

I have always been drawn to fiber. Even as a child before I learned to sew, I played with my mother’s sewing items – spools of thread, cards of bias tape, zippers, patterns and of course, fabric. This everyday substance is such an important part of our lives. We describe ourselves by the choices of what we wear. I enjoy having my work be part of those choices.
I have been involved with surface design for almost 30 years, working in all facets of it. I learned to sew at an early age – working with shape and the technical way to make garments fit. My surface design interest started with batik and used the wax to resist the color when dyed to make a design. The next learning step was painting with dyes on silk. Learning to mix color and being able to see more immediate results rather than layering color with batik, was gratifying. Along the way, I attended design classes and adapted a new freeing approach to sewing. I also have opened the doors on ways to create designs on fabric. Stencils, silk screening, rust and stamping are all innovative ways to leave their mark on fabric. Most recently, my work has been with velvet and the discharge process. The discharge process lifts the color from the fabric, giving it an added dimension. The discharge paste/gel can be painted, screened, sprayed and stamped onto the fabric. I love seeing the unexpected results that happen when you cannot have complete control over a substance or process. Color and texture take on a whole new meaning in this evolvement.
Where do I go from here? My interest is in using all of my knowledge to create unique, lovely fabric that is as pleasing to the touch as to the eye.
My goal is to give people added variety in decorating themselves.
I would love to be known as a Designer of Beautiful Creations!