winds of change
This short blog follows on from my previous interview with textile crafter Rebecca Rickard. I thought it was worth doing as she has recently come up with a new line of creativity using old sails.
Rebecca Rickard felt the winds of change when a friend from her sailing club offered her the use of an old dinghy sail. Up until then her upcycling work had been based on dressmaking textiles, but she was immediately tempted at the thought of saving an old sail from heading to landfill and by the possibilities for creating something stylish and practical.
Using a pattern for a large bag and teaming the stiff sailcloth with brightly coloured judo belts she came up with a new line of beach bags that became an instant success at craft fairs and with her sailing friends. I really like these as they are instantly striking and fun as well as being very practical.
The bags are very popular with sailing enthusiasts who love that the item is made from a nautical item, maybe from their favourite boat and that they often sport a special logo, colour, or unique feature. They are strong, durable and come in fabulous colours, too.
your chance to buy…
Further offers of sails, including windsurfer sails, have enabled Rebecca to customise her bags to suit customers, who can request specific belt colours, numbers and types of sails for their bags. They retail at £40 and enquiries are welcome!
If you fancy getting your hands on one of these, either for yourself or for a friend or family member, Rebecca will be selling them at Chris’ Art House in Romsey on November 28, 29 and 30th, where you can also see work by other artists and makers. Details here:
