This year has bestowed Folk Fibers with an abundance of emotional support and encouragement. In October Chap and I headed to NYC to meet Martha Stewart and receive the 2013 American Made honoree award!
When starting Folk Fibers in January 2011 I was not focused on being recognized and achieving public approval. The thoughts that propelled me were my desires to express myself artistically, sharing my practice with natural dyes and quilting was a way to connect with other textile nuts. I was driven by passion; starting seeds in the greenhouse, planting a dye garden, harvesting color and making quilts. I wasn't looking to grow my business fast with these slow processes, but something magical happened and the interest in my work grew.
I am thankful for everybody who has given their support enabling me to be where I am today, but I want to specifically thank the team who set the stage for this major honor. Hannah Milman, the editor of crafts at Martha Stewart has been a supporter of mine and she continues to inspire me as a professional. We met earlier this year in Austin at QuiltCon, a quilt conference presented by the modern quilt guild. Spending time sharing ideas with Hannah and meeting the whole craft team was a highlight of this trip to New York!
The editorial photographs where shot by Jennifer Causey. It was a joy working with Jennifer, I had been an admire of her work on The Makers Project, documenting makers in their environments. Having the focus of her lens made me feel honored and beautiful.
