WINTER WARMERS WITH PAULINE GREUELL

Image: Abstract. Fabric print. Courtesy of Pauline Greuell. 

Becoming a fabric printer and designer was not something Pauline Greuell expected. A “very late starter,” it was some time before Pauline realised that her new, creative path was really just a reiteration of her lifelong interests; a love of fabrics and patterns nurtured in childhood, a love of colour from exposure to museums and galleries, and a love of being creative, “even if I’d almost forgotten about it.” From 2019, Pauline began to pursue her textile career in earnest, mostly working with and developing her own stencil printing techniques.

Image: Iris. Fabric print. Courtesy of Pauline Greuell.

With the onset of the global pandemic in 2020, Pauline turned to teaching; first through Skillshare classes, then online workshops and courses. It is something, she discovered, she loves: “Sharing my techniques and everything I have learned with others across the globe is so inspiring,” she says.

Image: Pauline Greuell at her studio in Utrecht, Netherlands. Courtesy of Pauline Greuell.

With colder and darker days beginning to draw across the northern hemisphere, and the climate and war-induced crisis affected our domestic energy habits, we asked Pauline to help us launch our own small, skill share challenge— by creating a draught excluder.

SELVEDGE: Can you tell us about the fabric used for your draught excluder?

PAULINE GREUELL: I used a medium weight, natural linen, and hand stencil-printed it with a bold and simple floral motif.

Image: Hand printed draught excluder. Pauline Greuell. Courtesy of Pauline Greuell.

SELVEDGE: How did you make your draught excluder, how long did it take, and what did you stuff it with?

PAULINE GREUELL: Making the draught excluder was very quick. It’s just a tube sewn on one long and two short sides, that has the standard width of an (internal) door. I attached a loop at the top so that you can hang it on the doorknob (or somewhere else) when not in use. Sewing two draught excluders took me less than 30 minutes (printing the fabric, a bit over an hour each), but figuring out how to stuff it took me quite a bit longer. I started out with fine fabric scraps that I had been saving in my studio, but I found they made it a bit lumpy and heavy. I then found a large, very old cushion in the attic that was in bad shape and no longer useable. It was filled with kapok. The kapok proved to be perfect— easy distribution, not too heavy, and not too light, either. But it was necessary to stuff it outside; the fibres are very light and fly around everywhere. I was happy to give that old cushion a good new purpose.

Image: Hand printed draught excluder. Pauline Greuell. Courtesy of Pauline Greuell.

SELVEDGE: Who did you give your draught excluder to? 

PAULINE GREUELL: I gave to my sister, who had been looking for a solution for her beautiful, but badly insulated old house.

Image: Hand printed draught excluder. Pauline Greuell. Courtesy of Pauline Greuell.

SELVEDGE: Where was it used? 

PAULINE GREUELL: She will use it underneath internal doors, to keep out the draught from the hallway. 

This week we launched our #warmwinter campaign. Print designer Pauline Gruel kicks off our campaign with  Hand printed draught excluder. Pauline Greuell . Pauline made two, one for herself and one for her sister. We are encouraging the stitchers in our community to raid your rag bag and make a draught excluder for someone in your community who might  appreciate it. When you have made your draught excluder post an image on instagram with the #warmwinter and @selvedgemagazine, and we will send you a code to get a free digital issue of the magazine. Keep warm!Image: Hand printed draft excluder. Pauline Greuell. Courtesy of Pauline Greuell.

Pauline will be joining SELVEDGE for a Meet the Maker session, complete with demonstration, on 3 December. The session will introduce you to Pauline before she delivers our Stencil Printing online workshop on 4 and 18 February. Early booking for both events is advised. The cost of the talk will be included for those booking the workshop, and a workshop materials pack will be posted to all participants.  

Image: Dandelion. Fabric print. Courtesy of Pauline Greuell.