I have painted, sewn and crafted for many years, learning from by both my mother and grandmother who made too many dresses and skirts and stuffed toys to mention. Their influence remains in the many threads and notions that I have inherited from them and still use today  My Grandmother taught me to sketch the animals around us and those of my imagination, and my mother taught me to sew - helping me to use her old heavy dark green Husquavarna machine that seemed fierce at the time. With her help aged 9 years I made my first stuffed animal - a giant tortoise.  Hawkes Hounds began in 2009 when I chanced upon John Murphys' book “Stupid Sock Creatures” and I realised could make animals from old socks. The humour and designs got me laughing – and thinking. I dusted off my sewing machine and I started making my own creatures and selling on Etsy. All the while my faithful hounds sat by my feet as I sketched and stitched and little by little, I stopped making alien-like creatures and I started to make Hounds. In Abby Glassenberg’s 2013 book Stuffed Animals: From Concept to Construction  I learned how to make hounds that could sit and stand without falling over, had legs that waggled. I started use repurposed wool fabric from old coats and hats or skirts as well as old woolly socks as a base. Wire framework now made the hounds poseable and strong.