to, which tends to create a peaceful calming atmosphere.  It is just wonderful!

I’ve taught many to connect to art and their creativity and participants have expressed wonder at the transformation of the raw wool and relish turning it into something intricate and beautiful; it’s utterly magic. They also, all start with the same materials, but the end results are very different and express the creator’s individual personality.

With the success of my in-person workshops and with needle felting becoming a popular and growing hobby, and the request from people in the UK and internationally, I want to expand and reach a wider audience to spread the benefits of this wonderful craft, to increase engagement and help beginners overcome the challenges of learning without proper guidance and broaden their horizons by offering online tuition. They are easy for anyone, anywhere, to learn this fascinating craft and in the comfort of their own home and to inspire and promote excellence.

My online needle felting tutorials are designed from absolute beginners upwards and cover all aspects of needle felting, from the basics of felting wool to creating complex shapes and figures. The tutorials are engaging, interactive, educational and encourage skills development, featuring step-by-step instructions and high-quality video demonstration.

I also offer 1 to 1, group tuition and bespoke commissions for those looking for cherished gifts and heirloom pieces, please contact me  to discuss your requirements.