Meet Henry Says
This month’s Maker of the Month is Henry Says, where wool comes to life in whimsical and detailed felted sculptures. Inspired by the wildlife and landscapes of the Scottish Highlands, H creates everything from tiny frogs to life-like hares, barn owls, and reindeer – often incorporating upcycled materials for a unique touch. What started as a hobby with a few balls of Merino wool has grown into a full-time creative business, combining artistry, patience, and a love of animals. We caught up with her to explore her creative process, the joys and challenges of felting, and how she brings her charming creatures from sketchbook to reality.
Tell us a bit about your background and how/why you started your creative business.
I’ve always been a creative person, but I also love animals and spending time outdoors. I used to work with horses and on farms, working outside in all weathers. I became pretty good at drawing horses, as my job meant that I spent a lot of time watching them move, and studying their anatomy in day-to-day tasks like grooming, health checks, and tacking up. So I think this has certainly had a hand in helping me understand how animals are put together when I create sculptures today.
I was introduced to felting at a local wool shop, the owner gave me some plain Merino wool and a few felting needles, and off I went! My first attempts at felting still come out and sit on the Christmas Tree every year, a Polar Bear and a slightly squashed Robin!
I used to make felted animals as a hobby in my spare time, and slowly it progressed to making little felt versions of the animals I used to care for. And as my skills grew, I attempted more complicated and detailed makes, and eventually tried out a craft fair, and was surprised at how popular my felties were!
So Henry Says was created, named after my little Jack Russell Henry. And every year since then it has grown, little by little, taking my work out to events, creating commissions, and releasing batches of ‘Felties’ online to the audience that found my work online during Covid.
Felting is quite an addictive and therapeutic craft, and the limits really are your imagination – and patience! Wool in this form is so malleable and forgiving, allowing you to reshape, chop, add and experiment to your heart’s content. I’ve made everything from tiny cute creatures, to enormous reinforced sculptures, that have gone to local galleries or been showstoppers at big events.
I have so many ideas for pieces I want to bring to life, I just need more hours in my day!
My style varies depending on what I set out to make. Most of the time I think my work is quite whimsical, with lots of little characters, interpretations of the animals and landscape around me here in the Highlands. But sometimes I get the itch to make something really special, and focus more on realism and detail. Felting can lend itself to some lovely realistic finishes, as you are working with natural fibres!
I also enjoy incorporating mixed materials into my work, upcycling and repurposing old fabric and objects. Like a Badger wearing an old wax oil jacket, or an owl tucked into a piece of whisky cask that would have otherwise gone for firewood.
What do you make and how would you describe your style?
My style varies depending on what I set out to make. Most of the time I think my work is quite whimsical, with lots of little characters, interpretations of the animals and landscape around me here in the Highlands. But sometimes I get the itch to make something really special, and focus more on realism and detail. Felting can lend itself to some lovely realistic finishes, as you are working with natural fibres!
I also enjoy incorporating mixed materials into my work, upcycling and repurposing old fabric and objects. Like a Badger wearing an old wax oil jacket, or an owl tucked into a piece of whisky cask that would have otherwise gone for firewood.
What inspires your work?
I’m definitely inspired by the landscape of my home. We are incredibly lucky to live in the Scottish hills, and I’m surrounded by wildlife such as Red and Roe Deer, Hares, Pine Martens, Wild Birds, Farm Livestock and of course our own Horses! I incorporate Bothies and the Hilly landscape into some of my mixed media work, and have lots of opportunities to photograph wildlife to use as references.
Wool is a natural fibre, so is amazing for recreating feathers and fur, as well as more imaginative creatures. Like my interpretation of the little Bats that whizz about in the evenings while I’m feeding the horses!
Tell us about your creative process
Many ideas start off as a quick doodle in my sketchbook, and often more inspiration presents itself as I start building the sculpture. I learn best by doing, so my first draft of a new creature is great for experimenting and figuring out what works best. I’m very visual, so I love having colours of wool and material in front of me as I work, so see how they fit on the piece.
I also find inspiration by going out and walking or running in the hills with my music. Sometimes, if something isn’t working, or I’m getting stuck in the details of a piece, it’s good to step back, refresh and expand the horizons a bit. When you step back, the solution to the problem looks much more manageable.
What’s your workspace or studio like?
My workspace is actually quite small, just a corner of the room with a desk, daylight lamp, and my boxes of wool. However, the table I work at is actually my grandparents’ old kitchen table. Where I spent many hours as a child painting, playing with plasticine, and making stables out of cardboard for toy horses!
What’s your favourite thing to make – and why?
Depends on the day. But at the moment I really enjoy making tiny Frogs! I also relish the chance to sink my teeth into a larger project, something that gets me excited to get back to my desk and work on. Most recently, I created a large set of Hares on a whisky cask lid. And although they were a huge amount of work, it’s so satisfying to see something like that lift from the page of a sketchbook to reality. Something I can look at and go – I did that!
What’s something people might not know about your craft or the skills involved?
Many people assume that my creations are stuffed like toys, which is not the case! Felted sculptures are built up with layer upon layer of wool, bound together with barbed felting needles by hand. Just like a sculptor working with clay, and building up a sculpture. They are definitely not toys.
Wool is naturally antibacterial, and if cared for properly, can last just as long as a clay sculpture. If not longer, as they are pretty resilient to being dropped!
Felting is getting more popular these days, but it’s still common for people to not realise the amount of hours that go into each piece I make. Felting is a slow craft, and I’ve been doing it for around 10 years now. My larger pieces can take weeks, or sometimes months!
What does creativity mean to you?
Creativity is essential to me for a healthy and happy life. We live in an age where we are expected to be constantly filling our lives with ‘content’ and boredom is staved off with scrolling. I too am guilty of it! And with the advent of AI being pushed into our day-to-day tasks, I think it’s important to remain imaginative, and remember that to be a human being is to think, create art, make music, and tell stories to interpret the world around us.
What does Christmas look like for you?
Christmas is a busy time as a small business! But once all the orders are sent and the shop is closed for the holidays, it’s a time to rest and recharge with family. On Christmas Eve, I take my old Clydesdale horse, Gaia, out for a walk in her long reins with jingle bells attached to her harness roller. Always fun to get in the festive mood!
Which three Folksy shops are you buying from this season?
Do you have any seasonal products you’d like us to highlight?
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone thinking about starting a creative business?
Don’t be afraid to try things! Go with your gut and have fun experimenting to see what works for you. A small business is full of ups and downs, so don’t be afraid to reach out to others for advice and support. Stay authentic to what you enjoy making/ doing, and you’ll find an audience that appreciates you and your work. I think it’s better to try and fail than to never have tried at all.
What is a quote you live by?
If it’s not alright in the end…it’s not the end.
Previous Featured Maker – Jewellery By Silvana
To find out more about Silvana head to her Folksy shop, or to see more of our featured makers head here.
