Spindlepins
Storybook characters in needle felt and stitch
Spindlepins storybook characters are needle felted, stitched and embellished with found objects. They are hand-crafted by Heidi Moran on the Isle of Anglesey, North Wales.
About
All Spindlepins characters are hand felted, hand-stitched and embellished with vintage and found objects. Each Spindlepins character is unique and takes many hours to create.
Each one is lovingly created within our 18th century Welsh cottage, steeped in rural tradition and surrounded by woodland, providing inspiration for each of the storybook characters.
All Spindlepins characters are made from pure wool fibres, vintage and pre-loved fabrics and most are created on a wire armature allowing them to be individually posed.
Spindlepins characters are decorative, sculptural heirloom pieces and not suitable for use as toys.
Portfolio
Spindlepins
woodland characters
Spindlepins
dogs
Spindlepins
garden birds
I have always been a maker.
From making dolls’ clothes and peg dolls as a child, I have always loved creating characters from fairy stories and folk tales.
What began as a quiet hobby has evolved into a deeply immersive practice. I am endlessly captivated by the process of bringing each Spindlepins character to life. My approach is intuitive and organic; I begin with little more than the choice of animal. I rummage through a huge assortment of pre-loved fabrics, threads, buttons and car boot finds. These elements are thoughtfully combined to create one-of-a-kind figures, rich in character and detail.
I am lucky enough to live in a traditional Welsh cottage, hidden from the nearby lanes and neighbouring farms by a small woodland of mature trees and tumbledown buildings. We are surrounded by wildlife and are often visited by foxes and owls and the occasional red squirrel. We feed a plethora of garden birds and have a large wildlife pond full of newts, beetles and dragonflies. These beautiful surroundings feed into my work and I like to bring a sense of the homespun and slightly careworn feel to my work.
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