Vendor Profile #13 - Pikelet Workshop

Pikelet Workshop

Tell us about your work and what we can expect to see at this years Handmade Hamilton?

I design and create one of a kind plush characters, children's accessories and decor items. I also make sewing kits and teach kids to sew throughout the summer. As an Australian living in Canada I hope to bring my unique sense of design and colour to a new audience. 

I will be bringing a range of toys to the show, some Christmas ornaments and my DIY ornament sewing kits. My best selling Tooth Fairy Poppet will certainly be coming along too.

What does your process look like?

I start with a sketch and then turn an illustration into a paper pattern. Sometimes the pattern turns out perfectly and other times it needs tweaking. Then I spend a ridiculous amount of time sifting through my fabric to find just the right combination for each particular character. 

I spend a lot of time making custom dolls for people including Elvis, scuba divers and the main characters from Murdoch Mysteries. I really love working with people to bring an idea to life. The entire cutting, stitching and finishing process is done by me in my workshop at home, often supervised by a couple of naughty black cats and my 11 year old daughter.  She is also a pretty good product tester, when her eyes light up I know I am on to something.

What are your inspirations?

My IPod is my best friend (apologies husband). I have two classic IPods full of so many things, mostly audiobooks (shout out to Audible.com for the best money I spend each month) and podcasts. So many.

I'll list a few faves which cover the variety I listen to.

The Broad Experience - a great feminist podcast about women in the workplace but it just applies to life as a woman in general. 

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History - hours and hours and hours of historical battles. Amazing stuff.

Dear Handmade Life - great interviews and chat about small creative business life. These girls also host the Craftcation conference in California each year and I'm super excited that a bunch of us gals from Makeology are going next Spring. California and Craft!!

Stuff You Should Know - just the best podcast by a couple of adorable guys, we've seen them live and love them. 

Kermode and Mayo's Film Review - a BBC show about film. The critic is super geeky about film and they are also pretty funny. They bicker like and old married couple.

Sword and Scale - a true crime podcast. Warning, this is not for the faint hearted. Some episodes are very graphic.

The Infinite Monkey Cage - a great British science podcast. Funny and super informative with lots of interesting guests.

WTF with Marc Maron - comedian who shoots the breeze with all sorts of people. His Obama chat is a must listen.

And probably 20 more. There are lots of little niche comedy podcasts I like and more science and history ones and loads of crafty ones. 

It's a problem, but I never have time to read anymore so this keeps my brain active.