Meet the makers: Rachel Stanners

After a bit of a gap, we’re resuming our interviews with Makerhoodies. In this first one, Rachel tells us why she switched from set and costume design to printing with Prickle Press – and where to get great-value flowers in Brixton.

1. You studied set and costume design – so how did you end up making and selling prints?
In 2009 I was a year out of my MA in scenography for dance and was getting some odd bits of work as a designer while holding down a full-time job, but I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired by the work I was doing. At the time my partner was visiting from Australia and he bought a letterpress printer. Neither of us had done any printing before, but we loved it! Instead of being told what to do by other people, I could do exactly what I wanted. And it’s very tactile – I use sets of metal and wooden type, often really old. Some of the cards I have on Makerhood are made from vintage wooden type loaned from a shop called Mr Magpie in Brighton.

2. So you are now a professional printmaker?
Yes, I work from home, printing four days a week. Now we have a much bigger press, about 100 years old, made in the US. It’s a massive piece of equipment and weighs a ton – I’m worried about it falling through the ceiling into our living room below! Although I don’t have any formal training I’ve always done a lot of drawing, and I like to combine type and illustration. So I draw up designs, turn them into PDFs and then get them made into polymer plates for printing.

3. And how did the name of Prickle Press come about?
I wanted the name to be quite personal – something that meant something to me. Prickle is my partner’s nickname, because his surname is Burr. And Prickle Press rolls off the tongue nicely and is quite cute but with an edge – rather like my work! I like to create something that’s not too twee, that makes people think.

4. Why did you join Makerhood?
Last Christmas I did a market at the Living Room, and someone came round giving out flyers about it. So I looked it up but wasn’t sure how I could get involved at that stage. But then earlier this year I decided I wanted to meet more people in the area and get more of a sense of community, so I went to a volunteers’ meet-up. I really like the fact that Makerhood is creating a network of local artists and designers – working at home on your own can be quite isolating. And I can print bespoke business cards , so maybe I could also make new business contacts!

5. Do you feel isolated living in Brixton?
Not at all! I’ve lived here for five years, almost longer than I’ve lived anywhere else. I came back from Canada and my brother was living here, so I moved in with him and have no plans to leave. I think it takes a long time to feel at home in London, but I know where to find what I need here now. It’s changed a lot, but it’s quite exciting to see those changes.

6. So tell us about some of your favourite Brixton insider tips!
I’m a big fan of the flower stall outside Brixton tube – they sell the most affordable flowers I’ve found in London and always have some more unusual ones. And my favourite restaurant is Elephant in Brixton Village – the freshest, tastiest curry in London. If I could be guaranteed a seat I’d be there every Saturday evening!

You can buy Rachel’s quirky, limited-edition letterpress prints at http://brixton.makerhood.com/prickle-press

People who inspire us: Kees Frederiks

We continue our occasional series on people who inspire us. This week we’re talking to Kees Frederiks, an environmental activist and Lambeth’s Green Community Champion, about Brixton Energy, his other projects, and making.

What do you like about living in Brixton?

What I like most is that it has a bit of a village feel, in the centre of London. A lot of people from other parts of London view it as this little oasis of cool and up-and-coming stuff. Not sure that I agree with it, but there’s definitely a lot going on in a pretty small place.

What inspired you to work on environmental issues?

Apart from a long-standing interest, I was a little lucky. My background was in sales, and I decided to give back to the community, and offered to volunteer three months of my time to an environmental cause. The first person who put the hand up got me – and that eventually led to me becoming a Green Community Champion Officer for the Brixton Low Carbon Zone .

Tell us about Brixton Energy – as a person on the street, what would I need to know?

Brixton Energy will be London’s first community-owned solar power station. We are putting a lot (that’s up to 50 Kwp) of photovoltaic panels on a roof, generating electricity and using the government’s subsidy called FIT or Feed in Tariff. The aim is to generate enough money for a little return to investors and set up an energy efficiency fund for the local community that runs for 25 years.

Why should people invest?

Investing gives you a chance to get renewable energy started in Brixton. Most people don’t have a suitable roof or even own their own house, so this allows you to become a member of a co-operative that is going to start generating renewable electricity in Brixton, this April. That alone is worth investing in!

You get a little bit of interest on your money (up to 3%) for helping to set up a wonderful and local energy efficiency fund which will run for a long time.

How risky is this investment?

