 About usSnapdragon started life back in 2000 when, pregnant with my younger daughter, I left my job as Curator of British art at the University of Glasgow and decided to change my life.
I dreamed of moving to the country, growing cut flowers, and sewing things and in 2003 we did just that - buying a smallholding near to Drymen in the Loch Lomond National Park.
The sewing began as something to fill in the months when there is nothing growing in the garden, but it soon took over, and while we are still surrounded by a cut flower garden, it is embroidering which takes up 90% of my time.
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 The AirstreamIn 2008, with the children becoming more independent, I decided to begin selling my textiles wholesale and Snapdragon quickly grew, moving away from the kitchen table and first into a vintage airstream caravan and then into a purpose built workshop in a field behind the cutting garden.
We now have over 300 stockists in the UK and Europe.
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 The teamNow we have a team of 5 working away to bring you Snapdragon goodies.
Fiona manages the garden, producing flowers for sale and for weddings (we don't do many but I like to keep my hand in) and creating a beautiful area that inspires my work.
Isobel is in charge of prepping and making up all notebooks, phone cosies, cushions and so on, she is by far the tidiest member of the team and also the best baker.
Kit is in charge of badge and mirror production, prepping the fabrics and making up the finished items, she is amazingly unfazed by needing to cut out a thousand cupcakes.
Valerie is in charge of all admin and dispatch and keeping the whole operation running.
And I do all the embroidering.
At some point I hope to get them together agreeing to a team photo. |
 What we doAll of Snapdragon's textiles are made here in our workshop from British made and recycled fabrics. Lots of people send us their old fabrics and we send them some treats in return.
I use my sewing machine to draw on the fabric - using the needle a bit like a pen - creating images of life around me; the seedheads in the meadow, my hens and ducks, our beloved vw campervan Dougal, the airsteam. . . .
There are two main ranges - one monochrome, embroidered lines on cream wool and the other vibrant with more than a nod to my 1970s childhood.
I write a blog most weekdays which documents what we do and I love it when people get in touch.
Please do
snapdragonjane@googlemail.com
Jane x |
 BespokeAs well as our core products we also produce bespoke items - either complete ranges, like these for Dove Cottage in Grasmere or single items - a campervan wedding album, a portrait of your house, bespoke wedding favours - we will give most things a go.
If you have an idea and want to talk about it, do get in touch |
