From Office Work to Cuteness: Bonnie Mutch's Button's Knits & Bits

The Journey

"I did office work for many years but after receiving a diagnosis of ME/CFS I was let go. Someone said to me at the time that it's not the end but the beginning and that is where the seed of Button's Knits began.

I learned to knit at age 3 and crochet at 11 so I have been crafting all my life. It has always been my passion and I always wanted a career in the creative industry but life took over. After leaving mainstream work I took time to get used to a new way of life with a chronic illness and crafting became a huge part of that journey. I couldn't imagine a day without yarn!"

The Style

"My creative style is cuteness all the way! Button's Knits actually started out as a baby wear online shop but that morphed into novelty makes and eventually the cuteness took hold and Button's Knits is what we see today."

The Work

"My most popular makes have to be my Forever Plant and Forever Cacti ranges. People love something bright, fun and so easy to keep. People love hand made to give as gifts or keep for themselves, it seems a bit more personal and special.

I've certainly been challenged with commission pieces over the years but the one that stands out was creating a range of crochet plants to fit a precious hand made pottery planter. I had to design a whole miniature garden, including making wiggly shaped mud.

I must admit I don't work on as many custom makes any more as stocking the craft fairs has taken over. I do still take on extra special requests though, I recently completed a Forever Cacti bride and groom set. I felt honoured to be asked to make such a special gift."

The Creative Process

"Quite often I will start with a pattern I see or have a brainwave of inspiration which will then lead to many written notes, experiments with yarn and stitches and frequent changes until it is just what I wanted and reflective of the cuteness my business stands for. Recently I launched a range of cute crochet Chonky Kittens. A customer said they would make good guinea pigs in a different colour. We now have Kittens, Guinea Pigs, Bunnies, Bees, Glow Bugs and Piggies! A whole new range from one pattern and a conversation! My makes are UKCA tested too so customers know they are buying safe, quality makes from me."

Working From Home

"I work from home, in my living room, creating mess, chaos and cute stuff! Working at home makes it easier to manage my health and I can be there for school things and homework too. I can work in my PJs with messy hair if I want to!

Tea! Always tea!!! I have tea on the go as I work and I always use my red needle to sew on the faces. It feels unlucky to use another coloured needle!!"

The Craft

"I think many people are drawn to knitting and crochet for a number of reasons. If they are creating themselves it really does help calm your mind, giving you a positive focus when life or health gets a bit hectic. Many customers tell me they love to buy an actual handmade item, that has been created by a human and not a machine.

To someone who wants to learn but thinks it's too hard: Go for it! Learning is part of the fun and the frustration. I'm still learning new ways of doing things now. There are so many resources out there, just find the one that works for you.

I love choosing the design, colours and the making process itself. I can start with a ball of yarn and hook and end up with an actual item to hold. It's very satisfying."

Craft Fairs & Community

"This summer is going to be busy! You can find me and all my cute makes at:

18th July: Pedal Kart Grand Prix, Rowcroft Hospice

9th August: Babbacombe Fair, Babbacombe Downs

15th August: Acorn Centre 60th Celebration, Barton, Torquay

22nd August: Torre Abbey Summer Fair

5th September: Marldon Apple Pie Fair

Christmas fairs to be confirmed.

I love meeting people, chatting to them and seeing happy customers. Working from home means I am on my own until my family get home so it's nice to get out and chat!

Lots and lots of cuteness, smiles and chatter! People are free to touch and handle my makes which makes it a much nicer experience than buying online I think."

Local Love

"Although originally from London I consider Torquay to be my home and I am very proud to be a part of the growing and evolving creative scene here. It's great to emphasise that local connection to customers, especially when they are on their holidays as they can take a real piece of Torquay magic home with them.

Everyone is so kind and encouraging, it is honestly a community. Over the years of doing fairs I have made some of the best friends I could ask for. We look out for, recommend and boost each other. We might only see each other at the fairs but it's one of the best bits!"

A Bit of Fun

"I would like to make some of my regular pieces absolutely huge, using multiple stands of yarn, jumbo hooks and needles and just see how big I could actually go!

My customers are some of my biggest inspiration, they give me ideas and challenges and I try out and this has led to some of my best makes. Online there is so much inspiration it would be hard to narrow it down to one."

What's Next

"Right now I am prepping stock for the Pedal Kart Grand Prix and am elbow deep in mini Forever Plants. I always have a range of £2 items available so that everyone can afford to take something home with them. It's important to spread the happiness. I'm super excited for Christmas though, I love making Christmas stock. I'm just waiting to hear if I have got a place at Winter Fest at Torre Abbey, fingers crossed!

I can be found on my FB Page (facebook.com/buttonsknits) where I post business updates and silliness from behind the scenes.

I'm really hoping to continue to build and expand my little business this year and going forward. I have got some new fairs to attend this year and I have more stock ideas than time!"

What strikes me most about Bonnie's story is how she turned a diagnosis that could have been an ending into a genuine beginning. ME/CFS is brutal, unpredictable, and often invisible – but instead of letting it stop her, Bonnie built a business around what she's always loved, in a way that works with her body, not against it. Working from her living room in her PJs, managing her health while building something beautiful – that takes courage.

The detail about the red needle feeling unlucky is so perfectly Bonnie. These are the things that matter when you're hand-making objects of joy – the rituals, the superstitions, the cup of tea on the go. And the fact that a customer comment about guinea pigs led to an entirely new product line shows an artist who's genuinely collaborative and open to inspiration from the people who love her work.

But what really gets me is the community aspect. In a world that can feel isolating – especially when you're managing chronic illness – Bonnie has found genuine friendship and support through craft fairs. She and her fellow makers look out for each other, recommend each other, boost each other. That's the kind of community Torbay is building, one craft fair at a time.

If you want to meet Bonnie and see her adorable creations in person, she's at 5 craft fairs this summer: Pedal Kart Grand Prix (18th July), Babbacombe Fair (9th August), Acorn Centre 60th Celebration (15th August), Torre Abbey Summer Fair (22nd August), and Marldon Apple Pie Fair (5th September). Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/buttonsknits for behind-the-scenes silliness and updates on those Christmas fairs coming soon.

If you'd like to be featured in our Artist Spotlight series or know of local creative projects we should cover, drop me a line at [email protected]. At Print2Wall, we offer museum-quality fine art printing and bespoke framing services to help artists and photographers bring their vision to life – visit us at www.print2wall.co.uk