It is an investment, so like any investment it carries some risk. Having said that, the main source of revenue for this project is a guaranteed subsidy from the government, for 25 years. And it has been “grandfathered”, meaning that it will be honoured by future governments as well, irrespective of the political party in power.

Has this been done before?

Yes, quite a few times and in the UK. One initiative that springs off the top of my head is in the Ouse valley, where they put solar panels on the roof of a brewing company, one of the first in theUK. There’s easily a half a dozen others working with solar power and lots more with wind . The concept of co-operative energy projects has been going for years in the UK, though it is far more developed abroad. In Denmark, 30% of energy generated is co-operatively owned – we could do the same in the UK.

What other projects are you involved in?

Quite a few, both through work and volunteering. As a Green Community Champion Officer I’m involved in some growing projects – for example, Loughborough Green and Growing – and I am also involved in the general Transition Town Movement.

I am also working on a cycle parking scheme for Lambeth, which is a UK first. Not everyone has space in their home for a bike, so the idea is to have a secure lockable facility on the street near to your home to get you cycling more. Our pilot was very popular, so we are putting in 28 more of them this year!

If someone wants to help with one of your projects, how can they get involved?

To get involved with Brixton Energy just go to their website: http://www.brixtonenergy.co.uk/

You can also go to the Green Community Champion page, and we are on Project Dirt too, where you can also find me. You can also contact me directly by email at kfrederiks@lambeth.gov.uk. And of couse through my Makerhood profile.

Do you like making things?

I love to potter. The last thing I made was a little step for my girlfriend so she can reach the condiments area in the top drawer. I made it as a Christmas present, from a pallet. I broke apart a pallet, sanded it down and then started making it. I didn’t really know what I was doing, and in fact the first time it went wrong as there was too much flex in the way I had stuck the pieces together and I was using wood glue. But I had another go using screws, and it worked.

So there you are – give something a go, and if it doesn’t work, just try again!

Meet the makers: Viv Moriarty

Knitter, crocheter and embroiderer Viv Moriarty is fascinated by the link between thinking and doing – something that she puts to good use when teaching

1. How long have you been knitting and crocheting?
All the women in my family – my aunts, granny and mum – knitted and crocheted, so I’ve done it as long as I can remember. I was knitting even when it wasn’t trendy: I used to knit things for friends at school – remember those 1970s Patricia Roberts’ sweaters? My mum is 86 and still can’t sit in front of the telly without crocheting. We were great believers in the devil finding work for idle hands to do!

2. What about embroidery?
I made some dining chair covers in Florentine tapestry – it took me years. And then I found that they wear out in certain areas where people sit! I also did a Certificate of Technical Embroidery at the Royal College of Needlework – I’m currently working on the Diploma.

3. And now you teach textiles as well as teaching in your day job?
I did a PGCE after university and taught in a primary school for a while. I used to do felting with the children – it fulfils the science curriculum about changing materials! Now I teach practising teachers who are studying for MAs and PhDs – but I also teach knitting and crochet to residents of a residents’ association in Notting Hill.

4. The two types of teaching sound quite different!
Yes! There’s a lot of “brain work” with the MA and PhD students, and it’s very much about individual endeavour, working on a one-to-one basis. With the residents’ association, although they have their own knitting, crochet or embroidery, we are making squares for a blanket, so there is a collective outcome. I also have to be quite adaptable – for example, some people can’t hold a crochet hook because they’ve had a stroke or have Parkinson’s disease. But I really enjoy working with them – they are of the generation who appreciate how much time goes into making something by hand.

5. And you’ve run several workshops for Makerhood as well.
Doing workshops for Makerhood really helped develop my confidence. And talking to other makers has opened my mind to other techniques and possibilities, as well as widening my social skills. My day job doesn’t involve talking to people about creative things like this!

6. What about selling your items at markets?
I started selling through Makerhood because I didn’t know what to do with all the stuff I make. I wasn’t quite sure they were good enough, but one of my friends was really encouraging and gave me confidence. So I do have a stall and I’d like to sell more – but I think I’m better at teaching!

7. And finally – would you like to share some Stockwell secrets with us?
There’s the house where Van Gogh used to live at 87 Hackford Road [currently up for auction on 27 March with a guide price of £475,000]. Di Lieto Bakery on South Island Place sells fantastic croissants. And Tony’s Greengrocers on Brixton Road is a great family business that sells very reasonably priced fruit and veg.

You can see Viv’s cute knitted toys, crocheted booties and elegant embroidered brooches at http://brixton.makerhood.com/viv-moriarty. One of Viv’s brooches is also featured in the March 2012 issue of Mollie Makes magazine.

