Q+A Amongst Jill Bent

Today we're interviewing Jill Bent, a designer as well as seamstress located inwards Cambridge, MA, where she industrial plant from her abode studio. Jill's been making beautiful lineament handmade goods for the abode for quite a few years as well as therefore we're thrilled she agreed to respond a few questions almost her work.


Tell us a niggling fleck almost you. Where did yous develop or written report as well as what led yous to the path yous currently are on?
Growing up, both my parents were craftspeople, therefore it feels natural for me to create handmade things.  I've ever been drawn to vintage fabrics as well as a uncomplicated aesthetic, that's were my inspiration comes from.  I learned to run upwards equally a kid from the women inwards my modest town, as well as equally an adult, I renewed my skills taking lessons from a friend who is a master copy seamstress.  I left a career inwards library scientific discipline when I had my minute kid as well as started my ain work organisation sewing as well as designing because it was something I genuinely loved, amongst the added exercise goodness that I could operate from abode piece my children were growing up.

What's your primary focus currently and/or how would yous depict your electrical current blueprint aesthetic?
Creating simple, useful, as well as beautiful things is my focus. In the past times I accept worked generally amongst antique as well as vintage fabrics, as well as at nowadays I am moving away from that a bit, due to availibilty.  It's getting harder to origin vintage fabric, but when I detect it, I experience really lucky as well as inspired to brand something special.  

Love your operate - tin yous explicate that blueprint process?
My blueprint procedure is really fluid.  Usually I blueprint roughly a slice of fabric.  I allow the texture, color, as well as weight of the textile create upwards one's hear what the object volition become.  I brand my ain patterns as well as ofttimes allow things evolve blueprint wise equally I exceed along.

For me, designing an object is similar solving a geometry problem: figuring out the measurements as well as the construction as well as the means the angles as well as lines volition operate to create a sturdy frame that volition handle upwards to daily use.  I don't accept a background inwards structural design, therefore this business office of my operate is alone self taught, as well as ofttimes trial as well as error. 

When I'm sourcing fabric, I'm looking for color, texture, pattern as well as quality, as well as if it's right, I know it immediately.  An thought of how to purpose it volition surface afterwards on, but it's the immediacy of the look, experience as well as history of a detail textile that draws me inwards as well as makes me desire to create or transform something.

What designers/makers/architects, etc exercise yous expect upwards to, are influenced past times or inspire you?
I am most inspired past times the seamstresses who accept come upwards earlier me, the countless women who made wearable as well as identify objects equally a means of life.  I dear to inspect an onetime slice of wearable or quilt from the within out, to encounter how the maker constructed the object, the seams as well as the paw stitching.  Often, my operate involves taking an older object apart to create a novel one, therefore I acquire to encounter how people were doing things inwards the past times as well as the help they took amongst their work. 

Any electrical current designers as well as artists that yous admire?
Ann Wood http://www.annwoodhandmade.com/
Pip Squeak Chapeau http://www.pip-squeakchapeau.com/
J. Morgan Puett http://www.finearts.utah.edu/newsandupdates/j-morgan-puett/
Makie http://www.makieclothier.com/home.php
Fog Linen http://www.shop-foglinen.com

Where else exercise yous push clit inspiration from?
Museums.  Since I alive close Boston at that topographic point are lots to visit: the Museum of Fine Arts inwards Boston, the Peabody Essex Museum inwards Salem, MA, or whatever set out of New England's historic museum similar Sturbridge Village as well as Strawberry Banke.  Travel.  I've been lucky to move to some places similar Mexico, Republic of Indonesia as well as Turkey to encounter showtime paw how craftspeople brand textiles.  Movies.  I'm ever therefore inspired past times costume as well as laid upwards blueprint inwards movies.  Films similar Jane Eyre, Brightstar, Seraphine.  This past times winter, it was Downton Abbey.  I normally scout it showtime for the plot, as well as therefore exceed dorsum in i lawsuit again as well as scout it for the costume as well as laid upwards design.

Any sneak peeks or plans yous tin portion of novel or futurity things on the go?
I only finished making a line of bags as well as pillows for saltation inwards linens as well as cottons, as well as to survive honest, I haven't started to intend almost autumn yet.  But again, I intend it volition survive color as well as texture that serve equally my primary inspirations: yellows, deep rose, greens, browns, courderoys as well as wools as well as handknit things...things to wear, carry, or warm upwards your abode for autumn as well as winter...stay tuned...it volition evolve. 

Follow Jill online:

Shop : http:// www.jillbent.etsy.com
Blog : http://www.36shea.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jilltbent
Handmade http://marketplace.poppytalk.com/author/jill-bent/

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