Heather has been sewing since she was quite a young child. Knitting and crotchet were quickly added to the skill list, and in her teens she was making most of her own clothes. When first introduced to free machine embroidery over 20 years ago she was very excited. She has been a member of the 84 group for about 10 years, and has gradually learned new techniques. She enjoys coming to workshops but due to full time employment, doesn’t always have time to complete the projects at home afterwards. A number of events/factors, mostly in 2013, have been responsible for increasing her creative confidence and independence; completing the 84 Group summer challenges for the last three years, a new machine to bring to workshops, the completion of three pieces in 2013, attendance at Carole Redlich’s Surprise, Surprise workshop in August 2013, Helen Jones design workshops, critiquing other’s work submitted to 84 Group challenges, submitting two pieces to the Western Australian Fibre and Textile (WAFTA) Mysterium exhibition October 2013, and applying all the previous to analysing in detail why a particular piece from Carole’s workshop “worked”.
She finds making fabric bowls fascinating, never being quite too sure of the final shape until the bowl is complete, but enjoying the planning, and construction of such conundrums. She enjoys felting hats and other sculptural pieces, and would spend more time weaving sculptural pieces if only she had time.
