Meet Anna from Homebird and her new crochet mug cosies

Autumn is the season to spend more time indoors, sit by the fire with a hot cup of something and perhaps take up ‘feel good’ activities such as reading, knitting or maybe even crocheting. The latter plays an important role for Anna, the founder of Homebird. Read the interview below to find out more about her, her business as well as her newly launched Crochet Taster Kits.

Please introduce yourself.

Hello my name is Anna and Homebird is my business. I live in a historic market town near Oxford with my husband,  2 teenage sons and my spaniel puppy Connie. 

When did you start Homebird and why?

I started homebird in 2015 after realising that I had a passion for passing on the craft of crochet. I started teaching friends and family around my kitchen table with tea and cake and it has grown from there. I am now very lucky to have a little studio in my garden which I call The Nest.

What makes Homebird special?

I feel that passing on the craft of crochet is a very special gift. It can bring pleasure, comfort and mindful escape whenever you need it and once learnt it’s yours forever.  My lovely Auntie Jo taught me to crochet and I am so grateful, I treasure the memory and believe she would be delighted to see me passing it on.

Tell us a bit more about your new kits and where we can get them.

I am so excited about these!  In recent months I haven’t been able to teach in the way I usually do. My new Crochet Taster Kits have been carefully put together providing you with everything you need to crochet a soft and chunky mug cosy to start you off on your crochet journey.  

These kits are based on places and feelings that make me happy.  Firstly ‘Coastal View’, because I always feel so calm by the sea - especially in Cornwall.  ‘Gorse Moorland’ which reminds me of the New Forest in the UK, where I spend many happy autumn days. ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Starry Night' both give me that sense of cosiness that comes with this time of year. I want to pass on some of these happy and cosy feelings to people who want to crochet and craft now. I have also made my first video tutorial which will work alongside the kit taking you through the process step by step. I will be taking pre-orders from Monday, 26th October via email anna@homebirdcraft.com (my website is under construction). Please go to my instagram page @homebirdcraft to take a look and choose your colours.

How can people connect with you? 

As I said my website is under construction at the moment but I am active on instagram @homebirdcraft and I look forward to seeing you there!

What are the things that make you feel heiter?

Home - cooking for my family, cosy evenings with candles and wine, freshly washed bedding, a hot bubbly bath, pottering in my garden with my dog and of course, lots of crochet! Also, walking in the mornings, a big sky, dancing with my friends - I should probably stop there!

Interview & Image: Katharina Geissler-Evans, heiter magazine

Heiter Cooking: dried herbs for winter

Autumn is in full swing and the temperatures are dropping day by day. I have started to harvest the herbs from our garden. In recent years I’ve made a habit of freezing some so that I can use them throughtout the winter months and keep some of those heiter summer feelings alive. The rest is usually hung up to dry for about three to four weeks and then used for cooking and self-care. I shared a photo of my “hung up herbs” on Instagram earlier this autumn and some of you wanted to know more about it. For that reason, I’ve decided to share instructions on how to do it as well as some insights into how I use my dried herbs.

What you will need:

• secateurs or scissors

• twine or string

• jars and/or little bowls for your dried herbs

• optional: baking tray

1) Collect your herbs by cutting at the base of the stem. Using your twine or string, make little bunches. Remember to make sure that your twine/string is long enough so that you can hang your bunches afterwards. I would recommend making one bunch per herb but you can of course also mix your herbs if you prefer.

2) Find a dry spot where you can hang your bunches of herbs. We have a little covered patio so I usually hang my herbs there but you can of course choose whatever works for you.

3) Leave the bunches for about 3-4 weeks. Take them down once they’re fully dried out. To ensure your herbs dry a bit quicker, you could take them down a little earlier, pick the individual leaves and spread them out evenly on a baking tray. Leave on there for a day or two.

4) Once your herbs are dry, pick the individual leaves and put them into jars (a closed jar will make it easier to store the herbs throughout winter). If you know for sure that you will use some of the herbs sooner rather than later, you can also use a little bowl instead of a jar.

5) Your herbs are ready to use.

Additional info on the herbs from my garden

This year I dried sage, rosemary, thyme, mint and lemon balm. Would you like to know how I am going to use them? See below.

Sage: as garnish on soup, as seasoning for meats and roasted vegetables, for sage butter, mixed into stuffing, in tomato sauce, for scrambled eggs. I sometimes also boil the leaves to make tea & soothe a sore throat.

Rosemary: to make rosemary salt or rosemary infused olive oil, to season meat and roasted vegetables. I sometimes also mix it with bath salts.

Thyme: as garnish on soups, a seasoning for mashed potatoes, meats & roasted vegetables, for pasta sauces and herb butter. Thyme tea is said to help with PMS, lift the mood and lower blood pressure.

Mint: I adore classic mint tea so most of my mint is usually for that in winter. I’ve also used it to season salads, make mint pesto and as garnish for mocktails though.

Lemon balm: lemon balm tea has been one of my go to’s whenever I cannot sleep. Apparently, it reduces stress and calms a sore stomach (also period pain), migranes and colds. I’ve added it to hot baths before and I’ve used it to season mushrooms, vegetables, desserts as well as homemade dips.

Words & images: Katharina Geissler-Evans, heiter magazine

Are you looking for more seasonal inspiration?

Then my e-book “#heiterautumn - Finding and Celebrating Heiterkeit in Autumn” might be just the right thing for you.