I’d never done embroidery before but when I first saw Helen Eriksson’s ribbon embroidery, I just fell in love with it – and that’s when I started to take it up. I also admire Margot Hammond’s projects on Australian native flowers; they are so beautiful! I hope to do them one day.
*Aside from sewing, what else do you like to do to pass time?
Besides sewing I like reading, spending time with my grandchildren and making clothes for them, and travelling overseas.
*What craft trends have caught your eye lately?
I don’t really take time to follow the craft trends that are going on, as I like to design and make my own ideas; it’s more of a hobby. It’s wonderful when a new project turns out well, but if it doesn’t I can only try again.
*How long have you been doing craft?
I have always liked to create things, but I only started embroidery about 10 years ago.
*Your pieces are always very bright and colourful. How do colours inspire your work?
I love colours. The natural beauty of the colours around us just makes me feel alive. I spend time looking at the beautiful fabric in quilting shops – all kinds of ribbons – and sometimes I’ll just know what I want to do with them and a new project will come to mind. Many colourful ribbons remind me of different types of flowers which I either paint or embroider.
*What is your favourite piece you have created?
I prefer to create pieces that gives one a feeling of cheerfulness, peace and warmth when looking at them, so I mostly do projects with beautiful scenes.
*You do a lot of bloom pieces. How do flowers inspire your craft?
There is so much beauty in all the different flowers that I want to capture it all in my embroidery. Flowers make me happy, and I want to try making them appear as natural as possible in my pieces so that everyone can enjoy them. I also like to arrange cut flowers and put them around the house.
