My niece Bean was four at the weekend. She’s been enjoying telling me her new age, and I’m continuing to enjoy watching her grow in independence and chattiness.

The pandemic’s meant that Bean and I haven’t been able to hang out together as much as either of us would like. The fact that we weren’t able to celebrate her last birthday made this one feel even more special.

Bean loves making dens and playing imagination games. Ever since she progressed from her cot to a bed, she’s enjoyed turning it into a blanket den. In fact, she insists on sleeping in it every night.

For her birthday Fat Sister suggested that my mum and I team up to make a more permanent solution for her love of dens. I did drawings on my iPad of her and her favourite animals and had this scene printed onto fabric. Then my mum, who’s an amazing textile artist, made this into a hanging that would attach to her bed. We installed it and did a reveal for Bean just before her birthday, and she seemed very happy with it.

It felt very satisfying to see flat drawings come to life in a playful way. I’m hoping Bean’s bespoke bed-den will provide the perfect backdrop to lots of imaginative adventures.