Introducing Robyn from Blue Wren Cottage. Where every item is handmade!! From her home in Pokolbin, in the Hunter Valley, she makes beautiful embroidered keepsake wedding handkerchiefs, baby bibs and more.
Find out why Robyn started creating and why she is so passionate about the value of handmade.
Tell us about your creations and your handmade process.
I specialise in handmade and personalised baby items including bibs, burp cloths and washcloths, using beautiful cotton fabrics chosen with care. I also create embroidered handkerchieves - especially for weddings, chosen as thoughtful gifts for brides to carry on their wedding day, or as gifts given to the bride or groom's cherished family members, featuring names, dates and meaningful verses.
Each embroidered piece begins with your words, which I carefully digitise before stitching them onto the cotton hankies using my embroidery machine. It's a mesmerising process, but it is never just automatic. I am always there, guiding, adjusting, and ensuring every stitch is just right. Each item is then lovingly hand-finished and prepared for its new home.
Though handkerchieves may seem old-fashioned, they have found their way back into people's hearts, becoming treasured keepsakes, gifts filled with meaning, often passed down through generations, and are well sought after. I adore colour, and my studio is filled with threads, fabrics and materials that inspire every new creation. Everything I make is created with care, love and creativity, and a love of preserving life's most special moments.
Tell us a bit about your journey to becoming a handmade artist.
I have always loved to sew and create. From sewing, embroidery, quilting, knitting and crochet, to painting delicate porcelain pieces, creating is where I feel most at home, and when my hands are happiest. In 2012, I moved my business online and opened my Blue Wren Cottage store on Madeit.
As the world of online shopping grew, I embraced a new way to share my creations beyond my market stall.
Colour is at the heart of everything I do. My studio is filled with vibrant threads, and fabrics, each one inspiring the next piece. It's a space that sparks creativity and brings happiness and pride to every stitch I sew.
What is your inspiration or where do you find inspiration?
My inspiration began with family. When my grandchildren arrived, I started creating baby bibs, bandannas and burp cloths using beautiful fabrics, that I fell in love with. That was the beginning of my journey into sewing baby items. What began as something special for my grandchildren, quickly grew into a collection that other young mothers loved.
I shared my handmade baby pieces at local markets, including cute handmade dolls and keepsakes, before discovering my passion for embroidery. After purchasing my embroidery machine, I developed the skill of stitching words and verses onto delicate handkerchieves. These wedding hankies soon became popular, filling a special niche for meaningful, keepsake bridal gifts.
Where did you learn your craft?
My love of sewing and handcrafting began in childhood, inspired by my mother. I would watch her sew for our family, knit, and embroider, and I was drawn to the quiet happiness of creating with my hands. Some of my most treasured memories are the evenings we spent together, where she not only taught me practical skills, but also a lifelong love of making. Growing up on our family farm with my parents and brother, I often created my own entertainment, more often than not, with needle and thread or knitting needles and wool.
My mother worked incredibly hard, helping on the farm, and caring for our home, all while patiently teaching me. I still remember her sewing on an old treadle machine before she later had her first electric sewing machine. It was on that very machine that she passed her love of sewing on to me. Later, I continued to develop my skills through a two-year TAFE course, studying a Fashion Retail Certificate in Developing Creative Craft. It was an inspiring experience where I learned a wide range of techniques and developed a strong attention to detail and a desire for perfection in my work. Today, I carry those early lessons with me, creating pieces with the same care, patience, and love that my mother first taught me.
As one of our MadeIt Artisan Meet-up Hosts, what do you love most about these Meet-ups and being a host?
Our Pokolbin MadeIt Meet-ups are held in a beautifully relaxed rural Hunter Valley setting, making them such a pleasure to be part of.
Together, Lou and I have enjoyed meeting wonderful local artisans, sharing ideas, and chatting about our next handmade creations. It's a beautiful couple of hours spent connecting, and enjoying the company of kindred spirits, and fellow Madeit artisans.
Why is handmade artistry so important to you?
I believe handmade artistry is more important than ever in today's world. As people turn away from mass-produced items, there is a growing appreciation for pieces that are created slowly, thoughtfully, and with care.
Handmade items carry something special, they are made with love, intention, and often with sustainability in mind. For me, it is a joy to share my creations with others, knowing each piece carries a little part of me. From my hands to yours, I hope each item brings warmth, meaning, and a sense of connection.
Robyn is a much loved member of the MadeIt Collective, posting regularly in our Facebook Group ~ MadeIt: Handmade not Massmade Australia ~ and sharing her new creations as they are released. If you haven't connected with Blue Wren Cottage make sure you join our FB Group and say hi !
