CQ West: Unfolding Stories 3

HELEN GRIST
www.contemporaryquilterswest.org
Like many of my generation, I was
taught to sew from an early age. My
first foray into patchworking was in 1970
and I have been addicted ever since.
Although I also knit, embroider and tat,
patchwork and quilting remain my first
love. Totally addicted to hoarding even
the smallest of scraps, I have come to
realise that the time to use them is now,
before they swamp my studio. So, I am
exploring the Oulipian methods of
imposing multiple restrictions on your
work as the means of triggering ideas
and inspiration to use them up.
Recently I have been exploring dyeing
my own fabrics and have developed a
special interest in the dye stuffs that, up
until the 1960's, were processed in the
Albert Mill, Keynsham, colloquially
known as the Logwood Mill. I like to dye
both new cloth, vintage table linen and
threads in these natural dyes and use
them in my work. Visiting the mill has led
to an interest in eco-printing on silk
using flowers, berries, vegetables and
leaves harvested in the vicinity of the
mill and incorporating the results in my
quilts.