The crafting journey that led to the Coorie Castle Craft series

Lilac Mills
Jan 21
3 min read

Crafting was born out of necessity. Once upon a time we had to make most of what we needed, whether it be clothes, tools or furniture. Now though, we can simply pop to a shop or buy it online. But that need to craft, to create, hasn't left us. It's part of the human psyche, and it's now enjoying a resurgence.

I come from a long line of crafters; my nan used to knit, and she also used to do something called 'tatting', which is a form of lace-making using fine thread and a shuttle to weave things like doilies. I never mastered the technique, but I did master knitting (kind of), which both she and my great aunt taught me.

White knitting project with textured pattern on a metal needle beside a ball of Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino yarn on a teal surface.

I've always loved any kind of crafting and have tried my hand at quite a few over the years. One of my earliest memories is around Christmas in my first year in school, making paper lanterns, angels from card and gold doilies, and Father Christmases out of loo roll inserts!

Embroidery, sewing and quilting are probably my favourites, as I just adore working with fabric, but I enjoy painting, too. Unfortunately, everything I paint becomes an abstract, even when it’s not meant to be. I used to draw and paint a lot, but although my pencil drawings weren’t too bad, I can’t paint for toffee. See?! My miserable attempt at a waterclour is supposed to be the bridge which features in my Tanglewood Village series of cosy, small-town romances - not sure it captured the vibe I was aiming for.

Art pieces portray a brick building and a stone bridge. Beside them, a needle-felting kit with labradors is on a box with wool.

And as for needle-felting… This is how far I got! I keep going back to it and giving it another try, but I’ve been working on this kit for a few years now, so I don’t anticipate finishing it anytime soon.

I’ve also made my own clothes in the past, and I even made loose covers for a sofa and chairs - it took me weeks and I was incredibly proud of the end result. I’ve done quilting (harder than I thought it was going to be), embroidery, cross-stitch and knitting. I was pleased with my cross-stitch results, but anything I knitted was always a disappointment. No matter how hard I tried, I could never get the tension right. I’ve returned to knitting once more, though, and am determined to tackle my tension issues!

It was this love of crafting and making things that gave me the idea to base a story (or three, as it turned ou!) in a craft centre. The one in the books is loosely based on a craft centre I used to visit often when I lived in the West Midlands (that’s a part of England, for non-UK readers), and I must admit that I stole shamelessly from it, from the layout through to the gorgeous crafty vibes. The real craft centre doesn’t have a castle nearby, but it should!

Entrance of Jinney Ring British Craft Gallery & Gift Shop, surrounded by lush greenery and flowers under a sunny sky with rustic decor.

All three books in the series have a crafty theme.

The first, Surprises on the Scottish Isle, features doll's house making, the second, Summer Escapes on the Scottish Isle features a potter, and the third, Seaside Dreams on the Scottish Isle, focuses on sea glass.

Three colorful book covers by Lilac Mills depict scenic landscapes on a Scottish isle. Titles: Surprises, Summer Escapes, Seaside Dreams.

In many ways, crafting is about more than the finished piece - it’s about slowing down, using our hands, and giving ourselves permission to create simply for the joy of it. That feeling of comfort, creativity and connection is exactly what I wanted to weave into my Scottish Isle books. Each story reflects a different craft, but at their heart they’re all about finding love. After all, they are heartwarming romances!