A business born out of a desire to be more creative and named after two adorable black Labradors – Fiddy (short for Fidra) and Mabel. The oh-so-talented Hattie Forster has filled The Store’s shelves with her quietly quirky and truly wonderful textiles, cards and other goodies. Here at Restoration yard, we love to shout about our amazing local suppliers, so let us introduce you to Fiddy + Mabel.

Meet the maker

I’m Hattie, I live and work from our cottage on a farm in rural East Lothian with my husband Pete, five year old twins Maisie and Archie and our two black labs.

What started Fiddy + Mabel?

I started Fiddy+Mabel in August 2020 - like many the pandemic gave me a silver lining of the chance to re-evaluate. I had been running my own consultancy supporting businesses with their customer and team experience, but everything stopped when the world shut down.

Where do your design ideas come from?

My designs are inspired by the coast and countryside around me, and my own love of wild swimming. I have always been creative but never professionally, and one day the idea struck me that I wanted to print tea towels. No idea where that came from, or why, but I’m very glad it did!! I bought a screen printing kit and taught myself how to do it and off I went.

What motivates you?

I love creating designs and products that bring joy, whether that’s a print of somewhere they love, or a bright and fun pattern that makes people smile. It sounds so cringey but I just really like making people happy!

The Wild Swimming Collection

If you or someone you know are wild swimming enthusiasts, then you are going to want to pay us a visit. Inspired by the mindful escapism of wild swimming, Hattie’s designs celebrate the inclusivity and joy that wild swimming brings. Take a look at at some of the pieces below and shop it all in-store now.

Want to see Hattie in action? Click here to take a sneak peek behind the scenes.