I use the natural surroundings as my source of inspiration for the felt and monoprints that I create. I do a lot of photography, while out hiking, birdwatching or just exploring in my own backyard. I look at all of the textures, colors and patterns that nature provides to us and interpret them in felt with a combination of hand stitching. My monoprints on linen are embellished with free-motion machine embroidery.

The time-honored traditions of shibori and dyeing with indigo allow me to create textiles that are rich and pattern and color, while honoring ancient textiles. The beautiful shade of indigo blue is unobtainable by any other dyestuff. The process of dyeing with indigo is always magical to me, watching a new layer of color emerge from the vat as a green and oxidize to that beautiful indigo blue.

My favorite of shibori processes is mokume shibori, also known as wood grain. Mokume shibori is a stitched resist technique that shapes the fabric before it is dyed in indigo. I love the rhythmic, repetitive motion of hand stitching; it is very relaxing and meditative for me.

          Vicki Jensen

Feltmaker - Fiber Artist

This page was last updated: March 16, 2011