CASSANDRA
MADGE
Why this particular craft? I can’t seem
to see anything without trying to make
it. I love my sewing machine and the
amazing variety of things it can create
(home decor, soft toys, quilts and clothes).
Although zips and I will never be friends!
Have you tried plenty of others? I’ve been
creating with my hands for as long as I can
remember. I’ve tried so many crafts and will
always have a couple of projects on the go.
I love making things, especially for my family
and loved ones. The best part is enjoying
the finished product and the happiness that
it brings others. I knit, crochet, quilt, cross
stitch, scrapbook and I have a huge passion
for photography, landscape and portrait.
I haven’t met many crafts I don’t love.
Any good stories from crafting lessons?
My mother used to tell me the story of
when mygrandmother taught her to sew
dolls’ clothes. She patiently watched her
stitch up the side seam, across the sleeve
hole and over the shoulder. Sometimes,
allowing people to make their own
mistakes is a stronger lesson than jumping
in and correcting them all the time.
What’s the biggest stitching mistake
you’ve ever made?I honestly can’t think
of one. I try not tofocus on mistakes, and
I look at them as design opportunities or
simply design choices. I craft without regret;
even if you make a mistake, you can always
turn it into something else in some way.
What is your advice for beginners?Don’t
compare your beginning to someone else’s
middle. Everyone starts from a diferent
place and we were ALL beginners once.
Listen to expert advice, of course, but never
forget that there is always more than one
way of doing something. If a technique
doesn’t work for you, play around until
you’re comfortable with what you’re doing.
Craft for yourself and your own enjoyment,
not for the ‘quilting police’.Get ing to know ...
Red coaster is sewn with a programmed bead stitch set longer than usual
Multicoloured thread pops against the neutral rope