The Story
In 2003, I was living in a quintessential English village in Surrey, and surrounded by enterprising and inspiring women in business, making and selling lovely things. One friend had a handmade lampshade business, another made soaps and ran soap making parties. Yet another friend was a knitwear designer, and about to become a household name. There was a farm shop nearby where another friend, who is now a life coach, made artisan bread. It was a unique and unforgettable time, and one I didn't appreciate enough until I moved away in later years. However, that is jumping ahead....
Back to 2003, when one of these friend saw my knitted bags one day and said "Ooh, they're lovely, you could sell those." This was the beginning of my knitted adventure. Not too long afterwards, with my Uncle's help, I set up my website selling ready made hand knits, I had no idea that four years later in 2010 I would become a John Lewis partner, providing work for UK hand knitters across the country, and bringing Peruvian baby alpaca yarn to the High Street. One thing led to another and before too long I launched my own branded yarn, sourced directly from Peru. The first two years were brilliant. The yarns were picked up by all the major UK knitting magazines, several prominent UK designers and my yarns and designs were sold in 12 knitting shops across the UK, including Loop, Britain's most famous knitting shop.
During 2014, I was lucky enough to be commissioned to write a knitting book, which was an absolute dream come true. Writing Anyone Can Knit was the best fun I have had in my entire life, and you can buy the book from many online and brick bookstores across the UK, the US and now some countries in the rest of the world. Anyone Can Knit established my reputation as a leading UK hand knit designer.
In 2016 I began a woodworking course, specialising in violin making, and learned a new and dying art. For four years I slogged it out, and made some beautiful violins.
In 2020, there was a worldwide pandemic, and this brought about a period of reflection and gratitude for the breadth of my experience and all the lovely crafts people I had met in my life.
I decided to re-launch Libby Summers by returning to the roots of my original business - my dear friends in the arts and crafts world, designing, creating, making, and enhancing the lives of those around them with their loveliness and the loveliness of their products.
Within the pages of this website you can explore the talent and the creativity of a wide variety of different crafts people with contrasting skills. The palette that we all create together is a rich one of many varied hues and shades, character and personality. I hope there is something for everyone.
Please keep in touch on Facebook, Pinterest page and instagram page, where I share stories and images and ideas you might be interested in. If you would like to become one of my partners, please email me or call me.
Enjoy Life. Do it with Style.
Back to 2003, when one of these friend saw my knitted bags one day and said "Ooh, they're lovely, you could sell those." This was the beginning of my knitted adventure. Not too long afterwards, with my Uncle's help, I set up my website selling ready made hand knits, I had no idea that four years later in 2010 I would become a John Lewis partner, providing work for UK hand knitters across the country, and bringing Peruvian baby alpaca yarn to the High Street. One thing led to another and before too long I launched my own branded yarn, sourced directly from Peru. The first two years were brilliant. The yarns were picked up by all the major UK knitting magazines, several prominent UK designers and my yarns and designs were sold in 12 knitting shops across the UK, including Loop, Britain's most famous knitting shop.
During 2014, I was lucky enough to be commissioned to write a knitting book, which was an absolute dream come true. Writing Anyone Can Knit was the best fun I have had in my entire life, and you can buy the book from many online and brick bookstores across the UK, the US and now some countries in the rest of the world. Anyone Can Knit established my reputation as a leading UK hand knit designer.
In 2016 I began a woodworking course, specialising in violin making, and learned a new and dying art. For four years I slogged it out, and made some beautiful violins.
In 2020, there was a worldwide pandemic, and this brought about a period of reflection and gratitude for the breadth of my experience and all the lovely crafts people I had met in my life.
I decided to re-launch Libby Summers by returning to the roots of my original business - my dear friends in the arts and crafts world, designing, creating, making, and enhancing the lives of those around them with their loveliness and the loveliness of their products.
Within the pages of this website you can explore the talent and the creativity of a wide variety of different crafts people with contrasting skills. The palette that we all create together is a rich one of many varied hues and shades, character and personality. I hope there is something for everyone.
Please keep in touch on Facebook, Pinterest page and instagram page, where I share stories and images and ideas you might be interested in. If you would like to become one of my partners, please email me or call me.
Enjoy Life. Do it with Style.
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