Our Friday Feature this week is the lovely Anna Pritchard. Based in North Wales, overlooking the foothills of Snowdonia, Anna takes inspiration from the colours of nature and life as a farming family to create luxurious woven fabrics.
Let’s get to know more about the creative woman behind the small business…
From an early age, creativity has been a central aspect of my life. Growing up on a dairy farm, I was constantly inspired by the natural world around me. I always had a sketchbook in hand, often designing outfits for the catwalk, which allowed me to express my imagination freely. Additionally, I had the privilege of participating in the Eisteddfod Yr Urdd at the age of eight, where I wove Welsh mythological stories with my school. This was a highlight of my year, particularly as I found academic subjects challenging, and it provided me with an outlet for my creativity.
My mother, an art teacher, played a pivotal role in fostering my creative development. Regular visits to galleries, theaters, and trips to London exposed me to a diverse range of art forms and further nurtured my artistic inclinations.
Though I initially aspired to become a nurse or midwife, I decided to pursue a health and social care course and planned to follow up with a nursing degree. However, due to a waiting list for the degree program, I chose to embark on a pre-degree foundation in Art and Design at Bangor University. This decision marked a pivotal turning point, as it reignited my passion for creativity, and I have been dedicated to pursuing this path ever since.
From a young age, I was immersed in a creative environment, particularly through stitching and knitting. I was strongly influenced by my mother and grandmothers, all of whom practised these skills, and my grandmother would often make clothes for my dolls. Attending the Knit and Stitch Show further nurtured my interest in textiles and craft. One of my earliest weaving experiences was creating a bedspread, using a loom to weave fabric for a dolls’ house bed that my father had welded himself. At school, weaving was also part of my creative education, particularly for the Urdd competitions, which I approached with great dedication.
During my pre-degree foundation course, I was introduced to a range of disciplines, including 3D design, fine art, and textiles. It was during this time that I discovered my true passion for textiles, as I was able to experiment extensively with texture and colour. This led me to pursue a degree in Textiles at Manchester Metropolitan University. In my first year, I explored print, knit, and weave, and in my second year chose to specialise in weave. I was particularly drawn to the entire weaving process, from designing on paper and selecting materials such as wool, cotton, and silk, to watching my designs develop on traditional looms as the fabric took shape.
Having always felt a strong connection to my roots, I knew that returning to North Wales after my studies was the right path for me. After graduation, I was fortunate to receive a scholarship that allowed me to gain invaluable work experience with a master weaver in Yorkshire. This opportunity enabled me to design from home, with my creations being woven in Yorkshire, bridging the best of both worlds.
For many years, I focused on creating silk scarves. With a young family, it was more manageable to work on these smaller pieces, allowing me to finish them in the evenings. During this time, I also worked as an arts facilitator in primary schools for nearly nine years, a role that complemented my home life and provided the flexibility I needed.
While working in schools, I began designing my blankets, but I hesitated to put them into production, uncertain about how they would be received by my audience. The larger financial commitment required for production also felt like a significant risk. However, at a crossroads in my career, I decided to take the leap and put my first three blanket designs into production. I debuted them at the National Eisteddfod in 2018. Despite still working part-time as a teaching assistant, this marked the beginning of my transition into full-time entrepreneurship. In 2022, I took the step to focus entirely on my small business, continuing to pursue my passion for textiles and design.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing many highlights. One of the most significant milestones was winning a scholarship through the National Eisteddfod, which allowed me to gain invaluable hands-on work experience with a master weaver. This opportunity proved to be a turning point in my small business journey, as I learned more about running a business in those few months than I did during three years of formal study. The experience of being immersed in the industry, building connections, and gaining practical knowledge was truly transformative.
Building on that initial experience, my most recent highlight came last year when I had the opportunity to collaborate on a project for The Royal Oak Hotel in Betws-y-Coed. I was commissioned to design fabrics that would be used to reupholster their chairs and sofas for a newly designed lounge. This has been my largest project to date, and it was incredibly rewarding to contribute to the colour and pattern choices. It’s something I had dreamed of for many years, and to see it come to fruition was a moment of great pride.
