Textile professional with over 20 years of experience in hand knitting and crochet.

Find out more about Hannah

• When did you start practicing? How did this passion find you?

  I have been knitting since I was 7 or 8 and then taught myself crochet in my early 20s. I have always been interested in the making side of textiles and find a great pleasure in sharing these skills.

• Which artists or works affect you the most?

  I work in a museum caring for their collection of historic textiles and fashion. I find new inspiration in each object I see - textures, motifs, shapes and colours all inspire my work.

• What are the qualities and skill required to succeed in this area?

  Patience is key - don't be hard on yourself if you don't get in straight away. Confidence will come from practice and repeating movement again as you work through a project.

• What is the most valuable advice you can give to help someone stay focused on creative projects?

  Start small. Pick something you really want to make, but don't be too ambitious for a first project or you might get disheartened if it doesn't go to plan or get finished as quickly as you would like. If you want to make a jumper for your first project look for something in a chunky weight with limited decoration, rather than a lacey pattern in a fine gauge.

• How would you describe your passion; how does it make you feel?

  I love the feeling of completing something and being proud when people complement items I have made myself. It ticks both my strengths attention to detail and creativity.

• What creative achievements are you particularly proud of?

  I have recently been commissioned to design a pattern for a national organisation - more to come later in 2022.

• Have you ever been surprised by a student; by their ability or quick progression?

  I think students often know more than they think and my role can sometimes just be to clarify their understanding and nudge them in the right direction. If we're working through a new pattern I will always ask the student to explain part of the instructions to me once we've done a little bit, to prove to themselves they can do it.

• Being a Superprof is an art! What is your secret?

  Patience, positivity and perseverance.