My World

A polaroid photo of the passementerie braid sample that I made for the Hot Chocolate cushion.

My creative process often begins with a random spark of an idea that either grows or fizzles out. I will usually think about it for a while before I begin to explore it further. I am drawn to something that provides an opportunity for me to use colour, structure and texture. Once the storyline takes shape in my mind, I begin to do some research. I write down ideas, draw designs, find images that may or may not relate but have something in them that I find interesting and get a colour palette together. This stage allows me to develop my ideas into a handwoven format - sampling. Hand weaving samples is crucial. It is also, for me, the fun part. I can experiment with structure and colour on a small scale, try out variations and generally push my idea to a point whereby I’m happy with it. Sampling can also tell me about the viability of a weave; whether it will be durable enough, if the sett is right and other various technicalities that need to be clarified before I begin weaving the final piece.

I really love weaving with silk. It has a smooth, lustrous quality that talks to me about luxury and quality. In the Café Society collection, I have used a yarn that is a combination of silk and cashmere. This is a very soft, fine yarn that has a gorgeous, smooth, tactile feel. I have used this yarn in four of the cushion designs (I liked it that much!), the Cafe Créme, Green Tea, Espresso and Espresso Grande. Due to the number of threads needed (thousands) it takes ages to set up and weave but is worth it. I do enjoy weaving with a variety of yarns and often put two different textures together; typically smooth and textured. I want my collections to reflect the elegance and uniqueness that weaving can achieve, not only in the yarns and structures used but also with the added passementerie that I make.

I hand weave everything myself, it is not a fast process and I don’t produce large quantities. Some of the weaves can be repeated but a few cannot. When those unique designs are sold out they are no longer available. The Coffee Bean cushion is an example of this.