Ellie Laycock wins Brand Amplifier award

Brand Amplifier winners from left to right: Platinum winner Ellie Laycock from Hunted and Stuffed, joint Silver winners Lesley Brewster from Hotminute Ltd and Victoria Holt from Fred & Ginger London Ltd, Gold winner Kate Hathway from Tom and Amelia (photo by Laura Cloutman)

Makerhood member Ellie Laycock of Hunted and Stuffed has won a platinum award from Brand Amplifier.

Brand Amplifier is a new initiative aimed at encouraging and helping emerging female-run companies in Lambeth. The idea is to give enterprising young women access to successfully established businesswomen, and pick up tips on how to best visualise, promote and enhance their business.

Ellie found out about the scheme through the Makerhood forums. She says: “I saw that Lovely Notebooks had been a previous finalist, and I had just bought a notebook from them at Make It Grow It Sell It (now Makers Market) in Brixton, where I had a stall on the same day. It inspired me to enter it too!

“I thought that if I could get as far as the finals and gain access to the mentoring workshops then it could be invaluable for my business. I never expected to place.

“To enter, I had to complete an application form outlining what my business was and where I thought it was going. I had to get across the essence of what I was doing and what my brand was.

“Winning the award has really given me confidence in what I’m trying to do. It’s hard to be a single mum and start up a business – and to be recognised and acknowledged for that is truly inspiring. The prize money means I can launch my own-design tea towels for the Jubilee this year and put that whole side of the business into full production, which is amazing.

“But even just being a finalist has put me in touch with an amazing new network of inspiring businesswomen from Lambeth who are all out there doing it for themselves – not only the finalists but the mentors (Jeanette Pritchard from JPCreative, Jasmine Birtles from Moneymagpie and Claire Morton from Alchemy Events) and organisers at JPCreative and judges on the night (Councillor Sally Prentice, Sylvia Marshall from cosyhomesonline.com and Mildred Talabi, previous Platinum award winner).

“I think everyone who got into the finals should feel proud to be recognised for the amazing things they’re doing in business. What an abundance of talent we have in Lambeth!”

Many congratulations to Ellie – and we look forward to seeing her Jubilee tea towels later this year!

Meet the makers: Chloe Morais

Chloe of Cheeky Suds makes bath and body treats, like soap in the shape of cupcakes, fried eggs and ice lollies, that could leave you foaming at the mouth!

1. You have a fascinating product range! What made you think of making soap shaped like doughnuts or coffee beans?
I buy most of my fragrance oils online, and you can get an amazing range these days – like birthday cake and banoffi pie! I made some soap for my brother that smells of freshly mown grass because he loves the smell. Chocolate is another favourite!

2. Do you have special facilities for making your products?
No – I use saucepans, a microwave and double boilers! It’s a challenge, as I don’t have space in my one-bedroom flat to hoard stuff, so most items I make to order.

3. What about safety and testing?
I have a cosmetics safety assessor who gives me lists of what ingredients I can use and in what combinations. If I stick to those I don’t need to test my products, but if I use other combinations I have to have them tested. I also have insurance just in case! I suffered from eczema when I was younger, so none of my products contain sodium lauryl sulphate, which is a mild irritant. I use everything I make myself, so I know they’re good for sensitive skin.

4. Do you have a background in chemistry?
No – my career has been in criminal justice, first as a prison officer, then in the probation service and youth justice! But then my contract ended, the public sector cuts came in and I thought I should do something else. I’ve always loved cosmetics, and I get bored easily, so this is ideal for me – I can experiment with different fragrances and ideas.

5. So you don’t get bored living in Brixton?
I’m originally from Manchester – I moved to London 14 years ago. In that time I’ve moved house 10 times – but I’ve lived in Brixton for the past eight years. Considering I get bored easily, there must be something about it that keeps me here! London is more multicultural and has a huge variety of restaurants. Whenever my brother comes to visit we try to go a different nationality restaurant.

6. Can you recommend some of the places you’ve tried?
The Gold Coast in South Norwood does good Ghanaian food and service. Bar Estrela, the Portuguese café on South Lambeth Road, does great mussels and paella. And I also like Asmara, the Eritrean restaurant on Coldharbour Lane. I love food. When I set up my own business I did think about baking rather than making cosmetics. And even now, when I see people selling food I feel a bit jealous!

