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
Your work is unique and I love it !
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!
Would like to now more about natural dye scree printing. Do you conduct workshops outside your country?
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