As part of Made in the Middle we have been collecting stories of making in the Midlands that are influenced by migration.

We met with ‘everyday makers’ who craft for themselves, making at home, in a local studio or with a community. Through jewellery, pottery, crochet, textiles, blacksmithing and batik, their work celebrates the cultural and ethnic diversity of the Midlands. It highlights how craft skills that migrate with the makers influence creativity.

We met makers of South American, African, Caribbean, South Asian and East Asian heritage. They tell of a love for making and craft. Whether self-taught, passed down through family or shared within their community. It has been a privilege to work with them to weave together a rich tapestry of stories across the Midlands.

Haleema shares her memories of learning embroidery and crochet from her mother, who was from Pakistan and how they embellished scarves using their skills. Later her mother-in-law worked and taught her more complicated designs that she could do alongside her domestic responsibilities. 

To read a transcript of this interview, head to our ⁠website⁠.

Podcast created by Hayley Salter.