Some people see a pile of fabric offcuts and think “bin.” I see a pile of fabric offcuts and think "ooh, potential."
That’s basically how things work at Watership Down Crafts. What starts off as a forgotten scrap or a leftover swatch somehow ends up as a tote bag, a makeup pouch, or a notebook cover — and every single one has its own little backstory. Sometimes involving unpicking. Sometimes involving unrepeatable language.
The Joy (and Chaos) of Making Things
Let’s be honest — turning a bundle of mismatched bits into something beautiful isn’t always straightforward. I don’t float around like some Pinterest fairy, sipping herbal tea and effortlessly creating masterpieces. There’s usually thread everywhere, a missing unpicker, and at least one zip trying to start a fight.
But despite the chaos, I love it. There’s something oddly satisfying about coaxing a flat piece of fabric into something three-dimensional and useful. I’ve made bags that started life as curtain samples, notebook covers from leftover dressmaking scraps, and pouches from a failed sewing project that I may have thrown across the room at some point. Nothing is wasted if I can help it.
Not Just Another Tote Bag
Tote bags are everywhere these days — but mine don’t follow the crowd. I don’t buy rolls of matching fabric or make ten of the same style. Each unique handmade tote bags is a proper one-off. If it’s got a zip, a lining, a contrast panel, or a pocket that made me mutter “never again,” it’s probably one of mine.
They’re designed to be used. To be slung over your shoulder, filled with shopping, books, dance gear, or whatever life throws at you. I’ve even had one customer tell me hers became her everyday bag — partly because she loved it, and partly because she couldn’t bear to put it down long enough to switch to another one. That’s the kind of feedback that keeps me sewing, even when the bobbin runs out again halfway through a topstitch.
The Makeup Bags That Hold It All Together
I don’t think makeup bags get enough credit. They’re always just quietly doing their job in the background, keeping things tidy while everything else falls apart. That’s probably why I enjoy making them. My handmade makeup bags are fully lined, zipped, and the ideal size for all those little bits that seem to multiply in the bottom of your handbag.
More than just makeup
They’ve been used for all sorts — craft supplies, travel kits, crochet hooks, charging cables… one customer even used hers to store snacks, which I fully support. A tidy bag is a happy bag.
Notebook Covers for the Stationery Obsessed
There’s something lovely about writing on actual paper, especially when it’s inside something that feels a bit special. My embroidered notebook covers are made for people who love a proper to-do list, a handwritten note, or the feeling of finally crossing something off (even if it’s just “buy milk”).
One-of-a-kind and worth keeping
Each one has its own design — sometimes woodland creatures, sometimes florals, sometimes a bit of both. No two are ever quite the same, which makes them feel like a treat even when you’re just writing a shopping list. They also make great gifts, assuming you can part with one.
What You’re Really Supporting
When you choose something from Watership Down Crafts, you’re not just buying a product — you’re backing a slightly stubborn, self-taught woman who’s figured things out the hard way. You're supporting a one-person operation fuelled by second-hand fabric, strong tea, and the occasional bit of late-night swearing when the bobbin runs out again.
Every item is cut, sewn, pressed, and finished by me, here in my little sewing room. Sometimes the cat supervises. Sometimes she just sleeps on the ironing board. Either way, it's a quiet kind of magic — turning the ordinary into something useful, beautiful, and entirely individual.
Thank You for Being Here
Whether you’ve bought something, browsed the shop, shared a post, or just had a nose around to see what this is all about