Born in Croydon, creator of Tobyboo, Tina Crawford, had a childhood crammed with imagination and storytelling. “I loved Beatrix Potter and Alan Aldridge books - The Peacock Party and The Butterfly Ball -  those images have always stuck with me”.

After graduating from Central St Martins Tina followed her passion to work in television a career that lasted nearly a decade but ill health forced her to stop. During this period she enrolled in an adult education class for free embroidery and found the outlet of thread drawing a natural release.

“Tobyboo started when our son was born (yes his name is Toby) making presents for the other babies but it soon evolved into my passion for storytelling when the Oranges and Lemons range came out. The Museum of London was one of my first stockists and I soon found a desire to specialize in museum and heritage shops”.

After creating the stunning illustrations for the Museum of London's;  Doctors, Dissection and Resurrection Men exhibition in 2012 there was understandable interest from other museums and even the likes of Mary Portas and Sir Paul Smith.

Tobyboo keeps going from strength to strength, evolving and growing but keeping manufacturing roots firmly in Britain.“Not many embroiderers work the way that I do, I don’t draw before hand – the fluidity of the thread with machine embroidery leads itself as my pen and I love to capture each wobble and mistake as part of the drawings originality and charm.”