Folksy Friday – with a difference

Welcome to Folksy Friday with a difference.  Today I chose two three artists who have shops and more on folksy.  These talented artists do their own fabric painting, dyeing, screen printing and more.  I do so like the idea of making up fabric which is unique in its own right to use in projects of all kinds.

I have been looking for fine fabrics – interesting and unique fabrics too.  This week I was able to e-interview and now share a piece of these artists work along with a few Q&A’s.  Thank you to Anna of ‘Black Cactus in London’ and Deborah of ‘Quilt Routes’ and a late comer but welcome indeed to Sarah of ‘Plain Jane Textiles’ :

Focal panel hand printed and dyed indigo blue on white

Black Cactus In London

What is your design background?

I originally studied Fine Art and majored in Printmaking.  Lots of things interest me and I’ve tried a lot of different mediums, but have always come back to Printmaking.  I love every time I lift the screen or press to see how the print turns out.

 

I have become so much more aware of designs and shapes both in buildings and nature in my area, where do you find your inspiration?

Largely objects and shapes from nature.  I like how every little thing seems the same but on closer inspection is unique in it’s own way.  For example, every leaf is different from the next and I enjoy capturing that.

I also enjoy having fun with my designs and making fabric you might not expect to see like my Peeved Rabbit and Tally Ho! prints.

 

What techniques do you use to help create your fabric?

I often do some sketches and turn them into screens for screen printing so simple repeat patterns or to build up a design.  My favorite tool is my heat press which uses coloured papers etc to penetrate the fabrics with pigment, you get some lovely details and effects.  And I’m now moving into digital fabrics, which is very exciting but takes more patience to create.

 

What got you started and how long have you been printing fabric?

After too many years of working in offices I was (very happily) made redundant, so I thought ‘Hmm what do I really want to do now?’.  The choice was clear – finally set up that print studio you’ve been dreaming about and get busy!  I’ve been printing my own fabrics for about a year and a half now and really enjoying it.

Hand Painted Fat Quarter for Art Quilters

Quilt Routes –

www.quiltroutes.blogspot.com

www.thebluehare.blogspot.com

What is your design background?

None really, but after being introduced to P&Q by a friend I wanted to take things further and about 7 years ago I did City and Guilds in Patchwork and Quilting and then Machine Embroidery.

 

I have become so much more aware of designs and shapes both in buildings and nature in my area, where do you find your inspiration?

I am fortunate to live overlooking the sea on the Heritage Coast in South Wales and this is where I get a lot of my inspiration.

 

What techniques do you use to help create your fabric?

Although I have done a considerable amount of hand dyeing, I now mainly paint with textile paints. They are easier to use, are non toxic and there is no waste so to my mind much more eco friendly, no washing of chemicals down the sink!

 

What got you started and how long have you been dying fabric?

It was while doing City and Guilds that I started to dye and paint fabric which led of Quilt Routes, selling hand painted fabric, kits and patterns for others to use in their own pieces.

Hand printed Forest Pods fabric in Green

Sarah Waterhouse / Plain Jane Textiles   –

www.knitting-up-north.co.uk

Design background:

I studied art at college and then went to university to study History of Art and Design, I really wished I’d stayed on to take the foundation course though so I could take a more practical route at uni.  I finished university and then jumped right back in to my practical work again and started designing accessories and working on my fabric designs.

Inspiration:

My inspiration comes from so many places, my hobbies, my love of comic books (yes I’m a huge geek!), nature and also my obsession with the forties, fifties and sixties.  I collect vintage clothes, homewares, fabrics and antique furniture from that period so that has a huge influence on my work.

Techniques:

I sketch the good old fashioned way but I’m also a tech-geek so my iMac is my best friend.  My designs alternative between hand drawn and computer created work.  All my fabrics are created using screen printing techniques, I occasionally block print for small personal projects but all of my fabrics for sale are screen printed using water based inks.

What got you started?

We didn’t have the facilities for screen printing at college, only lino printing which I loved.  I was determined to learn to screen print though so I taught myself, this took some time, effort and a lot of home built equipment but as soon as I started I knew I was in love.  I started printing my own fabric pieces to create small accessories such as glasses cases and purses back in 2006/2007.  There was a lot of strange experimentation in the early days but I finally set up my business in 2007 and shortly after started selling on Etsy then Folksy.  I spent a couple of years printing fabric purely for my home and personal accessories ranges but my heart has always been with fabric so I started printing small pieces of fabric at the end of 2009.  I’m trying to make the leap to printing fabric by the metre now but I need to find myself a larger studio first, I’ll keep you posted!

 

 Thank you all again for your time and enjoy your weekend everyone.

Please use the hyper-links to look at more of these artists work.