Little Stitches Booklet

I thought you might like this little booklet that I made with some how-to stitches and a few ideas for improv quilting and patchwork piecing. You can buy a printed copy posted out to you, here through my shop if you want to hold it in your hands. Mention that you’re a Patron in the checkout and I’ll send you some other little lovelies too.

thoughts on being an artist and a crafter… and is there a difference ?

Some time last year I came to the conclusion - the idea - to stop fighting the art vs craft thing I was doing to myself. That in fact I am both an Artist and a Crafter. Both together and separate things. Sometimes I'm one, sometimes the other. Sometimes both at the same time (sometimes neither... and I'm just having a nap, or being a mama). 

Why.. you might be asking... did I need to make this differentiation for myself? Well, a few reasons. And most all have to do with me, and how I perceive myself as a creative. 

In the art world, craft is often looked down on. Crafters being mostly those that are hobbyist or untrained, or stay-at-home-mums just making little things for their kids. Well... When I say in the art world, what I actually mean is in the online blogging / Instagram sort of circles I have spent the last more than 10years being part of. Also, I made those actual words and definitions up... what they constitute is the feeling that I've felt as a 'crafter' over the years from some 'artists'. 

And the truth is.. that to be a true crafts(wo)man takes skill and dedication and practice, and lots & lots of training and time and continuation of learning and refining. And many many crafts(wo)men are indeed artists. (And some artists merely display the craft of art/painting/whatever). 

So.. I was getting myself caught up in these definitions and sometimes prejudice against crafters, and I was working hard on trying to define what I made and if it was craft or art, or both .... or neither. And was I a crafter, or an artist, or a maker, or WHAT!?

Really. I can be what I want. But a name does help. A lot. And since I've started calling myself a 'textile artist' is feels more than a 'creative maker'. People can better understand what it is I do, and better put me into a category - and I don't honestly mind if people find it easier to have a category to put me into. I guess it's what we all do some way or other. 

Instead of battling these words and definitions, I just took them both on. And now, for me - I know that some pieces of what I creatively make are a craft, and others are an art. My personal definitions. I don't need to explain to others why or how, but by explaining to myself has helped me through phases of creative difficulty.

*these photos are from a workshop I taught earlier this year, where the craft of stitching & hand sewing became an art form.

Some thoughts on having a studio

This morning I left home and ‘went to work’. I haven’t officially had a place of work, to go to, for more than 12 years now. Though I do leave home to go and teach workshops, this felt different.

The first day of what I hope might be lots and lots and lots. I’ve signed a 3 month lease; at this stage that’s a lot of days and I don’t yet know if I’ll be able to cover the rent to continue past that.

So I’m going to make the most of it while I can.

I’ve had many different studio spaces over the past 14 years; since I left my proper full-time work (for maternity leave), and then decided to not go back to work again. And instead to try and make money from my creativity.

Most of these spaces have been either in a corner of a spare room or the corner of the kitchen or loungeroom. The giant weaving I made last month was set up in our bedroom.

Having a space of my own is mighty exciting. I told my daughter today I hoped she wouldn’t have to wait until she’s 41 to have a studio of her own.

For me having this space is about more than just the physical space to create work; it’s the fact of ‘backing myself’ by committing to paying rent. And my husband backing me too, by making sure we can make it happen - financially and logistically with the children.

It will mean more work for him, I imagine. But, in the same way that he was there for me when I wrote my book, I know he’ll be there for this too. While creating his own work and running his own business as well.

I’m going to allow my days to evolve, and not force anything, but I must be honest and say I will always be thinking of the fact I’m paying rent, I’m away from home, I’m asking my husband to be more present and active in the home and parenting roles, which has given me space to be more active in my personal creative self.

Today - my first studio day - I hung some fabrics and stitched pieces. And I started sewing a new quilt. My 4yr old suggested to me I could make quilts for people to buy, who have forgotten how to sew and I told him that was a very good idea indeed.

String Bag Crochet Pattern

Here’s my pattern to crochet your own string bag :

You can use pretty much anything that you have, to crochet it with, but keep in mind that you want something sturdy, strong, lightweight, dirt-proof or washable. And also, something you already have is the best ‘eco’ option available. Or something second hand. My go-to online shop for amazing string-yarn resources is String Harvest.

Conversations booklet - February issue

I created this magazine / booklet with recipes, some dye projects and essays. I’ve decided that while I love the idea (and look) of something like this, it’s just not doable for me to keep updating. Especially considering it seems like every time I try, the program has locked me out. So I’m changing to blog posts for each story instead.

I did love seeing one of you had printed this booklet to look at at home, off the screen. Maybe down the track I will have dedicated time to create something like this again; but the only way I can do what I need to do, plus want to do is learn to say no to some things. (Big lesson there for all of us).