Back when I first entered the wonderful world of blogging, flickr and Etsy, one of the very first artists to catch my eye, was Malka Dubrawsky. In my ever longing desire to see something new and exciting, the bold colors and patterns in Malka's work reached through my computer screen and yanked me wide awake.
I fell hard for what I saw and I've been a fan ever since. So, it is with great delight that I find myself a part of this blog tour to help introduce you to Malka's newest book, Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design and Inspiration.
Time and time again, Malka creates pieces that are hip, fresh and modern. Yet with roots reaching into the traditional past, they also evoke a timeless and treasured quality, which is evident in the beautiful and varied projects found in Fresh Quilting.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced stitcher, this books offers something for everyone...
From cheerful practical projects such as scarfs, sewing machine covers and pot holders, to more challenging projects, such as this gorgeous Honeycomb Hexagon Quilt, below. (I adore this one!)
I'm always curious as to how creativity develops in people, how they interpret their creativity and how they keep it going. So, with those thoughts in mind, I asked Malka the following questions:
Q. You indeed have a fearless, (and amazing) sense of color as well as pattern. I am curious as to what some of your earliest memories of color and pattern might be, and did you grow up in an environment with a strong sense of color and/or pattern?
A. That is a great question. I come from a crafty family, but we didn't have a lot of money growing up, so sewing/knitting were done out of necessity rather than as purely creative activities. I think my love of patterning and color came from art classes I took in school. I'm definitely proof positive that an amazing teacher can change a kid's life. When I was in 8th grade, I was lucky enough to have that kind of art teacher and we really explored materials and processes. It was in her class that I learned to love making and that passion for making made me want to explore what and how others crafted. I don't think I'd be doing this today if it wasn't for her.
Q. In your new book, Fresh Quilting, I love the way you interpret and combine traditional quilt patterns with modern aesthetics and improvised techniques. Can you share with us what your favorite aspects are of each of these, (traditional and modern) and how you manage to marry them so well?
A. I think what I love about traditional patterns is all the possibility for interpretation they bring with them. I'm certainly not the first or the last to re-interpret a traditional pattern and make it my own. That's what's so amazing about a tradition with flexibility. There's room to put yourself in that tradition and when you do that you get to be part of this continuum of crafters.
Interestingly, that which is modern is also part of that continuum. It's built on what preceded it. A lot of my modern interpretations of tradition are based on my love of textiles from the past. For instance, in my book, the Strips and Stripes quilt and the Whilygig quilt are definitely influenced by my interest in Bauhaus art. The same is true for the patchwork in the Four Points Tote. That is an outgrowth of my interest in African textiles, especially Kuba cloths. I think making something traditional feel modern might just be about finding a way to put all your influences into an established pattern.
Q. Personally, I struggle a lot with balancing my creative work with home and family, and I am so impressed with how prolific you are! Between creating your fabric, designing projects, stitching them up, blogging and writing books, you also have a family. So, could you walk us through a typical work day and maybe share a bit of wisdom in how you manage to juggle so much and do it so beautifully?
A. I think everyone struggles with this balance. We all seem to have lives that are made up up of a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
Q. Personally, I struggle a lot with balancing my creative work with home and family, and I am so impressed with how prolific you are! Between creating your fabric, designing projects, stitching them up, blogging and writing books, you also have a family. So, could you walk us through a typical work day and maybe share a bit of wisdom in how you manage to juggle so much and do it so beautifully?
A. I think everyone struggles with this balance. We all seem to have lives that are made up up of a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
A typical day for me starts pretty early, but not because I force it to, but because I'm naturally an early riser. Exercise is super important to me and has been for most of my adult life, so a day always includes running or swimming or some other kind of working out. My eldest daughter is in college, so after I take my younger two to school, I work in my dye studio or sew or plan out a design. Everyday is different depending on what's going on in my online store or what deadlines are approaching. I generally work until I have to pick up my kids from school and then a bit more after they come home. I think I manage things by focusing on the deadline that's most pressing and not letting myself feel too overwhelmed by all the different tasks that need to get done. I often say to myself, "focus on what has to get done today and worry about the rest later."
Q. And last, but not least, if you could offer one piece of advice in regards to fearless creativity, what would that be?
A. I said it in my book in the section devoted to improvisational quilting. The best piece of advice I can offer both in regard to working improvisationally and fearlessly is knowing that if you make a mistake or things don't work out as you planned, it's all OK because there are so many worse things in the world than ruining a piece of fabric. It's just fabric. Enjoy it, play with it, and don't let it be a source of anxiety.
A. I said it in my book in the section devoted to improvisational quilting. The best piece of advice I can offer both in regard to working improvisationally and fearlessly is knowing that if you make a mistake or things don't work out as you planned, it's all OK because there are so many worse things in the world than ruining a piece of fabric. It's just fabric. Enjoy it, play with it, and don't let it be a source of anxiety.
Thanks Malka for sharing with us, and for the excellent advice, (I completely agree).
Malka and the good people of Interweave Press, are graciously offering a free copy of Fresh Quilting to one of my lucky blog readers! Just leave a comment, (only one per person, please) and make sure that I have a way of contacting you, should you win. I'll announce the winner next Tuesday, Dec. 14th. Good luck!
(NOTE: Giveaway now closed. Thanks to all that entered!)
For more peeks into Fresh Quilting and opportunities to win a copy for yourself, be sure to follow along on Malka's blog tour as she hops her way across a virtual America, to the sites below!
12/6
http://www.filminthefridge.com/
12/7
http://thesillyboodilly.blogspot.com
12/8
http://jchandmade.typepad.com
12/9
http://houseonhillroad.typepad.com
12/10
http://www.tallgrassprairiestudio.blogspot.com
12/13
http://blairpeter.typepad.com
12/14
http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog
For more peeks into Fresh Quilting and opportunities to win a copy for yourself, be sure to follow along on Malka's blog tour as she hops her way across a virtual America, to the sites below!
12/6
http://www.filminthefridge.com/
12/7
http://thesillyboodilly.blogspot.com
12/8
http://jchandmade.typepad.com
12/9
http://houseonhillroad.typepad.com
12/10
http://www.tallgrassprairiestudio.blogspot.com
12/13
http://blairpeter.typepad.com
12/14
http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog
