Skip to content

WELCOME TO OUR STORE

SUPPORT OUR WORK

  • HOME
  • MAGAZINE
    • CURRENT ISSUE
    • BACK ISSUES
    • FIND SELVEDGE
    • ORDER FAQS
    • CONTACT US
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • FOR YOURSELF
    • FOR SOMEONE ELSE
    • FOR AN INSTITUTION
    • FOR STUDENTS
    • SUBSCRIBER ACCESS
    • SUBSCRIBER FAQS
    • CONTACT US
  • SHOP
    • SELVEDGE GOODS
    • ARTISAN GOODS
    • MAGAZINES
    • WORKSHOPS
    • TALKS
    • MEET THE MAKER
    • BOOKS
    • ORDER FAQs
    • CONTACT US
  • LEARN
    • BOOK A WORKSHOP
    • BOOK A TALK
    • LISTEN TO A TALK
    • MEET THE MAKER
    • TRAVEL WITH US
    • EVENT FAQS
    • CONTACT US
  • ARTISANS
    • SHOP
      • ALL
      • CLOTHING
      • INTERIORS
      • ACCESSORIES
      • TOYS
    • EXPLORE
    • ACCESS TALKS
    • WATCH SLOW TV
    • LISTEN TO PLAYLIST
    • CONTACT US
  • COMMUNITY
    • READ OUR BLOG
    • JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
    • SLOW TV
    • LISTEN TO A PODCAST
    • VISIT A TEXTILE COLLECTION
    • SEE AN EXHIBITION
    • ENTER A PRIZE DRAW
    • MAKE A PROJECT
    • CONTACT US
  • COLLABORATE
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • WORK WITH US
    • WRITE FOR US
    • WRITE FOR THE BLOG
    • BECOME A STOCKIST
    • CONTACT US
    • SEE ARTISAN INFO
  • STORY
    • READ OUR STORY
    • GET TO KNOW US
    • READ ABOUT US
    • CONTACT US
Log in
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
Selvedge Magazine
  • HOME
  • MAGAZINE
    • CURRENT ISSUE
    • BACK ISSUES
    • FIND SELVEDGE
    • ORDER FAQS
    • CONTACT US
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • FOR YOURSELF
    • FOR SOMEONE ELSE
    • FOR AN INSTITUTION
    • FOR STUDENTS
    • SUBSCRIBER ACCESS
    • SUBSCRIBER FAQS
    • CONTACT US
  • SHOP
    • SELVEDGE GOODS
    • ARTISAN GOODS
    • MAGAZINES
    • WORKSHOPS
    • TALKS
    • MEET THE MAKER
    • BOOKS
    • ORDER FAQs
    • CONTACT US
  • LEARN
    • BOOK A WORKSHOP
    • BOOK A TALK
    • LISTEN TO A TALK
    • MEET THE MAKER
    • TRAVEL WITH US
    • EVENT FAQS
    • CONTACT US
  • ARTISANS
    • SHOP
      • ALL
      • CLOTHING
      • INTERIORS
      • ACCESSORIES
      • TOYS
    • EXPLORE
    • ACCESS TALKS
    • WATCH SLOW TV
    • LISTEN TO PLAYLIST
    • CONTACT US
  • COMMUNITY
    • READ OUR BLOG
    • JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
    • SLOW TV
    • LISTEN TO A PODCAST
    • VISIT A TEXTILE COLLECTION
    • SEE AN EXHIBITION
    • ENTER A PRIZE DRAW
    • MAKE A PROJECT
    • CONTACT US
  • COLLABORATE
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • WORK WITH US
    • WRITE FOR US
    • WRITE FOR THE BLOG
    • BECOME A STOCKIST
    • CONTACT US
    • SEE ARTISAN INFO
  • STORY
    • READ OUR STORY
    • GET TO KNOW US
    • READ ABOUT US
    • CONTACT US
Log in Cart

Item added to your cart

Access Denied
IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts
Win A Hand-Printed Quilt From Madder, Cutch & Co.

Win A Hand-Printed Quilt From Madder, Cutch & Co.

September 2, 2018
Share

Nicola Cliffe is a one-time chemistry teacher with a life-long love of textiles. Today, she is an entrepreneur and fabric designer who specialises in creating bespoke, beautiful fabrics for her company Madder, Cutch & Co. Interview by Jessica Edney.

