BELLA FROM KNOTTS STUDIO
Bella is the London based designer behind the creative Knotts studio. Her pieces are elegant, tactile and beautifully crafted one at a time.
The natural mohair scrunchies are designed and crocheted from her home studio.
Each piece has over 1,550 stitches and takes around two and half hours to make from start to finish. The elastic bands are made by hand and each label is carefully hand-stitched on.
Coming from a background in graphic design and sign painting, Knotts studio came about after becoming a mother and wanting to create a work life that would fit around raising her children.
Where are you based?
I work from my home studio in South London.
Do you have a morning routine / daily ritual before arriving to your studio?
My two kids usually wake me up around 6am, they are 2 and 4. I get them ready for school and nursery and we walk there together. On the walk back I try to make a to do list in my head and get an idea of what my day will look like.
What does a typical day at your studio look like?
I am much more of a morning person so I usually do my most challenging tasks first and then crochet in the afternoons. I work alone so the radio is usually on and I always have a hot drink on the go.
How did your journey into making your beautiful crocheted scrunchies begin?
I had quite a bad run of health in 2022/23 which ended with a few stints in hospital. To recover I needed to reduce daily physical activity. I taught myself to crochet and it’s supported my mental and physical health through my recovery. I started Knotts in October 2023 and it is really exciting to have somewhere for my creative output again.
How would you describe your brand ethos?
With Knotts I wanted to shine a light on the manufacturing process in the fashion industry. I feel it is often taken for granted how garments are produced and crochet in particular. Crochet is impossible to be done by a machine, this means that every crocheted item out there has been made by someone's hands and I want to create a brand that has fair manufacturing processes at its heart.
How long does each piece take to make?
Each mohair scrunchie takes about two and a half hours of crochet time to make, with over 1,550 stitches to make each one. I also make the hair bands myself and hand sew in labels.
Did you study design anywhere or are you self taught and naturally fall into this work?
I studied graphics and was a sign painter pre pandemic. After the pandemic and the children came into my life I needed something I could fit around them.
How does your process work from idea to finished accessory?
Playing with different materials is my favourite part! I love getting vintage yarn from charity shops and finding colours and yarns I've never seen before. When I have no orders on, my favourite thing to do is to play around with ideas, I usually just work from my head and free flow, plenty of ideas don't work out, but when they do it's the most exciting part of my work.
What do you listen to or watch while you work?
This really varies, I listen to a lot of podcasts, This Thing of Darkness on BBC sounds is what I’m currently listening to and it is excellent. I have also been known to watch an episode or two of The Real Housewives in the afternoons. My eyes are often on my work so it’s always more of a listen than a watch which is probably for the best.
Who inspires you?
I find most people inspiring in some way, female artists in particular in whatever form are a huge inspiration to me. There is a Yoko Ono exhibition at the Tate modern I want to take my youngest to when he doesn’t have nursery.
How do you overcome creative lulls?
I can be a bit of a homebody so getting out the house is always a good way to change my perspective even if I dont fancy it. A walk, yoga class or drop in on a friend to change the pace, whenever I feel a bit bored I like to try something new. I recently did an in person market which was a great way to mix it up.
Do you have other designs in the pipeline?
I do! It’s so hard to keep all my plates spinning in between family life but I have a lot of friends having babies this year so I’m working on some fun and colourful baby blankets as well as cardigans with matching mini scrunchies for the baby girlies coming this summer. Very cute!
What dream would you still like to fulfil?
I would like to expand Knotts and begin to employ other mums or parents. Crocheting is a really flexible work that lots of people could fit around their families at home and I would love to produce more right here in the UK.
What does a typical weekend look like?
My markets are usually on at the weekend so weekends can be spent working! If not then we spend time together as a family, my boys love being outside so it’s bikes, mud and playgrounds for us and then hopefully catch up with friends in the evenings.
What are you reading at the moment?
I got a new book for mothers day which I am reading each night, sadly I’m only getting about a page done at a time before I pass out so it will probably take me months to get through. It’s called Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsie.
Do you have any tips you'd like to share with other artists?
I am still working it all out myself. But one thing I remind myself of often is to make whatever makes you proud. I always have to come back to this one. I can loose sight sometimes and make what I think other people want and this is not what makes me feel proud about my work.
Find our curated collection of Knotts Studio's beautiful handcrafted scrunchies here.
