SelvedgeSelvedge
The hanging gardens
Imagine using up your smallest scrap fabrics in
such a blooming beautiful way – as either a nursery
mobile or as a hanging window display that acts
as a go-between for home and garden. Now, having
had the idea planted in your mind, it’s just a matter
of cutting out basic, child-like flower shapes (two
of each – ours featured six petals), machine stitching
around the edges (using a^11 ⁄ 4 in allowance), stuffing
and finishing with button stamens. Fresh floral
prints, spots and plains work well, as you can see.Tall poppies
There are plenty of other creative ways to cultivate
a remnant garden – and we loved this one featuring
mixed flower heads supported on long stalks. Using
small-floral prints helps to drive home the message.
You can make these flowers the focal point of a new
bag design or simply embellish an old tote that’s
lying unloved in your wardrobe. The stems are
stitched in place, as are the button centres, but the
petals themselves have been glued on, leaving some
edges unglued to give a more interesting 3D effect.DESIGNER EDGE
Selvedge story by Susan HurleyTAMAR MOGENDORFF
“It was a hobby of mine that just took over. It wasn’t planned. It just
happened.” That’s how Tamar Mogendorff gently and calmly explains away
her unique talent. Wouldn’t you just love to have a hobby that morphed
into such a spectacular showcase of creativity?
We’ve concentrated on her underwater world for this small feature, but
she’s also a dab hand at graceful, gliding swans and perky perched birds,
unicorns, deer heads and a line of luscious vegetables (you should see her
artichoke!). “Many times, my work begins with gestures, like eyelashes for
the deers or ripped threads on the swans’ wings. And there is always a little
humour. There’s a lot of work in each piece, but I want them to look eff ortless.”
Tamar calls her work “soft sculptures/objects/handmade decorations”,
and we can understand her confusion. These are in a category all their own- little treasures executed in fabric that you’d want out on display but
would dread being damaged by dust or curious fingers. “The fabrics are
my colours, and the needles are my brushes,” she says. “I love to sculpt with
them. There are endless opportunities with colours, patterns and textures;
mixing them is a challenge that I absolutely love. I also like to dye them
to give even more layers and stories.”
Fabric fishbones, peacock flounces and caged seahorses are the destination
Tamar arrived at via a winding path of training, beginning with childhood
sewing lessons from her mother, art school (where she studied graphic
design) and full-time work as a florist and gardener. Then she taught herself
to sew on a machine, along with crochet and sculpture. And, as you can see,
all those disciplines have come together in the most whimsical and skilful way.
“I have a vision, and I try to see how I can make it come to life. I’m not sure
I do it the ‘right’ way,” says Tamar, “but it somehow works.”
Her freedom of expression and lifestyle appeals to Tamar, who says one of
her favourite things about doing her artwork is that she gets to
“play” in her Brooklyn, New York, studio every day, rather
than packing herself into a crammed subway at 9am and
5pm and sweating it out in a high-rise off ice block.
“Sometimes, what I do is a lot of work that
involves long hours, but I’m still passionate about
it, and I get into the studio every morning, happy
to start on my latest piece,” she says.
You can gallery-browse through a whole lot
more of Tamar’s artworks (and buy yourself one
of her fabric treasures) by visiting her website at
http://www.tamarmogendorff .com.Homespun 27HSP1511_p026-027 Salvage Selvedge.indd 27 9/23/2014 10:44:14 AM
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