In Stitches: Lucy Sparrow's Cuddly Cornershop

In August of this year, artist Lucy Sparrow opened up one of her very own British institutions, a corner shop. Tucked away in a Bethnal Green side street, on sale were Hob-Nobs, Mars bars, McCain’s oven chips and Extra gum. Lucy’s was your typical cornershop but for the fact that every product on display had been lovingly hand stitched from felt by the shopkeeper herself.

When London Pride visited Lucy’s brilliantly bonkers project they found one product missing from her cuddly cornershop. “We loved the shop so much that we just had to ask her to make some London Pride bottles out of felt for us,” explains Lucy Crook, Group Brand Manager at Fuller’s Brewery. “And thankfully, Lucy thought it was a great idea.”

The project proved so popular that London Pride then featured her on their Facebook page, as one of their truly 'Made of London' craftspeople. They asked her a few questions to see what made her tick:

Who in London is a true craftsperson?

"The artist Grayson Perry. I love his work"

Share an insider tip for an out-of-towner.

"Visit the museum of Brands and Packaging in West London."

What makes a Londoner?

"A busy schedule. You need to be constantly on the go to make the most of London."

When have you been proudest of London/Londoners?

"The response of London to the 7/7 bombings. Everyone just coped and got on with things."

What's the one thing you couldn't live in London without.

"A Snog. As in the frozen yoghurt!"

All of the products took Lucy eight months to hand-make with funding for the project coming from the Arts Council, a kickstarter campaign and some sponsorship. Items for sale ranged from a soft toy Colgate toothpaste for £20 to a limited edition felt copy of the Evening Standard for £140.

The Cornershop has now closed but you can still browse the items online here.