The biggest challenge I face is managing all aspects of the business. Balancing the design, production, photography, social media, and marketing can be overwhelming at times. One of the most difficult parts for me is promoting myself and my work. Without formal training in marketing or business management, it has been a steep learning curve. Each year brings its own set of challenges, and I continue to adapt and grow as I navigate these new hurdles. However, this ongoing process has been invaluable in expanding my skill set and ensuring the continued success of my business.
I would remind myself that people will value and support my work. Trust in your creativity, have confidence in your abilities, and be a little bit more confident in pursuing your ideas.
As a small business owner, moments of doubt and stress are not uncommon. I often question the challenges I face, especially when preparing for craft fairs. Despite these moments, I make it a point to participate in at least one new craft show each year. This helps push me out of my comfort zone and introduces me to a diverse range of clients. However, these events come with their own set of pressures—planning the booth layout, organizing travel and accommodations, and managing home life while I’m away or balancing it when bringing the family along.
The lead-up to craft shows can be exhausting, with long hours spent preparing stock and ensuring everything is ready to showcase. Once the event begins, I enjoy the rhythm of meeting new people, discussing my work, and answering a variety of questions. As someone who works alone most days, these events offer a refreshing change and a chance to connect with others. After all, it’s a welcome contrast to conversing with my sheep and dogs!
When I do question everything, I remind myself of the connections made, the excitement of showcasing my work, and the growth that comes from stepping out of my comfort zone.
Having specialised in weave I create luxurious fabrics and blankets for the home. I also produce colourful and vibrant silk scarves. My studio overlooks the foothills of Snowdonia, where my inspiration is derived from. I live on a small holding with my husband and young family where we have a small flock of New Zealand Romneys, speckle hill breed and texels.
We are one of the oldest farming families still working in the Dyffryn Ogwen Valley. My fabrics document the farming traditions and its history. My designs document the ear notches of the Dyffryn Ogwen Valley farms. An ear notch is a series of cuts that are done on the lambs’ ears. These enable the farms to identify their sheep when gathering the mountains where several farms will gather on the same day. Only farms that have the right to graze on these mountains are given a unique ear notch. You will also see the small scissors like the shearing scissors within the various designs. These scissors enable the farmers to create their unique notch. Within my work you will also see the slate pillars which are so evident in the local area and are a large part of the Dyffryn Ogwen’s history. You will also see wildflowers which were a huge importance to me in my childhood and would keep a scrapbook documenting their names. Today modern ways have been introduced into the world of farming, and this is also evident in my designs. My work documents history, farming traditions and childhood memories. Each design has a story behind it, which I feel is very important and is always a talking point with my audience.
I am passionate about colour which is evident throughout my work. My colour inspiration is derived from nature and the beautiful and dramatic seasons that we have here in Wales.
Finding a healthy work-life balance is a challenge for me, especially as I struggle to switch off and often feel guilty when I take time off. Managing a smallholding alongside my own business means that the demands of farming sometimes take precedence, as it’s a team effort that requires all four of us to handle the work with the sheep. However, working on the smallholding provides valuable time for my family to come together, even though it can get intense at times.
I do make an effort to carve out time to catch up with a friend over coffee once a week, although this is often difficult to maintain due to my busy schedule. I also enjoy walking, which often provides me with the space to clear my mind and come up with new design ideas for my fabrics.
I’m still working on finding a true balance between my business and personal life. Last year, I didn’t take any time off, but I’m committed to planning some rest this year. I’ve learned that burning the candle at both ends is not sustainable, and taking time to recharge is essential for long-term creativity and well-being.
If I were to explore a different career path in another universe, I would love to be an interior designer. While I’m fortunate enough to offer my input on colour schemes and designs within my fabric collections when clients request it, my true passion lies in designing entire spaces. This is something I hope to pursue further in the future. For now, however, I’m content to focus on my current roles—caring for my lambs as a “midwife” and continuing to design fabrics that inspire and connect with people.
How incredible is it that Anna’s surroundings in North Wales play such a part in her life and creativity. From the inspiring landscape to working on a smallholding – it all comes together in Anna’s heartfelt textile designs… you can really feel her passion and the story behind each piece.
If you would like to find out more about Anna and her wonderful textiles, take a look at her website: annapritchard.co.uk – or for behind the scenes content and more of the story, head to her Instagram: @annapritchardtextiledesigner
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