In the Studio with Catherine Butterworth
A life-long involvement in fabric retailing and sewing has given Catherine Butterworth the background for creating award-winning quilts in both traditional and modern styles Words by Michael O’Neile Photographs by Peter and Julie Butterworth Ohioan-born Catherine Butterworth first visited Australia as an exchange secondary student in 1971, returning to Sydney a few years later […]
The spectacular work of Lily Adelaide Upton
Lily Adelaide Upton’s work is a contemporary celebration of Aussie natives. Drawing on her diverse surroundings, she captures the essence of Australia’s spectacular flora and fauna in rich embroidery. While riding her bike to work, she spots rainbow lorikeets, honeyeaters, rosellas, galahs, corellas and many eucalyptus varieties, which fill her head with lots of creative […]
Getting to know Tone Finnanger
When it was time to start organising the 2020 Homespun block, we invited well-known Tilda owner and designer, Tone Finnanger, to design it using one of her newly released fabric lines Featuring her whimsical and romantic style, Tone set about designing the BOM to be released over six issues of the magazine. In the next […]
Profile: Rebecca Hastings
Pops of colour, spectacular piecing and flowing curves give Rebecca Hastings’ creations an intriguing appeal. Rebecca Hastings has always had an affinity for craft, exposed to varying handcrafts from a young age. “My mother crocheted Afghan blankets, designed tapestries, cross stitch and embroidery, as well as painting with oils and watercolours,” Rebecca explains. “I used […]
Designer Edge: Merrin Shaw
Merrin Shaw’s tea cosies are about so much more than keeping a teapot warm. They’re an invitation for storytelling and a laugh. She lovingly refers to them as her “beanies for kettles” and says they are full to the brim of personality and charm. But they’re not everyone’s cup of tea… some of her designs […]
Designer Edge: Laura Heine
Laura Heine’s mix of artistic skills comes into play in her glorious art quilts. She has expert collaging skills when it comes to cutting and pasting, her painting talents shine as she arranges fabric motifs to blend colours, and her quilting abilities are award-winning. This multi-talented artist has created a candy-coloured world where everything from […]
Selvedge: Meet Louise Newton
“I’ve always loved daisies. I grew up with them as they covered our garden at home. Perhaps they give me a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of making daisy chains with my sister and picking them for my mum when I was younger. She would use an egg cup as a vase to put them […]
Selvedge with designer Alison Thompson
“My name is Alison and I love craft. It’s an obsession. Yep, there I said it. I’m a craftoholic … and proud!” Alison’s first love is crochet (closely followed by her husband and children, she adds …). She has a background in marketing and sees her future in arts and craft. In fact, she hopes […]
Selvedge with designer, Lucy Levenson
“Scenes that I see in my head are full of very colourful elements.” If we say to you that Lucy Levenson’s fabric artworks are intoxicatingly lovely, there’s a good reason why – apart from the fact that they make your heart sing. They are produced in the cellar of an old English pub, just north […]
Designer Edge: Sarah Burford
“Nostalgia is very important to some people, and the references to Silver Screen sirens tap into that world of old-fashioned magic.” The Golden Years of Hollywood have a chance to glitter again, not in celluloid but in fabric. And the award goes to … Sarah Burford, who has created a red-carpet line-up of starlet-style dolls. […]