I was brought up on a backblocks farm where after school time and holidays were spent riding ponies, doing stock work on the farm and building jumps for the ponies.
My parents had both gone away to World War II and served for New Zealand, my father having been locked up by the Germans for several years. They both told wonderful stories of far off lands, different cultures and ways of life. My mother had spent time in Italy so we grew up with pizza, anchovies and a few other Italian delights, which was unusual in the 1950s. Mum read overseas magazines and got ideas for cooking and sewing. She was a great sewer and produced some amazing outfits, including hats and she never sewed a zip in on the machine; always by hand. She also knitted and crocheted. The first thing I remember making was a knitted noseband for my pony to keep her nose warm as I rode her to the school bus. Over 50 years later I'm still making things for my horses.
Eight years at boarding school produced lots of embroidery, knitted items and clothes. I made some impressive stuff in my 6th form year and although the nuns were clearly impressed, nobody suggested that I could go off and have a career in fashion or clothing so I went off to work in the bank for several years and at this time made all my own clothes including jodphurs for show riding.
Then followed a long career as a ski instructor, working in both hemispheres for many years. Not much sewing took place but I was given a Swedish pattern for a woollen ski hat knitted on a round needle and then embroidered with flowers. This was completed on various train journeys through Europe. Once I stopped the year-round thing and got full time work in New Zealand I bought a second-hand knitting machine, somebody showed me how to use it and I was away. For many years I made and sold ski hats throughout New Zealand and a lot of the personalised ones made their way overseas.
Then came the big move to Palmerston North in 1992 by which time I was riding horses and competing at shows again. Various jobs have come and gone since then and suddenly I found myself out of work. A brief stint making horsey gear bit the dust with a lack of marketing skills, a close shave with becoming a property developer just as the economy started to dive, and then the quest to buy a business. The only things on offer were cafes, florists and hairdressers - just not me.
Then came Flow Design which I bought from a woman in Wellington. So here I am making merino clothing and woollen wraps and scarves trimmed with feathers or paua and also silk scarves.
So that's me. Now living on a 6000 acre farm and working from home.
Like country life, animals and whisky. Dislike (intensely) custard, white sauce, fish and gin. Philosophy on life - try to do the right thing by people. Favourite song - I Dreamed a Dream by Susan Boyle.