Made By Hand

Your earrings are so interesting! Tell us about your most interesting pair or a pair that means the most to you.
I’m a very sentimental person, so all of my earrings hold a memory of some sort for me. But I’d say my most interesting pair, or at least the pair that I get the most comments on are my bug earrings. One side’s a grasshopper and the other side’s a big brown fly. They’re not real bugs, just plastic figurines, but my boyfriend and a lot of my friends hate it when I wear them (laughs). But I love them—they’re a great conversation starter!

You share a bunch of different things you’ve been making on @arts.akimbo! What got you interested in crafting and what’s next on your to-make list?
I took a fashion and design module in uni where I learnt how to sew, and then my mom got me a sewing machine for my birthday last year and I’ve been experimenting with making things since. As for punch needling, I got into it earlier this year because I get bored when I work on the same thing for too long. It’s actually been really fun alternating between both mediums.

Apart from commissions, I think my next personal project will probably be another dress or a punch needle bag. Or a huge rug. I can’t decide! I’ve also been thinking about trying out stick and poke tattooing, but don’t tell my mom (laughs). My best friend and boyfriend have offered to be my canvas, but I’m still thinking about it, maybe not so soon.

Can you describe one of your tattoos and explain the meaning behind it?
Most of my tattoos don’t have a specific meaning because they’re flash designs, and it’s funny because I’m such an indecisive person but when it comes to tattoos, I tend to pick a design and go for it quite impulsively, because I know that if I dwell on it for too long, I’ll end up never getting it. I haven’t regretted any of them, so so far so good (laughs). Anyway I do have one tattoo that actually has a meaning behind it, which is this one here on my wrist. It’s my Chinese surname (wu) in an old-style Chinese script made to look like a surname stamp, designed and tattooed by @vivpokes.

What’s one thing you wish was taught in school but isn’t currently in the curriculum?
Gardening! I love plants but I have really black thumbs. My plants always die one way or another, no matter how much I read up on how to care for them and I don’t know why!

What’s something your partner has taught you?
I think the biggest thing would be how to better manage my emotions. In our relationship, I’m the heart and he’s the head, so over the years we’ve been together, we’ve learnt to balance each other out in this aspect.

What’s something you’re no longer into now that your past self was very much into?
I used to be really into running, but then I ran a marathon in 2019 and got quite scarred from that experience (laughs). It wasn’t just physically painful, it felt like my mind and soul were being crushed. That being said, I’ve had quite a long break from it, so I’m hoping to get back into it next year.