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Meet the Author
Hey there, can you introduce yourself?
I love the handmade lifestyle. Making something beautiful that my two home educated children and I use every day makes me endlessly happy. I’ve been making clothes, shoes, jewellery and bags for more than 10 years, teaching myself as I go along. I started a blog called secondskinblog a couple of years ago where I share tutorials and tips on making your own wardrobe.
Tell us a bit about the book?
The book shows you step-by-step how you can make long-lasting sandals explaining all the tools and leather craft techniques needed to make a high-quality product.
In addition, you will learn about different ways to decorate leather so you can create sandals that are truly yours.
The book features 8 sandal making projects with detailed instructions and photography making them easy to execute.
What was the inspiration behind it?
When I started making myn own clothes I also felt the urge to make shoes. Sandals looked a lot easier to make than shoes so that's how I began my shoemaking journey. It took me a lot of trial and error until I liked the sandals I made, there was no book on the topic and very little information on the internet.
That and people who saw me in my homemade sandasl asking me how to make them, led me to write the book I wished I'd had when I started out making sandals.
Which is your favourite project?
I couldn't tell, I like all the projects in the book.
What is your craft space like?
My craft space is the sunniest room in my house full to the brim with resources and tools I need to make things, one corner has the spinning wheel and baskets full of wool, another boxes of fabric and a sewing machine, one table I use for leather work and now in spring the window space is filled with lots of small plants for our allotment.
Have you always been creative?
No, I used to travel a lot before children and also worked in Africa and Southamerica, my life was very different then but once I had my first child I decided to stay at home with her. I started knitting her wooly jumpers and then sewing her outfits and making things for myself as well and that's how it all started.
When did you first start crafting?
My mum showed me how to knit and crochet, a scarf was probably one of my first projects when I was around 10 maybe.
Who are your crafty heroes?
I couldn't single out just one, I have a big collection of craft books and learn something new all the time. I wrote a resource page for my blog with lots of books I use and love, check it out if you like.
Where do you find inspiration?
The internet, books and libraries too.
What's next for you?
I'm writing a book on shoemaking, I hope to finish it in the summer.