Learn to Delight in the Joy of Making for You with Truly Myrtle

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“The first shawl design I put out was my Settler Shawl. I remember the day I put it out; my father was in hospital and I went up to sit with him. I could hear my phone going ‘ding, ding, ding’ continually with the PayPal emails. My dad said ‘what is that noise?’ And I said ‘dad this is amazing! I made this pattern and people are buying it.’ He was pretty impressed. It was pretty incredible - I had a really good response to that shawl; lots of people made it and loved it.”

“That was mid-2014. By the end of the year, my littlest girl was about to start school, so I decided that come 2015 I was going to make this an actual business. I’d released a couple of shawls by then, I was having a good time doing it and I thought that it was way better than going back to being a lawyer. To me, I officially started Truly Myrtle in January 2015. That’s when I launched my podcast and started my mini-mag (newsletter).”

Libby’s first garment design came about out of necessity. Having agreed to teach a class about garments, she decided she’d better design a jersey to use in the class. “I’ve woven my way through the last five years, doing just a little bit more and a little bit more, just pushing myself. Thinking, I’ll force myself to design a garment. Even though I was really nervous, I agreed to teach that class on garments.”

“I don’t quite know how I’ve ended up here but have worked really hard. Now I feel like I’m pulling it all together and again I’m getting to the place where I’m getting back to my roots, with what I’m doing now with Wardrobe Toolbox.”

“During last year my design business was going pretty well. I’d a few designs which had really taken off. I was really enjoying teaching and I also love a new challenge,” Libby says. “So I had this idea of starting something that would be a little more holistic and more focused on what I really love.”
Wardrobe Toolbox is an online membership programme that Libby launched this year. Membership is on a month to- month basis and benefits include access to lessons, exclusive patterns, content and masterclasses. Through Wardrobe Toolbox, Libby is sharing her knowledge along with her passion for making clothes for yourself. “I think it’s just who I am. I have a real love of creating and wearing my own clothes. I’m not worrying about what everyone else is wearing or what’s available in the shops, or what size I am. I’ve been able to make clothes for every stage of my life - my pregnant state, breastfeeding, or now in my late forties.”

“Every month we have a bit of a theme [in wardrobe toolbox], and we’re just learning about how to make clothes feel great. There’s quite a large emphasis on finding out what you love to wear, and figuring out not just what you suit but what makes you feel great. And then figuring out what shape your body is, how to make changes to knitting patterns (and we’re moving more into sewing patterns, too) to achieve that great fit. In the end, you feel fantastic that you made it for yourself, and it fits you wonderfully, and everyone just notices how happy you are. It’s really fun!”