7. And why did you join Makerhood?
My neighbour told me about it and asked whether I had any stuff on the site. I think it’s great for people to be aware that I’m in the local area, even if I don’t get many sales. And it’s good for finding out information – I was gutted when I was too late to get tickets for the local makers’ forum.

You can order Chloe’s gorgeous bath and cosmetic treats at http://brixton.makerhood.com/cheeky-suds

Meet the makers: Bronwyn Wolfe

Why did Bron come to London from Australia? So she could go to Paris for the weekend! Bron tells us about her love of travel, Brixton – and selling cakes and biscuits on her Wolfe market stall.

1. Like many Australians, you like to travel. How did you end up in London?
I came over here in 1985 because I wanted to go to Paris for the weekend! In Australia you’re so isolated – it takes so long to get anywhere. So I loved the idea that I could live in London and be somewhere with different architecture and language in such a short hop. I bought a one-way ticket to London and stayed with a friend – we’d go to Paris, stay in a cheap hotel, and spend a shedload on earrings!

2. So would you rather live in France?
We used to have a house in south-west France, but we sold it a couple of months ago. And I haven’t been to Paris for years! But I love London. No matter what you’re interested in, you can find it here – you just need to look for it.

3. And have you always lived in this area around Brixton?
Yes – I find Brixton endlessly fascinating, endlessly changing and evolving. This Friday food market [on Station Road, where this interview took place] is just part of that. The shopping is amazing – like all those shops on Electric Avenue where you can buy 2kg bags of cinnamon!

4. So how do you find being a market trader?
I wasn’t sure about it at first, but I’m really enjoying it. Having a market stall seems to give you a licence to talk to anyone and everyone! It’s a really nice group of people here. But if you’d told me a year ago I’d be a stallholder at Brixton market I’d never have believed you!

5. Because your ambition is to open a café?
Yes – I gave up my job at a shipping company to do this. I really hated the job, and I thought the worst that could happen would be that the café would fail. I never thought it would never take off in the first place! I’ve had problems finding a site – most of the places never come onto the market, and those that do have a hefty premium. But I’m still looking!

6. Is that why you joined Makerhood instead?
I got the email about Makerhood and joined up, thinking it could be a small income, though I never thought I’d sell much directly, as it can be difficult to sell cakes online. But it was through Makerhood that I heard about this market and got this stall, and now I’m selling to a couple of café s, so hopefully it will build up. And Makerhood has been really good for meeting people and making good contacts. It’s nice to have a web of other local makers to interact with.

7. Apart from finding a suitable site, what’s the biggest challenge you face?
My biggest worry is making the right quantities of food to sell. Some of the stuff that’s left over goes to an old people’s home for their tea on Sundays, and my partner Giles takes some to work on Monday morning – he’s currently the most popular person in the office!

You can order Bron’s yummy savoury muffins, cakes and biscuits at http://brixton.makerhood.com/wolfe. She also has a stall at the weekly Friday food market and the monthly makers’ market (second Saturday of the month), both on Station Road, Brixton.

Meet the makers: Elena Blanco

Elena Blanco of Dreamy Me Brixton waxes lyrical about her love of drawing and tells us why Brixton reminds her of Barcelona

1. Can you tell us a bit about your Spanish background?
I’m originally from Santander, but I moved to Barcelona when I was young and grew up there. Because of the different languages and strong regionalism in Spain it was like moving to another country. So I’ve always felt a bit rootless – always a foreigner!

2. Is that why you ended up in London?
I came to London 11 years ago to be with my British boyfriend – we now have children! I love London for its open multiculturalness. In Brixton especially, people are open to new things, like the Brixton pound – but you can still see the old Brixton in some of the market stalls. I also love Windrush Square since it was rebuilt – it reminds me of Barcelona!

3. You say in your profile that you draw every day. What is it about drawing that appeals to you?
Drawing is how I understand and communicate things best. It’s an emotional relationship – drawing something somehow makes it mine. It’s a journey of exploration, not just a means of producing something. It’s the same for many artists. I make a point of not carrying a camera, but taking my sketchbook everywhere. I remember trying to draw a giraffe at the zoo while everyone else around me was taking photos!

4. What do you like drawing best?
I like drawing everyday objects, trying to see them in a different way. I also love drawing people, but it can be embarrassing to do it in public! I think I would like to organise a drawing class or club for Makerhood, where we can sit and draw things without embarrassment. Many people say they can’t draw – I would love to help them get over that.

