Sewing is officially cool, thanks to The Great British Sewing Bee, Kirsty Allsop and many more. Meet an entrepreneurial crafter who’s turned her love of stitching into a community event.

Maggie Robb has always been drawn to making her mark with a needle and thread, but it was leaving London and her job as a TV producer that set her on course as a maker.

Maggie Robb (Made by Maggie) at The Spring Downley Makers’ Market

Maggie works with vintage fabric and hand embroidery under the label Made by Maggie. “There’s something magical about hand-embroidering a name, or stitching the face of someone onto a blank piece of fabric. Like a little bit of benevolent voodoo!”

Fiona Emma (Linen and Roses) at The Spring Downley Makers’ Market

In 2011 she and her husband moved to the village of Downley on the edge of the Chilterns and near High Wycombe. At the toddlers’ play-group Maggie met local mums Catherine Smith and Fiona Emm. Somewhere along the line between changing nappies and playing with Lego, they discovered their mutual passion for stitching.

“We were all creating things in the evenings, but dreaming of turning our hobbies into a business. The Downley Makers’ Market was the result.”

Liberty Lavender Cats by Made by Maggie

Aware that there was a gap in the market the three creative mums booked the village community hall for a Saturday morning close to Christmas. “We knew we’d look pretty silly in such a big venue, so we started to advertise for other makers to take pitches, for a small fee. We could have filled the hall twice over and by the time our spring market came along we had three times as many makers applying.”

Brooches by Made by Maggie

The Downley Makers were able to cover their start-up and advertising costs with the fees taken from fellow makers. “We’re not quite running at a profit as we’re using any money left over from the craft markets to expand what we do online.” Maggie explains. “A website is on the way this summer, as well as workshops. Its really important to us that The Makers’ Market is as much about an ethos of sharing skills and information as it is an event at which people can sell.”

You can meet The Downley Makers in person at Downley Day on June 21st and their next market will be later in the autumn. “Things have been so busy since we started the markets that I think we all find it hard to keep up sometimes.” Maggie confesses, “But it’s great knowing that we’ve created something that so many people are engaging with and getting pleasure from.”

Fiona Emm, Catherine Smith and Maggie Robb – The Downley Makers’

Made by Maggie: Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MadebyMaggie07

The Downley Makers’ Market: Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/TheDownleyMakersMarket