Material world

Graeme Rowe of Kingston Bagpuize explains more about Little Weave which aims to educate children through storytelling with a pinch of old-school ethics!

I’m old enough to remember when there were no computer games, food was healthy and simple, and children were shielded from bad habits.

These memories inspired my wife Asua and me to launch our interactive website. It includes stories parents can read to their children featuring new characters. Parents can create stories and pictures with their children to be published on the website. The aim is to build a community educating young children through creating and sharing fun stories.

Each Little Weave story is written with a subtle undertone promoting ethics and a healthy lifestyle. For example how to be polite and helpful to people, especially the elderly; eat fruit and vegetables and enjoy stimulating hobbies.

All of the new Little Weave characters also have characteristics that everyone can relate to including worrying, forgetfulness and clumsiness.

The Little Weave website clearly sets out the personalities of the 10 characters and offers a guide on how parents can create stories with their children. Once uploaded online and reviewed internally, the stories will be featured on the website. People do not need to be professional authors to have their work featured online. We are new to writing and enjoy the challenge of creating something new each time.

To make the stories fun, the theme for Little Weave is sewing. The online village has buildings made of material, with buttons for windows and zips for doors. Every aspect of the landscape is sewn together from brightly coloured fabric. The 10 characters are all soft and cuddly with a colourful check-patterned material and include Button the Rabbit, Cotton the Cat and disco dancing Lord Tweed the Goat.

The inspiration for Little Weave came from Piyanooch, a Thailand-based businesswoman who sells hand-sewn clothes and accessories. We worked with Piyanooch’s team to develop bright colourful T-shirts, bags, blankets and cushion covers with hand-sewn characters and detailing, all made from 100% cotton. Manufacturing takes place in Northern Thailand. Each seamstress sews around tending to their farms and looking after family members.

We hope you enjoy reading the tales and creating stories with your children!

Find out more at www.littleweave.com