I established The Rivendale Collection some 21 years ago initially designing Cross stitch kits. My business changed course as stitchery became more and more popular. Today The Rivendale Collection centres around stitchery and appliqué patterns with a little patchwork thrown into the mix.

I'm often asked where I gather my inspiration - I have to say it can be from a variety of sources such as a pretty floral fabric or even a beautiful verse. I have a passion for verses which I liberally use in my stitcheries. With a few chosen words we can convey so much. A few words can hold such depth - they may be words that people find difficult to convey verbally, however, stitched and given as a gift, they can help people express how they really feel. One of the most important considerations during the design process is the needs of my fellow stitchers and that means making achievable designs with easy to follow instructions. I believe the success of my patterns is quite simply that..... achievable!

Having a penchant for pretty embellishments (which can be seen in most of my designs) I love to be surrounded by beautiful things. I'm an avid collector of anything old, especially buttons, vintage cotton reels and other sewing notions. In my spare time I enjoy restoring old furniture, gardening and looking for my next old find.

I'm unsure where my love of hand stitching comes from - certainly not from anyone in my family. I do recall as a child sitting for hours making out of proportion dolls with big googly eyes. These dolls are lost to history, but that early experimentation paved the way for my future. I now sell my patterns to stores in Australia and overseas. I feel truly blessed to have turned my love of needlecraft into an income. I honestly believe the definition of real success is when you enjoy your work.

The Rivendale Collection is a wholesale only business. If you are a retail store interested in stocking my patterns please contact me for wholesale details. My contact details can be found on my contact page.