Masters in their CRAFT

Three women tell us about their remarkable and unusual creative skills

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‘I love helping people realise their potential’

Libby Summers, 52, owner of Stamford Strings, is a luthier – someone who makes string instruments. She lives in Stamford, Lincolnshire, and has three daughters.

My love affair with the violin began when my grandfather, George, gave me a lovely one. I’ve played since I was 11. My first job was related to my social anthropology degree, but I also taught violin.

When my girls were small, I ran my own knitwear design business. The marketplace became overcrowded, so I decided to combine my passions for music and craft.

Newark School of Violin Making ran an FE Diploma course in violin making. I’d never done woodworking before, but I was accepted on to the course in 2016. I had to demonstrate business skills and prove that I was a mature person who wanted to make a career of this. I had good fine motor skills from knitting and playing the violin. It was challenging, but I enjoyed it, and I graduated in 2020.

Meanwhile, I opened the Stamford Strings shop, offering repairs and restoration, and I also bought some vintage instruments. I created Brazenose Violins – a range of more affordable violins, violas and cellos that combine tonal excellence and exquisite craftsmanship at an affordable price. The instruments are made on the continent and finished off in my workshop. I add components including fingerboards, pegs, bridges and sound posts, which requires the same level of skill as making the instrument. It’s therapeutic.

What’s been delightful is the personal satisfaction of helping people, enabling them to realise their potential and enjoy their passion for music. Several different types of wood are used, including ebony, maple and spruce. Part of the skill is understanding how the grain responds to the tools – work with it, not against it.