Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emma Bradford. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Emma, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Before the dreaded Covid lockdown I was working as a production designer and art director in film and television. I was living out the dream that I had been working for from the age of 10, but it was starting to feel a bit unfulfilling. Then the world shut down and I found myself trapped in my home with a lot of free time and a friend’s sewing machine, which she had left with me a few months prior while she traveled to Spain to teach English. I had always been interested in learning how to sew, and I feel grateful everyday that I just happened to have a machine handy when the time came.

Fabric stores and craft stores were still closed, so I utilized random fabric that I had on hand – tablecloths and curtains that I had stored in my set dec bins. The first thing I made was a big sloth puppet. I was texting and calling my friend Sarah Lew (@dumbbabyofficial) a lot for help and guidance about how to make the mouth and where to sew the seems. But ultimately, it was a lot of trial and error. A lot of sewing and seem ripping, cutting and cursing and cutting again. To this day, that lop-sided sloth is one of my favorite creations.

If I could go back – I’m actually not sure I would change anything. Although I do still often consider taking a pattern making class. I never had any proper training and I’m sure there are things I am still doing that could be improved upon. But ultimately I was lucky to have had so much time and creative energy during covid that I was able to funnel into teaching myself a new trade.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Emma Bradford, known to some as “Giggles”, and I am an energized narcoleptic clown with an affinity for all things squishy and velvet. I used to work in film and tv designing sets, but for the last year and a half I have been running my own textile business called Dream Giggles. Dream Giggles was born when I taught myself how to sew during covid. It started as an instagram handle and slowly took on more meaning as I began to make and sell hand puppets, and eventually massive flower body pillows.

I feel very fortunate that the internet chose to glob on to my flower pillows. I made the first one for myself and was immediately encouraged by friends to try and make more to sell. I was going through a very intense breakup at the time and focusing on this project gave me a sense of purpose that I desperately needed. It was a beautiful thing to have my art so enthusiastically received by so many strangers. It was a whirlwind of joy and excitement that propelled me into taking myself seriously as a textile artist and a business woman. I’m immensely proud of my ability to balance a checkbook and design and sew a 10ft pillow in the same day.

The transition from film to seamstress was more solitary than I was expecting. I spend a lot of time alone in my studio sewing and listening to murder podcasts. Which is why I try very hard to schedule group projects between pillow drops, often in the form of immersive theater puppet projects with my friends! I just finished a month long stint of touring a musical comedy puppet show with my friend Dan Gerbang, entitled “Danthony and Friends”, which features my set design and puppets. I also perform in the show as a flower puppet, surprise, surprise. I feel very lucky to have so many talented funny friends who are making performance based art because it gives me a chance to utilize my puppets and it has pushed me into being a performer, something I never thought I wanted. It has been incredibly rewarding to discover ways to meld my love for set design with my love for puppets and textile art. World building to the nth degree.

I can and will do it all!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I strive to create art that is beautiful and textured, just like life. My flower pillows are therapeutic and immersive in design. They are stunning on a couch but even more impactful when they are wrapped around you, supporting your head while you read a book, or spooning you while you cry yourself to sleep. I believe in the somatic impact of a large soft sculpture. I yearn to marry utility and whimsy.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

After I made my first big flower pillow my friends all said “THIS IS IT! THIS IS WHAT IS GONNA SELL”. And I remember thinking woof okay I guess that means I need to give it a proper try. So I spoke with a friend of mine, Sam Schiffer, the founder of a very silly pasta hat company called MISTER PARMESAN. He had had some luck with growing his brand on Instagram and he gave me some very simple and good advice. He said, choose a date to do a drop and then post a photo every day for a month leading up to that date. And that is exactly what I did, and WOW it worked. In fact, I’ve posted a photo or video every day since, and my followers have continued to steadily grow. The algorithm really is a crap shoot sometimes, but there are some simple beeps and boops you can do to make it like you, and excessive use is definitely at the top of the list.

For me it was also important to play a tiny bit of a character on screen. I don’t love being in front of the camera, I prefer to hide behind a puppet, but I think in order for your art to take off these days the audience wants to know who is behind the camera. I know I feel more connected to a page or to someone’s art when I also know who they are. It feels good to know who you are supporting. So I always dance before I make a video to get my heart rate up and to feel as lively as possible anytime I make a reel. But I also am being fully 100% authentically me. I don’t make art I don’t want to make. I don’t take commissions because I hate to make the same thing twice. This has allowed me to create a sense of urgency around my art by advertising each piece as a one of a kind item. And doing drops is a really fun way to structure the release of your stuff. It feels SO good to sell out a drop. I will never get tired of that feeling. Meow meow i hope that answers that question.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dreamgiggles.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamgiggles/
• Other: I recently made a second instagram just for my puppets:
  https://www.instagram.com/fuzzlung/