Category Archives: SUCCESS HACKS

“Every quiltmaker in the 1970s (was) an innovator… People made their own rules, broke them and came up with their own solutions to the problems they encountered while making quilts.” Bill Volckening, quilt historian and collector The 1970s were a landmark period in the history of American quilting. A whirlwind of change led people to…

Made with dedication, patience and love, traditional quilts have been passed on through families for thousands of years. Many still survive today, proving how durable the hand-crafted technique continues to be. This deep-rooted longevity might explain why quilting has remained such a popular and enduring habit, one that can still invoke the enveloping comfort and…

“Quilting … is an art that speaks more clearly than ever to our make and mend era.” Laura Cummings Quilts have been in our civilization for centuries, quietly weaving themselves into the backbone of our human history. Both beautiful and practical, quilting techniques have experienced an upsurge of interest in recent decades, along with a…

Intricate and ornate vines unfurl across Scrolls IVORY NATURAL Linen’s jacquard damask like fervent plant forms sprouting new life. This pattern is part of a long tradition of ‘scroll’ design, defined by flowing plants that form incomplete spirals in symmetrical repeat patterns, invoking the sensation of constant flow. From Greek pottery to Roman architecture and…

Since the invention of the jacquard loom in the 1800s, demand for the sumptuous fabric has remained on an all-time high. Because of this, the technology for producing jacquard has been constantly evolving and it is now easier than ever to produce and buy the densely textured, richly patterned cloth that has fascinated for centuries….

Intricately patterned and sumptuously textured, jacquard fabric has a luxurious quality that is hard to beat. In contrast with printed textiles, jacquard patterns are incorporated into the weave with a slight raise, giving them a long-lasting lustre and durability that resists fading or fraying over time. A modern take on the long tradition of brocade,…

“No colour has been prized so highly or for so long, or been at the centre of such turbulent human encounters.” Catherine E. McKinley Indigo’s deep, intense blue has a long and complex history which spans millennia. Originally derived from the tiny leaves of the Indigofera plant species in tropical regions, the rare colour became…

“Ultramarine blue is a colour illustrious, beautiful, and most perfect, beyond all other colours; one could not say anything about it, or do anything with it, that its quality would not still surpass.” Cennino Cennini Originally mined from the distant mountains of Afghanistan, ultramarine’s vivid, reddish blue has a dazzling, mystical beauty that has fascinated…

First things first: Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez is a white-knuckle read. Written with gusto, providing a blizzard of data which whip across the page. You are almost snow-blind (with rage) at the end of Part 1: Daily Life. The book is divided into 6 parts. Each explores an area where data and design…

The cold darkness of umber is steeped in history, first appearing in prehistoric cave paintings as the brown hides of frantic, fleeing animals. Originally mined from soil rich in manganese and iron oxide, the pigment can be found in locations all around the world and shares similar chemical properties with red and yellow ochre. But…

“How beautiful yellow is!” Vincent van Gogh One of the oldest pigments in the world, the warm golden tone of yellow ochre has remained a favourite throughout human history. Part of the ochre family along with red ochre, purple ochre, sienna and umber, the yellow variant can be traced back to prehistoric times, appearing in…

“In terms of making art, and writing, and anything that we do as artists where we have to step up to the plate, it should be uncomfortable, it should be nerve wracking, and there should be this level of the unknown.” Fearless is a word often used to describe Lorna Simpson: like an intrepid explorer…

The warm, earthy resonance of red ochre is steeped in history, carrying within it the weight of human survival. The first red pigment ever discovered, ochre was derived from iron rich rocks containing hematite hundreds of thousands of years ago, a highly pigmented mineral that easily stained the skin and could be shaped into sticks,…

“Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.” Wassily Kandinsky Like light, colour is a potent, living force, one that can invoke moods, emotions and memories. From the clothes we wear to the rooms we inhabit or the objects and artworks we experience, colour has the power to convey any human emotion possible: strength,…

“Quilt-making involves a lot of thought and love. Just the time involved in the process means many things are discussed and considered concerning life.” Art is a powerful form of catharsis for British artist Tracey Emin, one that has allowed her to express and process painful experiences from her past. More than any of the…