CRAFT“Because it’s creative, I can’t force it. If I’m
not feeling it, I don’t do it, otherwise I can end
up being complacent and hurting myself.”
It’s also an incredibly physical process, which
has at times taken its toll. “Some days I’ll wake
up and my hands are so sore I can’t do any
carving,” she explains.
“Last year I was in a lot of pain and worried
that I wouldn’t be able to do it anymore, but I
took up yoga and changed the way I worked.
Churning things out just isn’t sustainable for
me. I’ve had to slow down, which means less
income, but that I can do it for longer.”
Sophie now works from a spare room in her
house, with a shed for her machines. “Carving
is slow and quiet,” she explains. “I prefer
sitting on my own in my little room than being
around noisy machines going 100mph. Nobody
ever wants to share with a woodcarver
because it’s so dusty and messy, making
it quite a solitary pastime.”
However, Sophie doesn’t always work alone.
She has plans to team up with a f lorist for her
new collection of vases. Made from waste wood,
she hopes to fill them with leftover f lowers.She also brought together artisans at
Carve London, markets run by her and fellow
woodworker Barn the Spoon. Her most recent
collaboration was with her boyfriend Jack
Bailey, who runs Havelock Studio from his
workshop in Kent, to create a dining service for
chef Tom Aikens’ new London restaurant. “We
made 400 individual pieces in three months.
It meant some long days, but it was lovely
working for someone who valued our work.”
Not only are Sophie’s designs eco-focused,
she’s pleased to be part of a new wave of women
making careers in woodwork. “It’s definitely
changing, and I think that’s because of
accessibility – the fact you can learn skills
online has really opened it up,” she says. (If you
fancy having a go yourself, Sophie recommends
starting with YouTube tutorials.)
“Woodworkers tend to be older men who
make Viking-style stuff. I appreciate that kind
of work, but it’s not my style. I’ve always set out
to make things that I’d like to own, such as my
handcrafted brushes, because they’re both
sculptural and functional.
“I make things that will last for a long time,
are tactile and have a story to them. I couldn’t
imagine not working with my hands.”
You can find out more about Sophie’s work at
grainandknot.com or follow her on Instagram
@grainandknot"I PREFER SITTING ON MY OWN THAN
WITH NOISY MACHINES GOING 100MPH"
CRAFT
“Becauseit’screative,I can’tforceit.IfI’m
notfeelingit,I don’tdoit,otherwiseI canend
upbeingcomplacentandhurtingmyself.”
It’salsoanincrediblyphysicalprocess,which
hasattimestakenitstoll.“SomedaysI’llwake
upandmyhandsaresosoreI can’tdoany
carving,”sheexplains.
“LastyearI wasina lotofpainandworried
thatI wouldn’tbeabletodoit anymore,butI
tookupyogaandchangedthewayI worked.
Churningthingsoutjustisn’tsustainablefor
me.I’vehadtoslowdown,whichmeansless
income,butthatI candoit forlonger.”
Sophienowworksfroma spareroominher
house,witha shedforhermachines.“Carving
isslowandquiet,”sheexplains.“Iprefer
sittingonmyowninmylittleroomthanbeing
aroundnoisymachinesgoing100mph.Nobody
everwantstosharewitha woodcarver
becauseit’ssodustyandmessy,making
it quitea solitarypastime.”
However,Sophiedoesn’talwaysworkalone.
Shehasplanstoteamupwitha f loristforher
newcollectionofvases.Madefromwastewood,
shehopestofillthemwithleftoverf lowers.Shealsobroughttogetherartisansat
CarveLondon,marketsrunbyherandfellow
woodworkerBarntheSpoon.Hermostrecent
collaborationwaswithherboyfriendJack
Bailey,whorunsHavelockStudiofromhis
workshopinKent,tocreatea diningservicefor
chefTomAikens’newLondonrestaurant.“We
made 400 individualpiecesinthreemonths.
Itmeantsomelongdays,butit waslovely
workingforsomeonewhovaluedourwork.”
NotonlyareSophie’sdesignseco-focused,
she’spleasedtobepartofa newwaveofwomen
makingcareersinwoodwork.“It’sdefinitely
changing,andI thinkthat’sbecauseof
accessibility– thefactyoucanlearnskills
onlinehasreallyopenedit up,”shesays.(Ifyou
fancyhavinga goyourself,Sophierecommends
startingwithYouTubetutorials.)
“Woodworkerstendtobeoldermenwho
makeViking-stylestuff.I appreciatethatkind
ofwork,butit’snotmystyle.I’vealwayssetout
tomakethingsthatI’dliketoown,suchasmy
handcraftedbrushes,becausethey’reboth
sculpturalandfunctional.
“Imakethingsthatwilllastfora longtime,
aretactileandhavea storytothem.I couldn’t
imaginenotworkingwithmyhands.”
You can find out more about Sophie’s work at
grainandknot.com or follow her on Instagram
@grainandknot"I PREFER SITTING ON MY OWN THAN
WITH NOISY MACHINES GOING 100MPH"