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| Autumn sunshine... |
Wow its September already, where did the summer
go..... This month I would like to
introduce you to Mary from queenofcuffs
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| Baby class.....
Mo:
Hi
Mary, great to meet you and thank you for agreeing to be my Designer of the
Month for September. Tell us a bit about
yourself, what do you do?
Mary:
Thanks Mo for having me here. I think of myself as a textile artist. I am in fact a graphic designer hanging in there until I can be a full time textile artist!! I make a mix of textile jewellery, pendants, brooches, bracelets and of course - cuffs. They are a diverse collection at times, from pale bridal to wicked dark renaissance.
Wedding Cuff
Mo :
how did you get involved with crafting?
Mary:
I have always 'played' with textiles, it is my passion. At art collage I qualified as a graphic
designer - mostly because at that time the ‘good jobs’ were in
commercial art. It has given me a steady living and lots of creative fun
over the years but I always managed to double job. I started with a
designer knitwear label ‘MollyLamb’ and at one time managed to
sell a collection in fashionable shops! I also sold textile art in
galleries. Queenofcuffs came
about following my experimenting with small embroidery projects and making
fabric jewellery items for friends - then I found Etsy and that was magic.
Mo:
describe a typical day, if you have one....
Mary:
A typical day would be me working at my computer doing artwork for butter or cheese labels or menus for restaurants.
(with frequent looks at my Etsy shop / fav blogs + facebook pages) Lunch time I squeeze in some machine
embroidery if I can, as light is good.
As soon as clients are gone home I get my fabric and needles out and will
often be working until 3am with late night music
channels on TV !!
Mo :
Wow, you are a busy woman. Any future goals or ambitions?
Mary:
Definitely give up the day job and create full time. I would love much more space . . . a
studio - but that may be a dream too far. I certainly want to do more embroidery
projects and experiment further with dyeing. So many things I dream of doing . . . so
many !
Dyeing experiment
Mo :
Are there any Designers, blogs, crafters, arty people that you follow and why?
Mary:
I am ashamed of the time I spend looking at beautiful items on my favourite blogs and on pinterest. It both inspires and depresses me. ( I either
want to get making straight away or think I will never be as
wonderful as the artists I see !)
The internet for me is one huge book of images I am addicted to looking
at. My bookmarked pages are
massive - so many favourites. I
follow many contemporary embroidery artists including the stunning Karen
Ruane and Jude Hill (Spirit Cloth) Also . . . Stitch and
cloth . . . The 7thMagpie . . . Hens Teeth . . .the
list goes on
Some Felt Experiments
Mo :
Do you have any advice for new crafters?
Mary:
My advice to new crafters would be very Nike .... 'just do it'. Experiment
with techniques - use your family and friends as reviewers. Use the fantastic network of advice on etsy
Ireland - the answers are all there! Have items at various levels of pricing.
Markets are great places for feedback. Crafters tend to create in a vacuum and
connecting with other like minded people is vital.
New Work
Mo:
and where can we find you?
Mary:
any of these links -
queenofcuffs
facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ queenofcuffs.blogspot.com/
Mo:
It was great to talk to you Mary. I just love your work, so intricate. I am sure there
are many people who will read
this article who will feel the same.
Best of luck with your
shop and hopefully someday soon you will realise
your dream to be doing what you do full
time.
Mary:
thanks so much Mo for having me on here for
September. I really appreciate it.
Well
that's it for this month. I wish you all
continued success with your crafting endeavours and catch up with you in
October.
Cheers
Mo
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When dry it is teased - gently pulled apart, spread out - and any grass, twigs etc are removed. If very dry ( i.e. no natural lanolin remaining = the sweat of the animal) it is greased at this stage to make it easier to spin. Oil, paraffin and goose fat are just some of the substances that have been used. Once greased it is then carded to take out the tangles and rolled up ready for spinning.
In Ireland there were traditionally 3 types of spinning wheel in use - the big wheel which was found mainly in the counties along the west coast of Ireland and was used while standing up, the smaller version of this wheel used in the southern counties and the small flax wheel which was introduced in the northern counties in the 1700s by the Royal Linen Manufacturers in Ulster. Not many of these wheels now remain in use. When I was on the lookout for a wheel last year there were none of those wonderful wheels available so I bought a small Ashford Traveller that I have named Jessie after a very special sheepdog that my grandfather had when I was a little girl.
I learned to spin on Clare Island last year with an amazing lady called Beth Moran (thats her husband Mairtin sheering the sheep). She also taught me how to dye the spun wool using onion skins to get a bright orange colour. The results of my first attempts are below......
Today in Ireland we have some amazing spinners and dyers who make yarn by spinning all types of natural and synthetic fibres.