Meet & Greet: A Moment with Rachael, Designer/Maker, Grandy and Baa
Posted: August 12th, 2009Today’s post written by Bec
Today I’d like you to meet wonderful designer/maker Rachael of Grandy and Baa. Rachael lives with her husband, daughter Stella (‘Minnie’), 3 years, a neurotic cat Daisy and a great big puppy named Molly, on the Central Coast of NSW, Australia, where she enjoys looking at the ocean from her front verandah. Find out more about Rachael below. You can shop Grandy and Baa here. Rachael also writes a fantastic blog here.
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Can you explain your craft/art and the materials you like to use?
I predominately focus on appliquéing designs onto tee-shirts, tops, and handmade skirts and dresses. Appliqué is simply creating a fabric picture or scene and then stitching it to another piece of fabric, commonly an item of clothing or a quilt.
My appliqué designs include dinosaurs, a rhino called Reggie, elephants, a mad dog called Mervin, food like eggs and bacon, and Ethel and Elise the finches. I think that my most popular designs have been Truman Triceratops and a pig named Pedro. I use new, vintage, and recycled fabrics and buttons in my appliqué work. I also make girls skirts and dresses with hand embroidered designs, bibs, small babies quilts and softies (soft toys).
How long have you been creating and how did you get into making baby & children wears?
My mother is a very skilled crafter and as I small child, I would sit at her feet in her sewing room and between sewing our clothes, she would teach me how to sew little quilts and dolls from scraps of fabric. I continued with sewing at school and on and off throughout my 20’s. I started making babies and children’s clothes after Stella was born in 2006. I wanted to dress her in things that were a little different to what was on offer at mainstream baby wear stores.
After deciding not to return to my job in the city, I thought that selling some of my sewing would provide me with a focus other than being a stay at home mum. As much as I love caring for Stella, I think at times we all need something else to do and starting Grandy and Baa gave me this outlet.
How do you juggle motherhood & crafting/managing your business?
At times it is incredibly difficult managing Grandy and Baa and being a full time mum to Stella. When Stella was smaller I would sew whenever she slept and I would ignore most of the house work! It helps if you have a very supportive husband, who is also a great cook!
Now that Stella is at pre-school one day per week, I am able to dedicate a little more time to sewing. Being able to sell my designs on websites like madeit has meant that I can work in my PJs or in the middle of the night if I have too! It’s hard to always get the balance right but all working parents have this dilemma. I am very fortunate that I have been able to remain at home with Stella and to be able to do something that I love.
Do you have any advice to other mums who are wanting to start creating handmade wares?
I say go for it! There is a wonderful sense of achievement from hand making clothes that you or your children can wear.
If you are starting out sewing, consider getting some lessons and perhaps borrowing a sewing machine from a friend or family member. The internet is also a wonderful resource – check out the many hundreds of craft blogs that exist, full of tips, tutorials, free patterns and advice.
There are many simple ideas, like making a babies bib or a set of napkins that can look really stunning with the right fabric. Remember that you can always unpick your sewing mistakes – I still do!
