We at Swanky Maison are keen for you to find out more about our sellers, their background and what makes them tick. So every now and then we hope to through the spotlight on one of our partners. And where better to start than with Charlotte Macey
Charlotte is a textile designer living and creating in the heart of the Cotswolds. Her work includes egg cosies, tea cosies, aprons , tea towels and cushions – all beautifully handmade.
SM: How did you start your business and what led you to this career path?
CM: I began Charlotte Macey Textiles last year whilst working locally in a chocolate shop. I enjoyed my work at the time, understandably (!), however spent a lot of time daydreaming about the possibility of turning my textiles and design work into more than a hobby. Before long my daydreaming took over the sensible part of my brain and I quit my job. Since then I have dedicated all hours to Charlotte Macey Textiles. It sounds like such a cliché but I love every second and haven’t looked back!
SM: Who and/or what inspires your designs?
CM: My main source of inspiration is from the everyday things around me, from objects in my home, to colours in the countryside where I live. There is so much inspiration around us on a daily basis, and I seem to glean ideas, often subconsciously, from my surroundings and my home.
SM: How do you go about coming up with new designs?
CM: I don’t tend to sit down and think ‘lets think of some new designs’, it’s definitely a more natural process where I’ll be doing daily tasks or working, and an idea will pop into my head! At this point I grab the nearest bit of paper and scrawl down a picture and the details, then set to work on the design later. It’s a pretty organic process!
SM: Describe your working environment, what surrounds you, how do you work?
CM: My studio is a haven for all things sewing-related, it contains all my work essentials, from my all-important sewing machine, my computer to help me stay in touch with the world, and my chest of drawers full of piles of fabric, threads, and my ‘scrap bag’ with all the leftover bits of fabric that I keep for future use, nothing gets wasted! I keep my environment as tidy as possible, as I can’t work in a messy studio.
SM: What would be your perfect home? Where would it be and what would you put in it?
CM: My perfect home would be in a bustling seaside town; a house decorated simply with white walls, quirky and beautiful homely items, and vintage advertising signs that I am desperate to start collecting. I also love painted white furniture and natural floorboards, so I’m pretty sure that would form the basis of all the rooms in my perfect home!
SM: What is your favourite product from your collection?
CM: That’s a tough one, however my favourite item is actually a toss-up between my spotty cupcake tea towel, which I think is so cute, and my spotty tea cups cushion, I love the combination of the cream linen, spotty charcoal fabric and red stitching. I think I’m developing a bit of a thing for red!
SM: Putting you on the spot, what is your favourite Swanky Maison product, other than from your collection and why?
CM: My favourite Swanky product has to be the cherry glass cupcake by Maggie Williams, they are amazing and exquisite, and you can choose your own icing colour! It’s wonderful to be able to buy something beautiful and to be able to keep it forever. These would make a great investment!
SM: Finally, what do you have in store for us in the future, are you working on any new designs/products our readers might be interested in?
CM: I’m currently working on a new range of milk jug designs, using pieces of vintage floral fabric as part of the jug design. I’m starting off with a natural cotton tea towel, and will see where that leads me. I’m excited about working on a new range of designs, and hope that they will become a staple part of my current range.
SM: Thanks Charlotte, lovely to find out more about you!
Tags: aprons, charlotte macey, cushions, egg cosies, swanky maison, tea cosies, tea towels