over the next couple of weeks we are going to find out a little more about the wonderful makers featured in the 2010 whipup calendar – Our July artist is Laura Amiss with her machine embroidered Little legs.

Laura Amiss: www.lauraamiss.com, lives in The Netherlands, Amsterdam (although she is English).
Main craft of choice: Free hand machine embroidery, using the sewing machine is like drawing for me.
Craft hero: Freddie Robins, amazing knitter and artist based in the UK
Fave web site: I love all the design blogs, I suppose my favorite is Poppytalk
Fave crafty materials supplier: I don’t really use a supplier, I recycle a lot of my kids clothes! Plus I live near an amazing fabric market in Amsterdam.

I asked all our participants to answer a few questions about their creative process:

1. When did you start making/crafting, and who or what inspired that first creative burst?:
I studied Textiles at Goldsmiths in London, but I have always drawn, painted and made my own clothes. Fabric and stitch is now the medium in which I draw and create images. I love the narrative quality of textiles and the contrast between technique and subject.

2. What would you say was that light-bulb moment when you discovered your ‘style’ and really hit your making stride?
I’d say that this develops every time I make something at the moment, it was pretty recent that I got into layering my images and fabric together. But I feel that there is much more to explore within the style I currently use, it’s only going to get better! I often think about ideas much faster than I can make them, especially with two small children aged 3 and 18 months. I’d like to develop different lines of work and contrast the medium of digital art with textiles.

3. Why do you make – what do you get out of it?
Sorry to sound corny but I get such a buzz when it all comes together from idea, to drawing to finished piece. I love the physicality of making with my hands and the process of piecing colors and compositions together. Not to mention the joy when other people like what I make!

All images courtesy Laura Amiss – in order they are: 1. My umbrella, 2. She wore a yellow dress, 3. Shoes Shoes Shoes, 4. Lacey legs.

Find out more about how to get your hands on a copy of the 2010 whipup calendar here.