5. So what drew you to illustrating children’s books?
I read books to my kids when they were little, and it took me back to my childhood, so I started to draw. I took a short course on children’s illustrations at City Lit, which gave me lots of ideas. I love the freedom of illustrating kids’ books – you can put in whatever you want! And now I have three picture book projects that I am thinking of publishing as artist’s books, similar to my concertina artist’s colouring books. I’m also working on an ebook of The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde, which could be quite interactive – you touch a flower on the screen and it opens up.

6. How did you get involved with Makerhood?
I heard about Makerhood through Locally Sourced, had a look at the website and went to one of the initial meetings. I was excited by the idea of selling, but the main attraction for me is the community – meeting people, attending workshops, learning about different events, setting up a drawing club! It’s a great, great idea, and I’ve met some interesting and very different people.

7. Finally, what’s your favourite place or experience around here?
I love Brockwell Park – the hill, the café, the walled garden. It inspires me a lot, as you can see from some of my illustrations!

You can see Elena’s illustrations of Brockwell Park and other subjects, as well as her popular colouring books, at http://brixton.makerhood.com/dreamy-me-brixton

Meet the makers: Claire Mant

Claire Mant’s urge to go travelling meant that she had to postpone her plans to set up a glassmaking studio – but now she’s pursuing her creative dreams with Mantisglass

1. How did you get into making glass?
I started off doing stone sculpture in Australia. Then my teacher persuaded me to go on a glassmaking weekend. I was a bit reluctant because it was quite expensive, but I’m glad I did – I became hooked! I became good friends with the woman who ran the workshop so I used to go and help her out, and in return she let me put small pieces in the kiln. I started to sell these to friends, but I knew that if I wanted to make bigger items I would have to have my own kiln.

2. So you went off and did that?
Well, I also really wanted to go travelling, and I couldn’t afford to buy my own kiln as well as a visa to the UK! I figured that if I didn’t go travelling then, I might not get another chance, whereas I could always buy a kiln later. So I arrived in the UK about 10 years ago, and then it was another six or seven years before I could buy a kiln.

3. Was that in Brixton?
No, I was using a studio in Stoke Newington at first. But I was living in Brixton and working in Wimbledon. I had to leave work 15 minutes early to get to the studio and still arrived half an hour late – it was a real schlep. So when this studio in Morrish Road came up a year ago I jumped at the chance. It’s a real mixture of people – there are mosaics and costume makers downstairs and soft furnishings and upholstery next door. We opened the studios for Lambeth Open – it was a good way of getting to know everyone.

4. Tell us a bit more about your work with glass.
I do fusing and slumping – this is known as warm glass. Glass blowing is hot glass, which requires hotter temperatures. I use three different types of coloured glass, which you can’t mix, plus window glass. The coloured glass is more expensive, as they use metals like copper to produce blue and gold for pink – pink glass is the priciest! A lot of research goes into it because the quantities have to be adjusted so that all the different colours of glass cool at the same rate to avoid cracks. The fusing takes place at temperatures of up to 850°C.

5. And why did you decide to join Makerhood?
A friend told me about it so I had a look at the website and joined two days later. I have my own website, but I don’t have PayPal and I’m no expert on marketing and promotion. I like the fact I can just upload photos and text and Makerhood takes care of all the payments and technical stuff! It’s also important to me to be involved in the local community, so Makerhood provides a fantastic opportunity for networking with other local makers. I heard about the opportunity for a market stall through the site and also got in touch with a photographer, Nicky Cast, who is going to take better photos of my products.

6. Can you give us your top tip for an unmissable Brixton experience?
I love having breakfast at the Lido Café. I usually go for the eggs Benedict, but last time I had granola. I hear they also do a mean burger, but I haven’t managed to get there in the evening yet!

You can see the full range of Claire’s work at http://www.mantisglass.co.uk/ and buy her wonderful glass creations at http://brixton.makerhood.com/mantisglass.

Claire is also running a one-day workshop on 17 December where you can learn the basics of fusing and slumping glass – see Makerhood for more details.

Meet the makers: Ray Stanbrook

Graphic artist Ray Stanbrook extols the delights of south London, especially the chocolate Baileys cheesecake at Brazas restaurant

1. The screen prints you sell – Brockwell Park, Ritzy Cinema, Brockwell Lido – are very much inspired by the local area.
I lived off Brixton Hill for 1.5 years and now in Herne Hill for 3 years. Most of the ideas for the stuff I do are generated by local people and places. That’s why I also love Makerhood – the idea of hooking up local buyers and sellers. I’m exhibiting a print of Brockwell Lido at the Lido – they’re going to put it up after redecorating. My Ritzy print was inspired by a competition they ran to celebrate 100 years of the Ritzy.

