A creel is a cage to catch lobsters and crabs on the sea bed. They are made and fished locally on our fishing community island. Once the frames were made of wood and the net hand woven on, now mostly metal but still hand woven.

I have had this idea of lace creels in my head for years and now in lockdown I have had time to make the first one. Delighted with the sculptural shape, the eye of the creel in particular where the lobster or crab crawls in to the bait then become trapped was a challenge to design. Its made form lightweight metal and finelace un-dyed shetland wool a fab combo, lightwight for ceilng displays!

I chose my favourite old Shetland finelace patterns with a seashore theme, 'Birds Eye' for the eye of the creel, 'Elaborite pint o' the Wave' for the sides and top and Alice Maude pattern for the ends a beauty with waves from the 1800s!

This first creel of a set of three is for my own home for a high ceiling for contemporary lighting. I have a commisssion for an art gallery to make later where it will be displayed as an art-piece. They would be perfect in a top seafood resturant, coastal castle, industrial chic hotel, or industrial chic city appartment!