How did you first get into textile design?

Textiles have always been really important to me.  As a small child, I can remember making dolls houses out of cardboard boxes, hand sewing little curtains and bed covers. I think I can recall all of the curtains we had in our small bungalow whilst growing up, and remember trying to find the repeat patterns in some of the craziest 70’s fabric my mother chose. Looking back now, it seems so funny how I never liked any of it. I love all things retro now!

Were you creative as a child?

I am very passionate about drawing and since I was quite young have had a good ability to reproduce what I see on paper. I studied art at A’ level, where I specialized in printmaking. But that was where it ended until 4 years ago. Finally, at the age of 46, it suddenly dawned on me that I wanted to design my own textiles. Lorna Bircham, the MA in Sustainable Textiles course leader at Chelsea College of Art and Design unbelievably accepted me into her 2015 group. I had a fantastic year and made a whole new set of friends. I specialised my screen printing technique and set about finding a way to print with natural plant dyes and get them to stay on the fabric after washing.

Can you describe a typical day for you?

I don’t have a typical day! I spent 20 years of my life teaching and a typical day blended into a typical week. I can’t explain how great it is to be controlling the clock now. That said I do have a bit of a routine, because we now have a dog. I tend to take him for a long walk in the morning, mainly in our beautiful meadows. I only print on 1 or 2 days a week and I plan this around my print assistant Helen, who comes down from Sheffield to help. Cups of tea are important in my day and a visit to the gym when I can. As I do everything myself, there is always something to do, including preparation for a print run, making the dye pastes using the plant extracts. Some of these require quite a bit of thought and planning, (the madder I use gets a better red colour the longer I leave it in the pot before printing). I prepare the samples for Tissus d’Helene, when I am working on a new design, I make my own test screens. I do most of my own sewing using any waste and offcuts, including making up cushions, lampshades, Zip bags, quilts and table linen.

How would you describe Madder Cutch & Co’s aesthetic?

It is very difficult to describe my aesthetic, as it is just what I like rather than something I think it should be. I never try to follow a trend or work around something that is fashionable. I am not one to copy or revive old designs either and my colour palette is restricted to what nature gives me. However, some have said we have a Scandinavian feel. The Arts and Craft Movement has always inspired me and I like the simplicity of what it stood for.

You will be teaching at Chateau Dumas in 2019. What will your course involve?

At Chateau Dumas I will take the print process back to the basics, looking at some of my favourite past and present screenprint designers. We will explore the versatility of plant colours and develop an individual colour palette to be used in the final design. Using the beautiful surroundings as inspiration, I will demonstrate how sketches can be developed into a simple design for screen printing. I will demonstrate how to screen print and assist the attendees to print their design onto linen or hemp silk, which will be worked into a Kantha stitched quilt or some table linen.

Selvedge readers can enjoy Nicola's designs at home with the chance to win one of her original hand-printed quilts, worth £290. 

To find out more about Chateau Dumas and available courses, please visit www.selvedge.org/collections/workshops-at-chateau-dumas

www.maddercutchandco.com

 

Back to blog

4 comments

Your work is unique and I love it !

Lesley Ann TimminsSeptember 5, 2018

How fabulous to see your beautiful work and to know that you dont feel pressure to follow trends and instead follow your heart. As an embroiderer, this is what I try to do too…..its always great to know that others feel the same and that this policy can be successful! I too have just got a puppy to ease the workaholic syndrome of self employment isolation!! Very effective!

Jenny Adin-ChristieJuly 6, 2018

Would like to now more about natural dye scree printing. Do you conduct workshops outside your country?

Ratna KrishnakumarJuly 6, 2018

Absolutely love love your prints. So nice to see something original. I get tired of some prints I see too much of. Also, pretty darling dog. What kind is she? Thanks!
Kathleen

KathleenJuly 1, 2018

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

Invalid password
Enter

Quick links

  • SEARCH
  • ABOUT US
  • T&Cs
  • FAQs

Subscribe to our newsletter by entering your email address below. "I just wanted to say how much I admire your informative and inspirational newsletters - I always look forward to them!" Tricia, San Rafael, USA

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
Payment methods
  • American Express
  • Diners Club
  • Discover
  • Maestro
  • Mastercard
  • Visa
© 2023, Selvedge Magazine Powered by Shopify
  • Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.