You’re designing some lovely fabric and crafty things now, but what were you doing before this crafty life? Before I started my business, I was combining uni and working. I was studying Visual Arts and a lot of my pieces ended up incorporating screen-printing. Before that I had studied Fashion and Textile design and the textile units were always my favourite!
Do you come from a long line of crafty people? Have you always made things? My Mum is a dressmaker, so I grew up with her sewing and crafting. I have pretty much always been into making things and have always enjoyed having some form of creative outlet.
What other jobs have you had? My previous jobs were all in retail. Some of the places I have worked include a ball dress shop, surf shop and a homewares shop.
Is fabric design your crafty dream come true – or did you arrive at it unexpectedly? I think it is my dream come true! Five years ago I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do (except that I wanted to do something creative). Everything I have done and the skills I have obtained have led me to what I am doing now. I definitely can’t think of anything else I would rather be doing at this point in my life.
How much time do you spend on your craft? How do you manage the craft/life balance? It can be tricky to maintain a balance, especially working from home… (it can sometimes be hard to switch off). I generally spend most of the week focused on my work and try to keep the weekends free. But regardless, I’m always on the lookout for things that inspire me and try to take my camera wherever I go!
What do your family and friends think about your crafty life, your blog and your work? I’m really lucky – they all take an interest and are very supportive. My fiancé is wonderful – he is very encouraging and I can always bounce ideas off him.
Who inspires you? Crafty or otherwise, and why? People who are passionate about what they do really inspire me. Locally: the other girls in the ‘Aussie Fabric Mafia ‘(Lara, Bianca, Shannon, Caitlin & Kristen) are a real inspiration, I always love checking out their blogs and seeing what they are up to.
Other sources of crafty inspiration include: Lotta Jansdotter – I love her simple hand-drawn designs and fantastic range of products. Ah-yi – She creates the most beautiful delicate prints that always amaze me. Heather Moore (Skinny laMinx) – I love her gorgeous textile designs and her great sense of style. Lena Corwin – I adore her beautiful designs and love her blog which is full of inspiring images. Jenny Gordy (wiksten) – She also has an awesome sense of style and creates the most stunning garments.
What will you be working on in the coming twelve months? Is there something you really want to do – or an area of your work you want to improve or learn more about? I want to keep on working on my textile designs and eventually build up a good collection of fabrics. I have just started making some zippered pouches using my fabric and am keen to expand on this and develop a range of pouches/purses and bags.
What do you find difficult about this crafty life? And what is the best part? It can sometimes be difficult running a one person business. I am responsible for all aspects, and sometimes the non-creative stuff can get in the way of creating. The best part is definitely being able to spend my time doing something that I am passionate about. And seeing my own designs printed up on fabric is always very exciting!
Do you find it difficult to balance the creative with the commercial when you are designing? I try not to be too commercial and just create designs that I like… In saying that, if I am considering getting a design printed up as a fabric or choosing colourways, it can be very useful to gain feedback from the wonderful people who read my blog.
Do you have time to make things for yourself? I don’t have much spare time, so it can take a while to get around to making things for myself… but eventually it gets done!
What’s your view on the Australian Craft Movement – there seems to be a lot of people following both Contemporary and Traditional craft here. In your opinion, is it different to the US Craft Scene? I don’t feel I know enough about this to offer an opinion. Just from reading blogs it certainly appears that craft is flourishing all over the world, and there is a real appreciation for handmade and handcrafted products.
thanks so much for these interviews. i’m hosting a theme for a day if you would like to join us, thanks again lovey
Thank you for sharing this interview and these beautiful photos. So much talent out there!
Very cool! Thanks for sharing!