Molli Who?

Originally Published in Textile Fibre Form, Issue 119, September 2015

Let me pop a collar and introduce myself. My name is Molli B. Sparkles, and that’s Molli with an “i” because it’s all about me. You’ll often find me lounging on the lanai with a martini in hand, while whip-stitching my quilt binding down with the other. I’m originally a down-home boy, who went to college in a homeboy city, and finished up with a Master of Visual Arts from the University of Sydney. I know what I’m supposed to say about art, but you’ll rarely find me saying it. Instead, I call it how I see it, shoot from the hip, and make until my fingers bleed. 

Since this is my first issue, y’all got me feeling a little bit out of my comfort zone sprawled out on the printed page. Well, sometimes laying flat out is my comfort zone, but not usually when I’ve got a pen in hand and a tongue in my cheek. Ow! I originally started my art journey by painting murals of dinosaurs across my living room walls. Even at the age of six, with a crayon in hand, I thought I was the next Michelangelo. My parents weren’t quite convinced and sadly painted over my Jurassic masterpiece. Throughout school I traversed a dozen other art media, but it wasn’t until college that I finally picked up a camera. I then spent years honing my composition skills through the 35mm frame, as well as drinking champagne in the dark room. Wait, you didn’t do that? It makes a fabulous setting agent!

But textiles! Gurl, that was never on my radar. Growing up I watched my Grandma Sparkles make many quilts. While I’d occasionally help with laying out blocks or picking fabrics, it was always too down home for my uptown girl image. Then one day about three [sic: eleven] years ago I must have tripped over on my diamond road because I was all about it. I literally went into a craft store and bought a cutting board, rotary cutter, rulers, and was looking for yellow fabric when the sales lady asked if I wanted fat quarters. I mean, I had that extra muffin at morning tea, but I wasn’t expecting it to be on the hips already! Thankfully she explained, and I took home the entire lot. 

I got home, sat down to make my first quilt, and that’s when I knew something was missing. Riiiight. I didn’t have a sewing machine. Sigh. So admittedly, that first night was a bit of a slow burner, however the next day I got myself sorted quickly became addicted. Soon after I had a brilliant idea,  and ecstatically exclaimed, “I should start a quilt blog, I bet no one in the history of blogging has ever done that before!” Um. (How cute naivety can be!) Once I discovered how large the boat was that I had missed, I decided I’d set sail in my own cruise liner and I’ve been lounging on the top decks ever since.

I’m now trying to merge all my artistic leanings with the more crafty nature of the modern quilt movement. Oh and there is plenty to discuss on that journey, believe you me! I’m sure your textile adventures mirror my own. I hope you’ll follow my journey as much as I want to learn from yours. So come into my world and let’s sparkle this business up into a glorious, glittery mess.

Sparkle at you later!

Molli