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Our local makers are the lifeblood of our creative scene in Glossop, and we have so many talented people in the town that produce incredible arts, crafts and other items. This week, we chatted to macrame guru, Cassie Cooper, who’s Knots & Crosses creative business is a stalwart of the local makers market scene…

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Tell us about your business or creative venture / project

I’m a maker based in Hadfield who makes macrame and crochet products made from braided cotton cord. I try to make my work as sustainable as possible, and I primarily use cord made from recycled materials from textile production waste. Colour and pattern play a big part of my work; I love experimenting with different geometric shapes and forms by knotting, weaving and crocheting. My product range includes a range of baskets, table mats, jewellery, plant hangers and craft kits. I have some new products in the pipeline so watch this space…

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I absolutely love plants - my house is full of them! My business started by making macrame hangers for gifts and for myself to display my plants; I soon started using the cord to make baskets and it just went from there! I now have an Etsy shop, regularly attend makers markets, have a range in The Artful Pigeon and in the Curated Makers shop in Meadowhall, Sheffield.

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How do you feel about Glossop’s creative and cultural offering?

Glossop is such a fantastic hub of creative people! We have a wonderful community of very talented folk and it's so lovely to be a part of it all. I started my little business almost three years ago now and felt very welcomed into the creative community straight away. The High Peak Makers Market was one of the first fairs I traded at and I met a lot of like-minded people, some with established practices and others like myself who were relatively new to it all. Being able to connect with others helped improve my confidence, share ideas and connect with other makers..

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I remember my first visit to the town happened to be on the Victorian Weekend, and I instantly thought this is somewhere I would love to live! More recently it was fantastic to see it brought back to the town and was amazing to see the whole town dressed up and taking part; I would love to see this continue as a town tradition.

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How does the town’s heritage and culture reflect within your business or creative service?

I grew up just outside of Birmingham and went to university in Manchester. After years of living in the outskirts of the city, my husband and I were drawn to the area because of its beautiful landscape. I love how I can walk five minutes from home and be out in the woods. I find it helps clear my mind and focus my ideas. I draw a lot of inspiration from nature and natural forms.

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I'm aware of Glossop’s history in the textile and specifically cotton industry, and I think it's very fitting to be able to continue a textile-based business in the area.

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What would you like to see in Glossop (and its surrounding villages) that will help to bolster the town’s cultural and creative community?  

It would be great to have a creative and historical hub set up in Glossop comparable to something like the Buxton Pavillion; somewhere we can have markets, galleries and museums. It would really draw in people from surrounding areas to showcase the great work that happens here. It will be interesting to see what the Town Hall and Market place will be like once it is completed, hopefully it’ll be a real boost to the area.

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Continued support and funding for events and other creative industries is really important, such as the upcoming GlossFest Music Festival and the Victorian Heritage Weekend. Financial backing really boosts these kinds of events, we have great community led initiatives so i’m positive about future ventures and excited to see what this brings!

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What are your three favourite venues/ventures and services in the town?

The Craft Barn in Hadfield is a wonderful little space and offers so much for the area; from the Hadfield Art show to more specific exhibitions and maker workshops. It's great how versatile the venue can be and how it can be enjoyed by a variety of ages and activities.

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The folk at KIN.DER are lovely and it's great how they transformed the original gas works building. I get some of my printing done there for my craft kits and the quality is fantastic and we always have a good chat whenever I pop in! The pop up shop also has some great stuff in there!

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The Artful Pigeon is a great gallery shop and really does showcase lots of local makers work, in lots of different disciplines. I love popping in to drop off stock and hope them all the best settling into their new premises, and every success in their new location.

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Check out Cassie’s creations on Instagram at @knots_and_crossesxxx or search on Etsy for Knots & Crosses Glossop.

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