Textile artist Sandra Grieve with her world-famous cat beds. Photo/Stuart Munro
Textile artist Sandra Grieve with her world-famous cat beds. Photo/Stuart Munro
Sandra Grieve has cat beds sewn up.
Her Whanganui business, The Felted Room, started one year ago after she discovered the secret to a creating a cat bed that actually works.
Now, thanks to the power of social media and a hot response from her local customers, she is working 12-hour days and selling her clever creations worldwide.
Ms Grieve said after she bought her two British shorthair cats she wanted a unique bed that they'd really enjoy and sleep in all year round.
"I orginally spent heaps on commercial beds and my cats didn't use them and then I found out the secret of cats."
Ms Grieve wouldn't disclose "the secret" but said the material and design of the beds had a lot to do with the success.
Starting with one design fits all, it wasn't until demand picked up that she began creating a variation of sizes, colours and styles to cater for all cats and meet the individual preference of the owners.
Sandra's cats, Luna and Sherbert, help model the cat beds. Photo/Supplied
Her cat beds are sold all over New Zealand, mainly in the big city hubs such as Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.
Through her Facebook page and growing Instagram audience, customers now reach as far as the United States and United Kingdom.
"I find that the majority of the people who follow me on Instagram are overseas customers and often interior designers with similar taste.
"Instagram is a great sounding board to see what people like," Ms Grieve said.
The creative guru grew up in Whanganui and previously worked as a graphic designer.
Since home-schooling her 15-year-old son, Ms Grieve said she has found her business to be a convenient match.
"I am usually up at 6am, in my dressing gown with a coffee, tucked away in my workshop and work until 6pm. While my son is working so am I."
But cat beds aren't the only avenue of Ms Grieve's business, she also makes home decor items and textile art.
Last month Ms Grieve won the Beccard Motors 3D Commended Award for Entwined in the annual Lysaght Watt Trust art awards.
Currently operating as a one woman business, doing everything from design to cutting and sewing to photography to packaging and delivery, Ms Grieve said she would love to hire someone to keep up with the demand.
Ms Grieve said crafts was in her blood. Her mother was a florist, her grandmother made crepe paper flowers for funerals in town and her other grandmother was a seamstress.
