Winter in the Studio

january 2026

A little studio update as winter settles in… The days are short and cold, and the studio feels quiet. Outside the land is bare. Fields, forests and trees under pale skies. I take walks when I can and notice how the light shifts and the colours change. These small moments stay with me when I return to the studio.

The quilt I have been working on is now finished. Seeing it complete brings a quiet happiness. Painted plants and flowers, graphic shapes and embroidered details all come together. They create a calm rhythm.

This piece grew from my love of old textiles and paintings. I am drawn to 16th-century tapestries where plants, flowers and animals tell stories through nature. Their work continues to guide me as I make my own.
 

While working on this quilt, I was also inspired by small details from 17th-century Dutch still lifes. In these paintings, insects appear among flowers and plants, reminding us that life is fleeting and that humans are part of the natural world. I also love the quiet humor found in these tiny details.

The small embroidered insects move across the quilt. They help the design feel alive and sit alongside the plants and flowers, offering small discoveries over time.
 

For this quilt I chose intuitively dye extracts from nettles, chestnut and weld. I created gradually the colours, dyeing them layer over layer, to create browns, ochres, dusty pinks and muted greens.

Because my making is slow and intentional, I like to share the thoughts and moments that inform my work. It is a way to reflect on the life around me, the inspirations and the quiet rhythms of my life that shape my pieces. Writing here becomes part of the process of making, a gentle companion to the work itself.
 

Finishing this quilt is a pause in the middle of winter. It reminds me why I value slow making and how time and attention shape the work.