Jenni Smith

I honestly didn't know that owl's wings were not waterproof  limiting their ability to fly in the rain. This is quite a problem here in the North of England! They could go hungry if there is no way to collect food, so I was instantly impressed with Isla's invention and her gorgeous drawing. 
I have had a Zoom call with Isla, her teacher and her dad to find out more about her creative vision. Upcycling and using sustainable materials are really important to Isla so we have agreed to find a pre-loved raincoat to refashion and to think on bamboo or another sustainable resource. She wants to channel bright, common rainwear colours and so we have decided on red and yellow and she also told me her owl is called Fred. The mission is clear, Fred needed a stylish, sustainable raincoat and also some boots - I'm a little nervous how they might come together (shoes are really not my area of expertise) but we have planned a day of making at my studio to make a start. 

Update!

The Little Inventors team have sent a gorgeous cuddly owl to work with and I have found the perfect red coat in my local charity shop along with bright yellow Swedish dishcloths which I chose over bamboo as they have a little more structure and are also biodegradable. Now we have to make a pattern, make sure Isla is happy with how her invention is looking and get sewing!