My name is Susanne Ekblad and I live in a suburb close to Stockholm in Sweden. Retired from a long working life and with grown up children I have plenty of time to spend on my hobby: making crafts.

As you probably understand English is not my first language but I use it to reach a larger community of hobby makers.  I hope you excuse my flaws and imperfections.

As I remember I have always knitted, but my interest in other textile techniques and art forms dates back 15-20 years. I had an experience which was a revelation for me. In a museum in Mora in Sweden (Anders Zorn’s textile chamber) a saw a collection made by peasantry women in the 1700:s and 1800:s. I felt such reverence for those women who paid enormous effort to make absolutely gorgeous blouses, scarves, linen, tablecloth etc. Everything full of colour, grace and style. This was made in a time when poverty and destitution was the normal state. This experience woke my desire to make beautiful  things of textile. I have attended a few courses and have learnt a lot from books and YouTube.

Silversmithing is quite new for me. My son was on a summer course at a university in Indonesia a few years ago. He had a lot of spare time and got the idea to hire a bench at a silversmiths’ workshop. There he learnt some of the remarkable art of filigree. Back home he showed some of his new skills and I was hooked.

I get a lot of inspiration from nature, and I am lucky to live in Stockholm where nature is just around the corner. I can’t resist the opportunity to show you some of my favourite spots around here, but also from my most loved part of England: Cornwall. Hope you enjoy!