I grew up in a village in the North Pennines where my Mum ran a craft gallery. I used to 'help' her out from an early age and even got to sell my rudimentary handmade goodies in her shop. My first sale was aged about 6, when a kind old lady bought my badly made plasticine man for 20p.
I guess I have always been interested in making things. I studied Fashion at University. I loved the design process but the cutthroat world of fashion was not for me and after a couple of years in London working as a designer, I moved back up North.
I set up the first incarnation of Bettyjoy, an online business selling and promoting handmade wares in 2006, which I ran in my spare time. It was featured in many national magazines including CosmoGirl and Mizz. A little later I became involved with Craft Candy and as a committee member
organised their mini fairs.
I have long been an advocator of the 'make do and mend' ethos and most of the things in my home are second hand or things I have made or upcycled myself.
I now teach craft workshops, run crafty social events and write tutorials and articles for magazines.
Sharing knowledge getting people interested and letting them know you don't have to be a seamstress extraordinaire to make something you'd be proud to wear or have in your home, is very important to me.
More recently I have been very lucky to be asked to present a programme true to my ethos Make Do & Mend which is due to air on Channel 4 in April this year.
