Flying high with Hannah and her Medallion Wrap

Last year Vogue decided to publish a special Vogue Crochet issue. It is sold out but can still be bought in electronic form (pad or tablet). On the cover of the US issue was the Medallion Wrap (42 Motif Wrap) designed by Kathy Merrick. What a gorgeous wrap! I decided to splurge, use the original material (Rowan Kidsilk Haze) and went ahead.

Or so I thought. Reading crochet diagrams is not my forte, spoiled by easy-going freeform à la Prudence Mapstone, I usually just winged it, bullioned it and went every-which-way with my crochet. It took a while and a little bit of help from Ravelry's Maindruid in the Crochet en Vogue group until I had brushed up on my rusty crochet diagram reading knowledge but finally I forged ahead with making a couple of medallions with some stashed Rowan mohair to get familiar with the pattern chart, because mohair does not take kindly to being frogged (see my notes on Ravelry). Finally, I started with the REAL stuff, Rowan Kidsilk Haze. A truly exquisite yarn!

On finishing the wrap I realized that I needed a model to show its beauty properly. And true for both, the model and the wrap could not have found a better marriage. So on one very cold and windy day in early January, lovely Hannah Rose modelled the wrap on the very top of Clitheroe Castle (UK, Lancashire), chilly winds keeping people in their downy anoraks and coats while Hannah was smilingly floating along without even showing any goosebumps! Both the wrap and the model are taking wings, yes, miracles do happen! 

In fact, and there is no photoshop involved in any of the pictures: if you look closely, a-floating she is! She simply took off into the air with the Medallion Wrap, levitating like the famous witches of Pendle Hill.  What professionalism! But then, she has been modelling for a while such as for this fashion place (Just Vintage) plus she is used to being in the public eye with her music.  "The Remedy" is the name of her musical presence, teaming up with guitarist and photographer Elliott Dryden. In the following interview Hannah shares her views on modelling and making music.

Q: Laura Lauragais / A: Hannah Rose

1: Hannah, did you always love music and when did you decide to play an instrument, and which one is your favourite?

Hello Laura! Yes, I have always had a great love for music and have been brought up with a very musical background - Dad has always played guitar and Mum has always had a fantastic and varied taste in music, therefore leaving me with this incredibly broad and, I would say, uncommon musical knowledge, I love anything from Stevie Wonder to James Taylor. You can really hear these influences in The Remedy's original songs.

My first instrument was the violin and started to learn when I was just 6 - the reason why I chose it was because my mum had a gold charm bracelet and had a tiny violin charm on it, and well, I guess it just sparked my little imagination! A few years later I was bought a guitar for Christmas, but never really took interest in it for many years as I had such tiny fingers and because I am such a determined person, I used to get so frustrated by this! But, by about the age of 11, I really got into it and have never looked back. I do find the guitar infinitely easier to play, but I have a lot of emotional attachments to the Violin.

2) At what point did you think of making music a career and how did you set about this goal?

Ohh, only really recently - this past year it has really struck me that it is possible. It sounds so wrong finishing my A levels to become a full time musician! But, on a serious note, it is more than possible for me and Elliott to make it by playing at gigs and weddings, and we do not take it for granted at all that we have the best job ever. Music makes people feel happy and I love seeing this happen before my eyes. 

We've started taking every opportunity thrown at us - playing every gig we have been offered, writing our own stuff and playing covers that people WANT to hear, sometimes you feel like you're selling your soul, but that's just the music business. I don't long for 'celebrity', that's not what I want to achieve with my life, but I would love to be given the time to write and record our music properly and become recognised for our achievements, like Kate Rusby who is another great inspiration of mine.

3) What do you enjoy most: playing for a live audience, making a recording, just having a session and improvise?

I love, love, love playing live - there is nothing better when you capture an intimate audience and get to that point where you could hear a pin drop! Don't get me wrong, we have played in so many places; including in pubs when no ones listening, weddings, restaurants, cafes and we have even played to just one person! Every live gig is different and there is always something special and memorable that happens.

4) Can you tell us a little bit more about “The Remedy” and your partner Elliott Dryden?

Elliott and I have been together for nearly 3 years now, we met at Ribblesdale High School and I sat behind him in English and really liked the back of his head! Little did I know then what we would turn out to be…

We have been playing together now for about 18 months, but playing together just seemed the logical thing to do; I could play guitar and had just started to write my own songs and Elliott played the bass guitar - so we just started to learn a few covers together and something just clicked! We just know each other inside out and work so well together and even tell what each other are thinking (hence our newest song I wrote). We know what we have is special and why not embrace it fully and make a living from what we both are so passionate about? [If you are in the area: The Remedy play on 2 February at Backridge]

5) What are your plans for the future in your music career?

We have so many plans - nothing can hold us back now! We're going to attend wedding fairs and really focus and target ourselves at making someones special day that little bit more special! When a couple book us, we always ask for one a two songs that really mean something to them that we can play for them on their big day. The last wedding we did, we played in church and the Bride down the isle to Fields of Gold, originally by Sting and up the isle to Somewhere Over The Rainbow and I played it on my ukulele! It was a truly magical moment…

6) Your modelling job: did people just approach you (like I did) and asked whether you would model their product, be it clothes, hairstyle or other items?

I was first approached by Lisa Savage from Just Vintage (a vintage shop which is in the Ribble Valley) about 3 years ago - all I did was try on a dress in her shop and she just said "you look like my other model in that" and I've modelled for her website ever since! That's the only modelling work I've ever had, but it is a great experience, and I love doing it. It's like playing at dress up when you where little, it still gives me the same thrill. Plus, I really do appreciate everything I have to wear - yours Laura, being the most incredible thing I have ever worn! [Also see this great picture of Hannah modelling the wrap in the preceding blog post on Miracle Design - and visit Vogue Knitting's Facebook of Saturday 26 January 2013, posting a link to this post.]

 

 7) Do you actively pursue your modelling career as well and what are your plans?

No, I don't to be honest, I just love being asked to model - it's not the job people think it is, it takes confidence and it has done me a world of good. 

8) You are so perfectly natural, at ease and in harmony with what you do – what do you think is your secret?
You are too kind Laura! My motto is smile, enjoy every day and do all things in moderation.