Hello there
I’m Rachel
The founder of What Florence Did Next (but please don’t worry if you call me Florence - everyone else does and I don’t take offence easily). The eponymous Florence is actually my magnificent and utterly adored tubby tabby, and she holds ‘top dog’ status in our household, even above Dilys, my actual dog, a miniature dachshund, who flirts outrageously with the postman and could win awards for her barking. And if you think you might recognise Florence and Dilys, that’s probably because they pop up regularly in my stitching and designs.
You might like to know:
I’m a farmer’s daughter (in fact I descend from a long line of farmers on my father’s side), growing up in rural Northamptonshire where my family still farm (now run by my brother) and my parents still live.
I studied Textile Design at Central St Martins. What I thought I would do with a degree in weaving is anyone’s guess, but this specialism was indicative of a obsession with surface and texture, that continues to be explored through my stitching and embroidery design.
After many years living and working (a decade in fashion and 14 in property) in London, I settled in a converted barn in a beautiful corner of West Sussex.
I practice all sorts of needle arts (with the exception of tattooing). Embroidery, cross stitch, machine and hand quilting, beading – I love them all. These loves feed my magpie-esque need to hoard, so I will always be found surrounded by piles of old fabric, linens and quilts, tins of vintage ephemera and notions, and precious jars of buttons from my grandmothers.
My favourite food group is sandwiches (yes that is food group).
What started as hobby stitching has now become What Florence Did Next, where every kit is designed, stitched, packed and sent with love, and I hope you will enjoy stitching them as much as I loved creating them.
Oh, and if you want to know what Florence actually did do next, the answer is likely to be nothing. She sleeps for a solid 21 hours a day, waking only for food and constitutionals. Decorative rather than functional, as the saying goes.
Snippets from the Studio
Follow along with my current projects (and what Florence and Dilys are up to!) over on the blog: