An exploration in process

I started sewing when I was quite young - projects here and there, the occasional hobby craft and altering my clothing. I eventually became fascinated with photos of quilts - the patterns, feelings of home and time, and the color combinations all left me inspired.

In 2016 some friends were getting married and I was all in and determined to make them a queen size quilt for their gift (I had no idea what I was about to take on). It was overwhelming and messy, honestly - and would have never come to fruition if my new boyfriend’s mom hadn’t stepped in and offered her guidance and physical help with finishing the quilting and binding for me. But once you lay eyes and hands on your first finished quilt - man, it’s indescribable. It’s love. It’s mesmerizing. It’s also a rabbit hole to never doing anything else but thinking about quilting blocks and patterns again.

I immediately started making plans for quilts for other friends’ wedding days. Those were finished and I played around with designing my own patterns - I was hooked.

I’ve had a long love of gardening and nature, and in 2012 I co-owned an urban farm in Florida - so when I came across natural dyeing I was immediately smitten. The connection of earth to color and discovering the magic of plants in a whole new context other than food was fascinating for me. I dived right in and haven’t looked back.

My quilting practice has changed a lot since that first quilt - and I imagine it will only continue to shift as I explore and grow. I currently dye all of my fabrics with plant materials (unless noted for certain lining materials), and all of my quilts are hand-quilted and have hand stitched binding.

The process is slow, and natural dyes are inherently unique from vat to vat, but it allows for immense joy and thoughtfulness in the outcome. I hope that each piece I make and send out into this world can carry with it the love and respect I have for this earth and for all it’s natural beauty.

I currently reside in Brooklyn, New York and work between my apartment and a small shared studio space. I am thankful for my partner, Dylan, who never minds that our bathroom is basically a laboratory of color at any given moment.

-Danielle Iliria