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 is 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 I inherited my passion for all things artistic. She taught me to knit and embroider when I was a young girl. It’s a pity that these skills are not being passed on as they were in the past – youngsters today are far more interested in technology.

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 were from all over the world – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sudan as well as England. It is precisely in front of the wall in the picture below that 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. I went on to experiment and advanced considerably without any other help. But, I must say that the greatest advances I have made are thanks to the resources I have found on the Internet.

I intend to use this site to showcase some of my creations and experiences as well as to share ideas. I do hope you will find this interesting and would love your feedback.