People
Published: November 9, 2023 | Updated: 9th November 2023
Five years ago, Gemma Wigley launched Crafty Little Pickle from her dining table, putting her sewing machine to work making bunting for a handful of customers every month.
Fast forward to now and she’s working flat out at Aldershot Enterprise Centre to fulfil dozens of orders in time for Christmas – with 5,000 sales to date through the online marketplace Etsy.
It all began when Gemma needed to source bunting for her daughter’s first birthday.
“I couldn’t find anything suitable”, she explained.
“So my husband bought me a second-hand sewing machine and I made the bunting myself!
“A friend liked it and asked if I could do some for her. From there, I found myself doing a few orders for other friends.”
Before long she’d made the jump to Etsy – earning £80 in her first year and £90 the next – and soon expanded her product line to include seasonal gift bags, making for some very lucrative Christmas periods.
As a military wife, she also took to sewing on military badges after proving quicker than the on-camp tailor.
“At this point I still wasn’t running the business full time.
“My daughters were still very young, but it fed my creative mind and was enough to bring in a bit extra cash.
“Covid turned out to be really good for my business. I got busy on Etsy and launched the Linen Bunting Collection.
“I bought the minimum amount of fabric I could to create 4 colourways.
“I remember I was really concerned as it was expensive. Now I purchase thousands of metres a year!”
As more and more orders came in, Gemma transferred from the dining table to a desk under the stairs, but before long she’d outgrown that too.
She soon found a new home at Aldershot Enterprise Centre – which recently made its own move from Mandora House to larger premises on Victoria Road.
Grand opening of the new Aldershot Enterprise Centre
“In some ways it was great as I had more space, but it was also daunting due to the extra overheads”, said Gemma.
“The location is great in the town centre and the nearby post office, which I use regularly.
“I also believe it’s important to support local businesses such as the post office and the businesses within the centre.”
And support them she does, with regular visits to Kraken Print and Design to top up on stationery and Aldershot Sewing Machines to help keep things running smoothly.
The new office hasn’t been the only milestone for Crafty Little Pickle.
Gemma has also secured a contract with a leading London hotel, and her products will be showing up in the Kingston-upon-Thames branch of John Lewis for a week this December.
Not only that, she’s taken on a part-time employee – “particularly to fulfil orders during the school holidays, where previously the business would just stop!”
Plans for the near future would be to extend those part-time hours and expand within Aldershot Enterprise Centre – for now, though, it’s all about getting through another busy Christmas.
Read more – Leila is helping people weave connections through her craft classes
