Meet the Yorkshire Mum Whose Baby Brand Started with a £5 Sewing Machine
Living North meet the Leeds-based founder of the original IKEA highchair accessories
Originally from Doncaster, Emma studied hospitality at university and had been accepted into an MSc in nursing at the University of Leeds, but life changed course when she found out she was pregnant. ‘Isolated in a new city, Instagram became my connection to other mums,’ she says. ‘Little did I know, this was the beginning of a journey I wasn't aware I would be making.’
Bobbin and Bumble is a baby and toddler brand named in part after Emma’s daughter Robyn, who she affectionately calls Bobbin. ‘I often say the business started because of her, and now it's all for her and her brother Jasper,’ she says. ‘We specialise in practical and functional items for little ones, without sacrificing style. We are probably best known as the home of the original IKEA highchair accessories after I started the trend accidentally in 2016.’
Emma had ordered a highchair from IKEA for her daughter Robyn, who was about to start weaning. ‘It came with a blue and red striped cushion that was impractical and, honestly, quite ugly,’ she admits. ‘I searched online for a cute, wipeable pink one but couldn't find anything. I thought, "I can't be the only one looking for this”, but at the time, it seemed I was. Determined, I bought a second-hand £5 sewing machine from a car boot sale and taught myself to sew, creating my first cushion cover from oilcloth. I started posting pictures of Robyn using the highchair [on Instagram], and without focusing on it, people noticed the cushion cover and messaged me asking where I got it. After being told several times I should sell them, I brushed it off thinking no one would buy it.’
But she eventually decided to give it ago and listed four covers on Etsy. ‘I figured if I sold one a week, I'd be happy, as it would give me something to do while practicing sewing,’ she says. ‘To my surprise, orders started flooding in, not just from the UK but from the USA, Australia, Iceland – anywhere with an IKEA. I remember running into the living room in a panic, telling my husband, "I don't know how to sew, how am I going to do this?” And from that moment, I was swept up into it all.’
The business has continued to grow since, and so has Bobbin and Bumble’s product range. ‘We've expanded to other weaning essentials such as baby bibs and splash mats,’ Emma says. 'We now stock a variety of changing mats, from wedge mats to travel mats and even custom-sized options for popular baby changing baskets. We also offer personalised baby blankets and nappy pouches. Our hospital organiser bags went viral on TikTok in 2021, amassing over two million views.’
