Sunday 27 March 2011

Interview with Michelle Marvig

Hi Friends,
Its Sunday morning, the weather is fine and we are half way through making Calico Compass with Michelle Marvig. Some of you will know Michelle through her work with Quilters Companion,doing product reviews, and and also leading Quilting tours overseas to museams that specialise in the preservation of textiles of historical signifinance in Europe,the  USA and later this year to Japan.

Michelle and her family live in Blaxland in the beautiful Blue Mountains outside of Sydney, and her shop is called the Patchwork Heart, located at Shop 2/51 York Road, Penrith.
Michelle, whats your favourite colour?...Michelle thinks about this questions....I can tell you my non favourite colour.I already know this because we talked about it yesterday, its blue. Michelle likes strong colours, and likes to work with black, red and browns. So the conclusion is browns and her home is decorated in the colour.
Michelle, whats your favourite style of fabric? ...again Michelle hesitates and says... I'm mainly working with reproduction fabrics, and I have a lot of this stlye of fabric at my shop.

Tell us what the inspiration was for your latest fabric range....Australian bush and plants and the colours of Australia.... My husband left home in a blue and silver ute to travel through the centre of Australia with his mates. The ute came home this amazing red colour from this dust, so thats one of the colours in the new range.
Michelle,whats your favourite place to go on your tours to Europe? .... animatedly Michelle reels of a list of places in France.....Colmar (Val d'argent), the beautiful drive through the valley,the medieval buildings, the amazing clothing and the food is to die for, and the drive on to Saint-Maria-aux-mines was devine.

When asked about her favourite place in America she is more circumspect...there is so much to like about America...Chicago, its a very interesting city to visit, the architecture,the shopping and museums.

I know you have a tour planned to Japan in November for the Yokohama Quilts Festival... the work is so intricate, and so so beautiful....other cities we visit include Kyoto, Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Osaka. Also Takayama, which is an amazing 130 year old village with cobble stone paths and thatched roofs. Theres a wonderful Sashiko store up there.

Whats the one tip you would give to new sewers....Buy good quality fabric, and take time and care with your preparation, no matter what you are making.

Michelle, I know you where married in India, ... Indias' just a riot of colour,and and my sister had had a big wedding just months before, so we decided if you are committed it doesn't matter where it happens.... Michelle talks on jokingly about a second wedding in Las Vagas and being married by an Elvis.

Its midafternoon now and everyone is working intently to master all the tecniques in the various borders, so in closing Ill leave the last word to Michelle.....That I always learn something when I teach a class...
Happy sewing,
love
Delma Watts

PS Michelles next visit is 23/24 July, Ill keep you posted. D.





             

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