Hello there, so happy you found my website !!!

I am Irene the designer of Handmadepast .....31 years in fast fashion made place for a new way of living a  lovely way and ... slow fashion. I started making things when I was 5 years old, my mother was my biggest inspirator,  she was always knitting or sewing on the other end of the diner-table, where we sat together. I was very eager to learn all kind of crafts , not only knitting and sewing, so I learned embroidery , quilting and all sort of things you can do with your hands, painting, woodcarfing, sculpture etc etc you name it. I learned from every book or magazine I could find, and I did a lot of courses ! But my passion is in the softness, the cosy-ness.... so I love all sort of yarn and fabrics !

I totally love making things and it gives me great joy,  pleasure and happiness. I hope to inspire you to find you're creativity and to bring joy in you're life with my designs. I love to bring my travels to life in my designs and every design has it's own story. I take something to knit, embroider or quilt with me everywhere, on our travels, in the train, the car or to friends. I really like the so called bee's quilters have, a kind of craftdates together with friends, talking and making something at the same time... it doesn't always have to involve quilting... it can be knitting, crocheting or embroidery as well!

The picture below is from my little atelier in the Netherlands, the picture on your right you can guess... yes its me !!! I am married to my lovely husband and have two beautiful grown up daughters, of whom I am so proud!! We live in The Netherlands and France, and travel when we can... a kind of travelling nomads... working and living where we are at that moment... One of my dreams was to become a designer one day and I can still not believe it really happend.... so if you have a dream ... go for it!! Hope you a lot of creative happiness here !! 

Lots of love, 

My lovely little "Atelier"