I have been exploring textiles as a creative medium for 10 years, beginning with patchwork and progressing onto felt making. Mostly self taught to begin with, I began to experiment with the textures that can be added when making felt by hand. Inclusions such as lace, silk, chiffon, milk protein fibre, banana fibre, threads, yarns all add to the 3 dimensional textures of the finished product. I also very much enjoy the way light reveals these textures when making table lamps or lamp shades.
I have more recently taken courses to learn new skills and techniques and run felt making workshops in the Lake District.
Living by the sea gives me plenty of inspiration, both the light and the colours shifting throughout every hour. I have tried many ways to express this in my textiles, creating pieces that are also functional such as bags, purses, shawls, hats and cosies.
With a love of flowers and the natural environment, I easily moved into an exploration of eco and botanical printing. There is a beautiful alchemy when plant meets silk, wool or linen, and is subjected to a steaming process. It is never predictable as the seasons and weather alters the chemical content of the leaves. I particularly enjoy creating my own felt to then print on, as well as upcycling cashmere scarves and shawls, old vintage linen sheets and tablecloths and printing clothing sourced from charity shops, or people's own items which they want to have printed.
