Celebrities line up to sample Sam’s unique bobble hats

Sam's Bobble Hats
From Samarie To You designed bobble hats by Samantha Corry

A businesswoman from Oldham has made a mark on the fashion industry by creating her own bobble hat brand.

Samantha Corry, from Royton, has created her own bobble hat business called ‘From Samarie To You’.

With 19 years’ experience as a pattern designer – and working for 14 years with Turner Bianca in Oldham – Sam found herself left out in the cold when the global company had to make job cuts.

Despite being a competent and skilled textile designer, further work in the textile industry was hard to come by, as most of the production is now sourced from outside the UK.

After working for agencies in administration, Sam again found herself out of work when the schools closed last year.

“By the end of March 2020, I was no longer required at a local school where I was working as an administrator and by October, I needed to adapt to the fact that I may not have a job”.

After thinking of fresh new ways to use her designer expertise, Sam decided to design her first notebook. 

“I really wanted to cheer people up through lockdown, so I created notebooks with positivity phrases and colourful designs. By the end of October, I had expanded my designs.   I’m an avid Oldham Athletic Fan, so I set about designing a notebook for Latics fans who were maybe missing the games.”

Sam designed her first football-themed notebook with a bespoke, vibrant, Latics-inspired bobble hat in the local blue and tangerine colours.  The hat displayed the slogan ‘Ice Station, Zebra Ready’, which stirred up interest from fellow local football supporters.

After receiving ‘tonnes’ of messages asking when she would produce a Latics bobble hat -something Sam had never considered – she took the plunge and found herself working alongside local yarn producers Shepley Wool based in Saddleworth.

“I sent them over my design, they were brilliant, so helpful and they sent me a sample of the design I had created, straight away.”

After receiving the sample and posting a picture of her wearing it on Facebook, Sam experienced an influx of orders for her bespoke bobble hat.

The hats have caught the attention of some local celebrities, with rugby legend Barrie McDermott purchasing a Latics hat, not because he’s Oldham Athletic Fan but because it shares the colours of the Motor Neurone Disease Association of which he is a supporter.

Tweets and orders followed from footballer David May,  comedian Jason Manford and musician Damon Gough (aka Badly Drawn Boy), looking for Sam’s United and City range of hats.

From Samarie To You now has an new range of football team bobble hats mainly produced in wool, along with fashion snoods, facemasks and a new range of scarves coming soon.

“I am overwhelmed with the support from everyone and did not anticipate that this would take off so quickly’.

It’s only been three months since Sam changed her game plan, and since then she’s become somewhat of a local celebrity, known as ‘The Bobble Hat Lady’. She says she’s often approached by people her asking if they can help with any knitting.

“I couldn’t believe it when I was recognised locally and offered support. I am feeling very lucky, everyone has been brilliant and the Oldham community has been very helpful”.

Sam hopes to work alongside local residents, projects and business to ensure her hats become entirely locally sourced.

From Samarie To You famous blue and tangerine hats, along with her brand new range can be found on Facebook  @FromSamarietoyou and Twitter @Samathacorry.

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