Iseabal Hendry

MEET THE MAKER

I’m a textile designer and maker based in the Scottish Highlands. I graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in Embroidery design in 2016 and spent the next three four years researching, sourcing and developing my collection of handwoven leather accessories, which I (finally!) launched in 2020. I’m inspired by traditional craft skills that I grew up with from basketry to roof thatching to boat building. My work originated from a desire for zero waste, by weaving together very thin strips of leather I can make use of the entire hide with almost no wastage.

WHAT ARE YOUR FEEDBACKS?

The Crafting Business programme gave me the confidence to think ambitiously about where I want my business to go. I am reevaluating my pricing to ensure that I can afford to wholesale my products and within 5 years I hope to have two to three high profile luxury retailers. Alongside this I will develop my work for the interior market and will secure gallery representation for my woven interior hangings. Zero-waste will remain my goal. While my materials are currently all sourced within Europe and some closer to home in Scotland, I will strive to push that balance further and source even more of my materials in the UK. The things that I’ve learnt from the Crafting Business course that have been most useful to me on a day to day basis have been financial planning and an understanding of my pricing structure. I also gained hugely from the the Presenting Yourself workshops and feel like a much more confident speaker now, which is something I will be putting into practice in a few weeks time when presenting to fashion and textiles students in Glasgow. Above all I have gained confidence from the course, something I didn’t realise how much I needed.

FIVE THINGS YOU’LL BRING WITH YOU FROM THE EXPERIENCE:

• Be confident in yourself!
• Being true to your values is the most important thing
• Account for every expense in your pricing – don’t undervalue yourself!
• There isn’t one right way to do anything, find the way that works for you
• Ask for help if you need it – the craft community is incredibly warm and supportive.