PROFILE: FLO AND DOT
Sarah-Jane Hicks, designer at Flo and Dot, has an ‘anything and everything’ approach to creating in crochet
When Sarah-Jane Hicks first started her crochet design company in 2014, she didn’t have to look far for inspiration on what to name it. “The name Flo and Dot comes from my two nans – Florence and Dorothy. Coming from a generation of makers, they could always be found with needles or hook in hand, knitting, crocheting or sewing.”
It was Dorothy who got Sarah-Jane hooked on crochet at an early age, after her mum gave her some initial lessons. “My nan used to make the most beautiful lace doilies and I have lots of her old patterns and hooks. I love the thought of a craft being passed down the generations of a family, though I’m still waiting for my own daughter to want to learn!
“The first things I made were granny squares, I didn’t have much interest in doilies back then. I remember Saturday mornings were spent with my nan making clothes and blankets for my dolls, but my tension was always really tight, and the yarn used to squeak on my hooks.”
NEW HORIZONS
A natural-born crafter, like many hooksters Sarah-Jane has a few creative strings to her bow. “I love sewing and embroidery and I used to do lots of cross stitch and have made my own clothes in the past, though I tended to only wear them around the house,” she explains. “My knitting is slow and slightly awkward so frustrates me but I’ve recently taken it up again – I love Sincerely Louise.” However, crochet has remained her favourite over the years. “I much prefer crochet because I’m quicker at it, it’s easier to pull out and I like the fact there’s only one stitch on your hook.”
A few years ago her love of crochet blossomed into a business, which started as a bit of fun. “I’ve always loved making things. Not many of my friends are interested in crafts, but through Instagram and Etsy I discovered there were people out there like me, who love crochet and crafts and actually liked what I made,” she says. “I’m a bit of a maths geek at heart and love following a pattern, which is what I think attracted me to writing patterns of my own, and why I enjoy it so much.”
Sarah-Jane opened her Etsy shop in 2014 selling some of her handmade items, which at the time consisted centrally of crocheted keyrings and colourful bunting. “Lots of people asked whether patterns were available, so I thought, ‘why not write them up?’” she remembers. “Another of my designs were my little folk houses. Rather bravely I wrote to Simply Crochet and asked
if they would be interested, which they were, and that was my first published pattern in 2015. From then on, I was hooked on designing, both selling patterns independently, working with magazines and offering free patterns on Ravelry and my blog.”
FEELING INSPIRED
Running the business while also holding down a day job (she works four days a week as a tax advisor), can sometimes be a challenge, but the pros make it worthwhile, says Sarah-Jane, “Seeing something that someone has made from one of my patterns makes me very happy and hopefully makes them happy too. I’m also always pleased when anyone takes the time to leave feedback, it’s invaluable. It doesn’t have to be much, but positive feedback always makes me smile.”
Another joy is the creative process itself, as Sarah-Jane loves to get her colouring pencils out and sketch ideas that come to her, annotating the sketches with the stitches used and the pattern as she comes up with the designs. As for where she gets her ideas – anything goes, with her style notable for its miscellany. “My inspiration comes from everywhere and anything, it’s a bit of an eclectic mix really, nature, everyday things, childhood memories. I love looking through vintage patterns and I especially love a novelty item which I think is why I’m drawn to making them most. An idea tends to come to me on the spur of the moment, one day it might be cacti, another cassette tapes. Mostly I just like to have fun with crochet and make people smile.”
COLOUR POP
Flo and Dot designs are usually bursting with bright colour and Sarah-Jane admits it’s a big focus in her work: “I can spend hours looking at colours, and playing with combinations. It’s much easier when you can see the yarn in real life than online – I spend far too long adding yarn to my online basket just so I can work out what goes well together.” Her whatever-strikesme approach to design pairs ideally with the versatility of amigurumi, as Sarah-Jane explains: “I love to crochet anything, which is what drew me to amigurumi, because it means I can. And it’s in 3D too, so it really brings your crochet to life.”
CRAFTY CORNER
All this creativity takes place in a cosy crafting space at one end of Sarah-Jane’s living room. “It’s a sunny spot next to the patio doors and has a view of the garden,” she says. “My yarn is stored in cupboards under the stairs but I’m gradually running out of room so I’m always having to find somewhere new to put it or hide it! My favourite hooks are Clover Amour with their brightly coloured, soft handles and I love my stork scissors with their crochet caravan scissor keeper where I keep my yarn needle handy. In the summer my favourite spot to stitch is my swing seat in the garden. I surround myself with everything I might need – tea, yarn and my dog Rosie for company. If I’m working on a simple project that doesn’t require much thought, I love to listen to an audio book – currently it’s Harry Potter.” Despite this idyllic picture, Sarah also has dreams of a crochet getaway, a craft shed in the garden.
While Sarah-Jane’s crochet star has ascended rapidly since she first came onto the crochet scene, she’s not resting on her laurels, with exciting plans for 2019 and beyond, including new designs and collaborations on the horizon. She hasn’t lost sight of her raw passion for craft, either, citing her true aim for the near future as, “Simply doing more of what I love.” Written by Lucy Evans
“MOSTLY I JUST LIKE TO HAVE FUN WITH CROCHET AND MAKE PEOPLE SMILE”