2. So you’re a great promoter of this area!
I’ve always lived around here, apart from one year I lived in north London. I spent all my time there explaining to north Londoners how great south London is – they have no idea!

3. What was your graphics training and background?
I’ve been a graphic designer for 15 years, since graduating from the Surrey Insitute of Art and Design in Epsom. I’ve worked mostly on magazines as well as posters, brochures and so on. I’m currently working for Camden Council – it’s always a surprise to be walking around the West End and suddenly seeing a poster or something I designed!

4. How did you get into screen printing?
I did some screen printing when I was at college, but now everything is digital – I just sit in front of a computer all day. Then I found out about Bainbridge Studios in West Norwood, about 10 minutes from my house. After doing a refresher course I can now book space to use the print studios and equipment there. All I have to bring is paper and ink/paint. For me it’s a way out, a release, from my day job. It feels really good to be using my hands and getting dirty, covered in ink!

5. You seem to like combining photographic and hand-drawn images.
That’s true. Sometimes I digitally alter photos or change them by drawing over the top. Then I have to decide which elements will be in which colour and separate out each colour. It’s very time consuming, as you have to wash the screen and recoat it for each colour.

6. So why did you decide to join Makerhood?
I was interested in selling locally. I heard about West Norwood Feast first and liked their approach and the fact that they were generating interest in the area. But I didn’t have enough work to take a whole stall. Then I found Makerhood through Twitter and went to a local meeting to find out more. I was attracted by the idea – and here I am!

7. Finally, what’s your favourite place or experience around here?
Brazas is great. It’s lively but relaxed and friendly, and I can always get a table. I love their desserts, especially the chocolate Baileys cheesecake. However, they seem to have taken it off the menu recently, so I’m campaigning for it to be reinstated!

You can keep up with Ray’s work on his blog. His colourful local prints and bags are available at http://brixton.makerhood.com/ray-stanbrook.

You can also see one of Ray’s prints on show as part of a Makerhood exhibition at the Lounge in Brixton until 26 November.

Meet the makers: Rebecca Blow

How on earth does interior designer, painter and fascinator creator Rebecca Blow of BekyBoo Hat Designs find time to do everything?

1. How did you get into making hats and fascinators?
I’m an interior designer, but I’ve always loved dressing up and collecting hats. So I did a couple of hat-making courses at Chelsea and Kensington College and then started making them for myself and friends. Then I set up a stall on Etsy, and now I’m on Makerhood.

2. So you have an artistic and design background?
I have a degree in fine art, and an MA in interior and special design – I work full time as an interior designer. But I also paint – I suppose you’d call it abstract expressionist style. I should push my hats more, but I like painting as well – I’ve been at two painting exhibitions in the last two weeks!

3. What kind of hats do you enjoy making most?
I make hats and fascinators that I enjoy wearing myself. I get a lot of ideas from fancy dress parties – for example, masks with feathers, or a James Bond theme. The stuff I do feeds well into the current trend for vintage fashion, and I can also design custom-made hats. I enjoy working with different materials, like felt, straw, and silk flowers, though my favourite is sinamay, a natural straw-like fibre. I have three moulds at home, including one for a top hat!

4. Do you source your materials locally?
I use a lot of beads and recycled materials. There’s a charming shop in Clapham that I buy old jewellery from, and Brixton market stalls are great for fabrics. Of course, I also get a lot of offcuts in my job. I love recycling unusual items, like some antique metal roses I found – things that you know that you won’t see anyone else wearing!

5. What do you hope to get out of joining Makerhood?
I get a lot of interest from the US in my Etsy stall, but I like the idea of selling locally, especially from a market stall in Brixton. When Brixton Village was just starting up last year there was a shop that stocked my hats but they didn’t really sell any.

6. How long have you lived in Brixton?
I’ve only lived here for four months, but I was in Clapham for 3-4 years before that.

7. So what’s your Brixton recommendation for people who don’t know the area?
I love Brixton market. It’s a nice mix of young nerdy cafes and old Brixton flavour, with the meat stalls and fish stalls – a really good balance. I’d definitely recommend Okan, a place in Brixton Village that serves okonmiyaki, a kind of Japanese pancake or omelette.

Enjoy Rebecca’s beautiful hats and headpieces at http://brixton.makerhood.com/bekyboo-hat-designs