Slow stitching makes me feel like I am rebelling against the throw away culture of the modern world and reaches a hand back to the old ways, to the artisan.
Hi, I’m Flick Skinner, a quilter and textile artist.
I am the maker behind Eelo and Ider. I started my journey studying textiles at Central St Martins, London back in 2005. I then accidentally but joyfully became a chef and worked in some incredible restaurants, being an artist remained just a hobby. During the pandemic I began to take my art more seriously again and rekindled my love affair with Textiles and I began making quilts by hand.
Quilting to me is a never ending journey of creative discovery, expression and play. There are endless paths to take in design, colour, texture and stitching styles.
I use sustainably sourced cotton and linen both new and recycled. My designs are bold and contemporary but the natural fibres bring a softness and calmness to them. I use a sewing machine to piece together the blocks and patterns and the rest, the quilting and binding of the quilt I do by hand mostly in bold stitching with thick cotton thread.
The art of slow stitching makes me feel like I am rebelling against the throw away culture of the modern world and reaches a hand back to the old ways, to the artisan. Making quilts by hand for people to cherish for years to come and not just a season is an act of resilience.
“What is this strange magic which resides in objects that are made by hand?…..So much care and love goes into the creation of a handcrafted item - and those items feel alive in a way that mass-produced objects never could. They are alive with the spirit of the maker, and so to acquire something which has been handcrafted by someone else is a curious act intimacy”
Sahron Blackie.
