Today it's time to meet Eva from Eva in Stitches!
Tell us about yourself and what you do at the EPM...
I joined the EPM on very short notice when I just thought I’d dare ask if they’d have me and my purses. Was a total newby to markets and EPM welcomed me and I instantly felt at home in the beautiful surroundings and alongside so many other talented and creative people. So I show up with my purses and bags, try to make my stall colourful and inviting and hopefully customers are overwhelmed by the choice! I don’t believe in minimalism!
When did you first know you wanted to be creative?
From the year dot ... never thought I would attempt to sell though. Creativity is like scratching an itch, you can’t ignore it (in a good way!)
What inspires you to be creative?
Fabric design is my first love and if I see a good fabric I have to grab it. Next step is making something and usually it’s the need for some item specifically designed for a particular purpose. Every purse I make is my own design – of course I can’t lay claim to the rectangle (!) but the details such as flat base or not, extra pockets inside, wadding, beautiful lining, careful zip insertion, neat top stitching and so on makes them a very personal and individual make. Selling purses really only helps me pay for my fabric habit – but that’s a good thing right?
Describe your perfect day...
My selfish perfect day is no interruptions which allows the creative juices to flow and I can “disappear” into my work
What is your best ever creative moment?
Probably when I manage to make something that pretty much matches the idea in my head. So often I have brilliant ideas, but can’t seem to carry them out. Also when someone says wow – particularly people who sew themselves and know their stuff! – I do need the feedback to know I am getting things right or not.
Describe a lesson you learnt from a creative failure...
I have a bag full of failed makes, but if I’ve learnt something from each of them, so they aren’t such a failure right? So the lesson is, don’t try something new with your best most expensive fabric – try it out in a denim or calico – that way if it works you can still use it, but if it doesn’t you haven’t trashed something precious.
What's the scariest movie you have ever seen?
Jaws
What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Treat others as you’d like to be treated yourself.
What's your favourite tunes to get you in the creative mood?
My ipod has 1,000 songs on shuffle – classical, pop, alternative, jazz, you name it – I love being surprised and now having to decide on a particular cd
What do you love most about the EPM?
The setting is glorious and the atmosphere of the people who run it and market participants – a winner on all fronts. Excellent focus on delicious food and then a huge range of creatives who take their craft seriously in terms of quality and variety. It is such a pleasure to be able to participate in this.
Where do you see your business in the next 5 years?
I daren’t think 5 years ahead, for now I am loving what I am doing and can’t foresee stopping, there will always be more beautiful fabric and hopefully my ideas will keep me going.
