Behind the Scenes with Annabel Wrigley

We got ~~demanding~~ lucky and convinced Annabel that she needed to come to the studios and film a handful of classes with us recently. Annabel is all kinds of awesome, which means she was also willing to spend a lunch break answering questions.

Where do you live?

I live in Warrington, Virginia.

Do you have any adorable pets/kids/life partners we should know about?

Yes! I have a husband, Darrin, my daughter Ruby and my son Oliver. I also have a pug named Coco and a bunny named Lulu (but her real name’s Reba. Because she’s a redhead who lives in the South.

How and when did you get into sewing and crafting?

I started sewing when my son was born. My friend’s baby had the most adorable hat and I wanted one for Oliver, but I wasn’t about to pay $100 for a baby hat. So I stapled together my own version out of felt, went up to my mother-in-law, and said, “Can you teach me how to sew this?” I started sewing baby clothes, and then my friends started requesting pieces. And then I was approached by some shops who wanted to carry them. At the time, my business was called Baby Ollie. Then I started doing other things. I visited the US and fell in love with reproduction fabrics. I bought a ton of them and started making all kinds of projects. I moved to the US about 12 years ago and 6 years later, because at the time I wasn’t allowed to work, I taught my daughter to sew. Then I started teaching her friends how to sew. And now it’s the focus of Little Pincushion Studio.

What’s the toughest part of running your own business?

Managing the work-life balance.

What advice would you give to people who are starting their own handmade business?

Figure out what you’re good at — where you really shine — and focus on that.

Where do you go for inspiration?

Pinterest! I also look at magazines and just the world in general. I love seeing what kids are doing and making; what they’re excited about. I’m also a big collector of vintage craft books and I love looking at crafts from the 1960s.

How do you make time for everything?

I’m still working on it. It’s hard for me to say no, but I’m getting better at keeping weekends for myself and booking all the classes I need on weekdays.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

I’m a little obsessed with Lisa Congdon (I LOVE her use of color) and I really like Heather Ross.

What are your favorite materials to work with?

I really love wool felt and vintage fabrics. I often cut up and use old clothes, and I use a lot of vintage fabrics as accents in my sewing classes with kids.

Do you have a favorite project?

I absolutely love the patchwork American flags that I made in one of my classes, and I made a Union Jack out of old jeans that’s really great. I like those projects because the kids really changed it up, they used unique fabrics and made some really gorgeous flags.