Tips for budding crafters by Hannah of Utensils0 December 8, 2015 14:15

Hannah Miles is the design and paper artist behind Utensils0. I met up with her in a cafe in Muswell Hill to chat craft and life. Here's a few snippets of our conversation:

Sonia
Hannah, how did you make the move to being a professional maker?

Hannah
I was always the crafty child, making lots of things from early on like  candles and crochet hats for dolls. I fell into Graphic Design which tended to be very computer focused and I forgot about creating with my hands but during my final year I realised I was happier using handcrafts in my work and would spend hours coming up with new ways to use skills in food decoration, textiles and papercraft in my work. Using paper just seemed to fit me and the possibilities of using it in the home, giving gifts, making artwork and in Graphic Design drove me to try more and more skills in papercrafting.

Sonia
What would your three best tips for a budding crafter be?

Hannah
Others don’t judge your crafts as much as you do, so don’t beat yourself up about getting it perfect

It’s easy to look at finished pieces online and want your work to look as perfect and pristine as them, but in reality it probably took hours of learning and trial and error to get there! Don’t listen to your inner critic too much, others will focus on the skill, care and time you have put into each thing you hand make and that is what it is all about.

Set yourself challenges

In every craft there is so much you can learn, loads of fun techniques and new tools to use. I challenged myself this year to hand make every card I was going to send  and with each one I used a new technique or a style. It pushed me to keep trying things out, and the best thing is that whatever you do your love ones will be so pleased to receive something handmade from you, and they'll be your most encouraging audience.

It takes 5,000 hours to get really good at something but it's worth it!

I have been working with paper seriously for 2 years, and in that time I have seen a huge jump in style and skill. The details I am able to get out of my work in that time have really increased. Every craft takes time to become second nature but it’s about taking that first step, not jumping in at the deep end and building your way up. Don’t get discouraged! It's a good idea to start off with something simple like the Gingerbread House printable which can be used in so many ways with just scissors and glue.

Hannah will be at the Illustrators’ Christmas Fair by the House of Illustration Saturday 12th December and you can buy and commissions through her Etsy Shop www.utensils0.etsy.com

By Sonia Bownes, founder of London Craft Club