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Sew Heart Felt launch Odette Swan Mobile

Sew Heart Felt launch Odette Swan Mobile

Gather & Co is delighted to be supporting Sew Heart Felt in the launch of their new range of mobiles, including the ever so popular Princess Odette swan mobile.  Ahead of the launch I chatted to founder Sonia Spencer to talk all things felt, working relationships and a truly ethical business.

Can you tell us how Sew Heart Felt began?

Sew Heart Felt started around five years ago. My background used to be in male accessories but as a textile designer I believe we can turn our hands to most things and I thought it was time to take on a new challenge that I was truly passionate about. I found a small wet felting business in Kathmandu, spent time over there and we worked together to design and make the first Sew Heart Felt product - our best-selling Finlay Fox Slippers.

What are you most proud of what you have created at Sew Heart Felt?

I’m immensely proud of the ethical nature of the business. We’re not jumping through hoops but it just is. We employ a small community of women, up to 200 at times throughout the year – they all live in the neighbouring villages to Kathmandu and come into the city in the week with their children who then go to school there.  We use all the natural resources that Nepal has to offer. We’re not doing it for the sake of a piece of paper, it’s just the natural make up of Sew Heart Felt – for example the water is brought down from the mountains so that we don’t use the village supply and each strand of wool is used or sold on. Nothing is wasted.

Can you talk us through the design process of the new Odette swan mobile? 

As with all of our products it all starts with a drawing, not a CAD drawing but my sketches. I then visit Nepal and we work up the designs together. I try not to be too fixed with my intentions because that would stifle the beauty of what we’re trying to create, a truly holistic design. We learn from each other, visit markets and source local components together – if we need a specific button there’ll be someone that can make them from coconuts.  We work collaboratively to create each beautifully smart product.

The Odette swan mobile was an idea born out of a skill of the workers who had previously made felt butterflies and my love of birds and the beauty of the way they move. Odette is such a well loved character at Sew Heart Felt and I hope she flies.

 

To celebrate the launch of the new mobiles, we’ve teamed up with Sew Heart Felt to give one lucky winner the chance to win a Sew Heart Felt swan mobile and a Gather & Co carry cushion. Please visit Instagram or Facebook, like Sew Heart Felt and Gather & Co and tag a friend in the competition post to be in with a chance of winning before the competition closes at midnight on 21st June. The giveaway is open internationally however may be required to pay P&P. This competition is in no way sponsored or endorsed by Instagram or Facebook and by entering you are confirming you are 18+ years of age.

 

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