My first memories of needlework, knitting and crochet are from a very young age – I must have been around 5 or 6 years old when I first tried my hand at embroidery. I have always known my mother to be knitting or doing needlework – be it embroidery, cutwork or beading as well as sewing with sequins. She would often knit wonderful outfits for me and my little sister to wear (below is a photo showing off some of her handiwork). She was a very talented artisan. I have rarely known her to follow a pattern – rather she would get inspiration from all around and then use it her creations. It is from her that I inherited my passion for all things artistic. She taught me to knit and embroider when I was a young girl, and those early lessons have stayed with me ever since.
I can still picture today my first crochet experience – I must have been 8 years old. We were living in Birmingham, England on a University Estate (which was part of the Cadbury Estate as far as I know). Our neighbours came from all over the world, and one warm September afternoon I saw a lady sitting on a folding chair doing crochet.
I was intrigued and went over to watch. She very kindly showed me what she was doing and taught me how to do a chain stitch…..and that’s where my love affair with crochet began.
From there I experimented and taught myself more and more, helped enormously in later years by the wealth of resources and wonderfully creative people I discovered online.
From Manjri’s Place to Studio Manjri
Manjri’s Place became my space to document that continuing journey — a home for the crochet projects, patterns, experiments and other creative adventures I’ve collected along the way.
Over the years, crochet remained a constant, but my creativity kept wandering into new places too. And eventually, all those years of making, experimenting and learning grew into something new.
In 2026, Studio Manjri was born.
Studio Manjri is my creative studio in Malta, where I now create handmade crochet companions, accessories, jewellery, bags and gifts, as well as exploring workshops and other creative projects.
Manjri’s Place isn’t disappearing, though. This is still my creative journal — and a record of quite a few years of making things simply because I wanted to see if I could. 😊
