Featured Maker // Steph's Woven Textiles
Steph Frayling
Steph’s Woven Textiles
Steph Frayling has been running Steph’s Woven Textiles since October 2020. Steph hand weaves and makes homewares, gifts and accessories, including pouches, pencil cases, scrunchies, cushions, wall hangings and throws as commission pieces, all from her hometown of Bath. Steph uses merino wool in her weaving, mainly as it is super soft, not scratchy and really good quality. However she also likes to work with cotton and wool.
Steph’s journey with weaving began when she studied Textile Design for Fashion and Interiors at Bath Spa University. She picked weaving as her specialism as she really enjoyed what she could create. The love of this wonderful traditional craft began from there.
Steph has been fortunate enough to have gained work experience at Wallace Sewell and Laura Thomas as well as undertaking a weaving course with Janet Phillips. Steph learned so much from them all combined. In 2020, Steph started making her own products and decided to have a go at selling them. Since October 2020, Steph has developed her brand and has taken on a good number of commissions as well as a stockist for a selection of her wall hangings at The Button Jar.
Steph would love to have a studio space or room of her own one day, but for now she works in part of her bedroom.
Talk us through your making process from start to finish
I begin by choosing a colour palette and the yarns I’m going to use. Then it’s time to make the warp which is the name of the group of yarns you put onto the loom running vertically (I will have already worked out the number of warp ends I will need). Next, I wind the warp onto the loom before each individual strand is threaded through the heddles to create the pattern and then the reed, before being tied onto the wooden beam.
Now I can begin weaving running the weft yarn horizontally through the shafts. Once the item is finished, I roll it off the loom. The fabric needs to be hand washed and given a gentle iron. I now have a unique and individual handwoven piece of fabric which can be cut and sewn into a product. The process of weaving is something I talk about on my website and Instagram so people understand how my work is made and the time involved to make a finished product.
What do you find most enjoyable about running your own creative business?
I think the best thing is you can choose your day, what you want to do and when you want to do it! If I think I need to go out and photograph something or need to get yarn I can just do it. Being your own boss can be fun.
“Nine times out of ten I would say a colour palette will inspire a collection and my designs. It could be colours I see when I’m out in everyday life ... Sometimes patterns and shapes can inspire the design process too. ”
What inspires your design process?
Nine times out of ten I would say a colour palette will inspire a collection and my designs. It could be colours I see when I’m out in everyday life, on trend colours or yarns I choose to put together. Sometimes patterns and shapes can inspire the design process too. I really love taking photographs to add to a moodboard for each collection.
Every maker has their favourite tools and techniques. Which are your favourites?
Tricky question to just pick one! I would say for designing, I really like to use my Apple pencil to sketch out ideas. I really love my loom, I have an Ashford Eight Shaft Table Loom. My favourite technique is a pattern I created (not saying it’s not already been done!) and I designed it on a weave programme on my laptop and then sampled the idea. I would say it’s popular too as it has been chosen for four commissions now!
Do you have a favourite colour or colour palette you like to work with?
If you follow me on instagram or even just have a glance at my Instagram feed you will see pink in nearly every bit of work I do. I think I’ve always been a girly girl so I’m very attracted to using different shades of pink in my weaving. It’s such a great colour to work with as it goes with lots of things. You do have to think about your customer when designing rather than designing things you like, I like to use Instagram stories to get opinions from my followers.
How do you juggle your home-life with work? Do you have any tips for those in a similar position?
Lists! That would be my biggest tip, make a list as soon as something comes into your head you won’t remember it in an hour’s time or tomorrow so write it down when you think of it. Another good tip and one I’ve been doing is making plans on my laptop calendar, it’s great to see everything laid out in front of you and feel really organised to know what’s coming up or planning Instagram posts. Don’t forget to take time out for yourself too!
Visit Steph’s online shop: stephswoventextiles.com
Follow Steph on Instagram: @stephswoventextiles
