This website features a selection of work created by Designer-Maker Catriona McLaughlin who is based in the beautiful, historic city of Edinburgh.
Profile
I produce my own collections and have been selling my knitted, stitched and felted accessories since November 2005. I also welcome commissions and I can make bespoke pieces. If you are inserested in any aspect of my work, you can get in touch via the Contact page.
I graduated in the summer of 2005 from the Heriot-Watt School of Textiles (formerly the Scottish College of Textiles) with a BA Honours degree in Textile Design, where I specialised in Knitted and Constructed Textiles. During my four years there, I experimented with knitted, stitched, woven & printed textiles and developed my CAD skills. Photography has also played a very important part in the development of my work. Other elements of what I do include drawing, painting, dyeing, collage, machine and hand embroidery. I love using sketchbooks to explore my ideas.
Experimenting with different yarns led me to constructing my own handmade yarns from existing fabrics, where I cut these up into strips and sewed them together with lace, ribbons, and other trimmings. These yarns are then hand-knitted into unique fabrics. I also like to make fabrics from pre-existing yarns and creating unusual patterns inspired by pop culture, vintage lace, cobwebs and traditional Fair Isles.
Achievements
(2008)
- Began a new blog- Started Wildkittens design line, knitted accessories for children
- Set up an online shop at Folksy for the UK market & had first sale
- Started teaching workshops at the Bead Shop Scotland
- Had designs featured in the Noise Festival Showcase in the Fashion & Textiles: Accessories & Jewellery category
(2007)
- Set up an online shop on DaWanda for the European market (in French, German & English)
- Worked for yarn company Rowan as a Design Consultant
- First European & UK sales through etsy shop
- Exhibited at Prettycraftythings in Leeds (first show outside of Scotland)
- Exhibited with Edinburgh Craft Fairs
(2006)
- Established my first stockist, Flux, in Edinburgh
- Set up my online shop, http://wildcatdesigns.etsy.com/
- Designed and launched new website, http://www.wildcat-designs.co.uk/
- Established further stockists, Godiva and Blueberry Park
- First US sale through etsy shop
(2005)
- Exhibited my work at the Velvet Boutique Design Fair in Edinburgh
- Awarded a Market Test Grant by the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust
- Took part in the New Designers graduate exhibition in London
- Had work featured in the June/July issue of International Textiles magazine
- Honours Final Year Degree Show featuring my collection of knitted accessories
- Took part in an exhibition of work in Galashiels, auctioned in aid of the Tsunami Appeal
- Set up (and designed) my portfolio website, www.geocities.com/wildcat_designs
CraftScotland
I now have a designer-maker profile on the CraftScotland Maker Directory!