Edward and Lilly: Solo Exhibit (With Giveaway!)

Visiting Edward and Lilly is like coming across a fairy ring in a forest; her simple work is a refreshing place to rest and collect your thoughts. Rebecca starts with a sketch, then embroiders her original design onto natural fibers like hemp and linen. The result? See for yourself!

Rebecca realizes that less can be more. Just the merest outline of a wee creature in bright white embroidery thread is all it takes to give these brooches a dramatic impact.

Let’s look more closely at her Sleepy Puppy with its gentle texture and soothing palette. Violet is suddenly feeling the overwhelming need for a snuggle.

Why bother hand-embroidering a tissue cozy? In Rebecca’s words, “Because it’s nice to reach for something that makes you smile when you need a tissue.”

Of everything in her shop, I’m most intrigued by the lavender scented birds. Hung by a ribbon as an ornament or tucked in a drawer as a sachet, these sweet little birds are a great example of Rebecca’s creative process. I asked her how she makes them:

The scented birds are created by sketching about 20 individual embroideries at a time for the centre of the bird on one piece of linen. I’ve done so many of these now that I tend to free-hand sketch the design onto the linen. I then embroider one colour at a time, it’s kind of like colouring in. Then I cut out the embroideries, cut the bird shapes from wool or eco felt, stitch the embroidery to the felt and around the edges of the birds. Before closing them up all the birds are filled with dried lavender buds.

Rebecca took time out of her sketching and embroidering to tell us the story of how Edward and Lilly came to be. Read on!

Curator V: I read on your blog that your products began as a gift for a loved one and grew from there. Could you share that story with us?

I started sewing about two years ago with the intention of making clothes for myself and as a break from studying. I designed a soft toy for one of my animal-loving nieces, after I uploaded an image of it a few orders started trickling in and eventually the design was developed into my Cuddly Cat range. Each of my product lines has a similar story behind it, for example the puppies, kitties and bunnies pattern was developed so I could make multiple simple soft toys for any age to send down to the children who lost their toys in the Victorian bushfires. My latest product, the tissue cosy, was inspired by my sister who religiously has a pack of travel tissues in her bag and also my recent trip to China where I regularly found myself without tissues when I needed them most

Curator V: Where do you find your inspiration? Do the designs lead to your fabric choices or do they evolve out of the materials?

My inspiration comes from so many places, my brain is like a catalogue of images picked up along the way and stored for later use. I’m inspired by people, flora, fauna, travel, the list goes on. I’m drawn to natural tones and sweet details found in Japanese and French craft. I love using natural shades of linen in my work, I love that it goes with so many unexpected colours and patterns and I love the look of tiny stitches on linen. While linen and other natural fibres play an important role in my designs, the designs themselves usually lead to my choice of fabric.

Curator V: Your items begin as original sketches. Do you have formal art training?

My training is in art history and theory, during the day I work for a visual art magazine so while I’ve always been surrounded by visual stimulus and the ideas and theories behind art it wasn’t until I began sewing that I actually started sketching. My drawings are simply part of the process to get to the final product. Because of this I don’t take my sketches too seriously and I’m not critical of them so I have no inhibitions when it comes to sitting down and sketching designs. I think because of my background if I had gone down the art path rather than craft I would have been overly critical of my creative expression.

Curator V: You are a member of the BrisStyle Street Team. Can you tell us a little bit about that and what you’ve gained from being a part of it?

BrisStyle is an Etsy Street Team based in Brisbane, Australia with almost 100 members. It’s an amazing phenomenon unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, essentially everyone is competing with their own individual handmade businesses but as a combined force everyone works together to support and promote each other as well as reinforcing the cultural, environmental and economical value of buying handmade.

The handmade movement is growing in Brisbane and it’s largely due to groups like BrisStyle. I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for BrisStyle I would never have had the courage to have my first market stall or to make the shift from hobby to business. I would encourage anyone who wants to be surrounded by incredibly supportive, like-minded people to start up an Etsy Street Team in their area.

Curator V: Do you have a dedicated work space?

Yes, I have a dedicated nook. My partner and I live in a very small one bedroom apartment with study nook and, much to my delight, I woke one morning to find he had shifted his office to the dining room table and converted the study nook into my craft room. It’s very small but I’m incredibly grateful that I no longer have to pack everything up at the end of the day. I like to think of it as a petite space where I make petite things.

Here’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Rebecca is giving away one of her embroidered brooches. The winner can choose their favorite color and design! To enter, visit Edward and Lilly, then come back here and leave a comment telling us your favorite item. One winner to be chosen at random next Sunday, November 22nd.