A: Like many fiber artist I started learning to sew at an early age and never lost interest. Fabrics and fiber give you such an unusual way to express yourself that is highly visible, in garments and your home. I am an accomplished designer and seamstress of garments. I have dyed and woven my own fabric at times. I just recently learned to spin yarn. I love trying new techniques but usually take them to the obsession stage, such as my intricately beaded jewelry.

Q: What do you like about your fiber art interests? (i.e. processes, materials, etc.)

A: The feel of the fabrics and the intricate patterns that you can make with them, draw me to fiber art. I love to lay out designs and move them around until I have so many great ideas I want to make all of them. Fiber art calls to the math side of my brain, figuring out the angles, sizes and shapes.

Q: Tell us about the works featured on the web site.

A:"Hands" was one of my first Art Quilts, it was inspired by a Challenge. Using music as the theme, I chose the song Hands by Jewel as my focus. The quilt uses several different techniques and has a central focus of broken erratic design with chenille hands trying to organize them into a coherent group as the outside border though pattered is also erratic in design.

Q: What inspires you?

A: A good fabric shop, a unique geometric pattern that presents itself in an unusual form, an interesting scene, a funny story, music that I listen to... just about everything inspires me. My problem is getting enough time to try them all.

Q: Have you taken any classes, seminars, attended conferences or been mentored by other fiber artists? If so, please explain.

A: I have taken sewing, dyeing, art and design classes from junior high, high school, college thru graduate school. But I think I have learned more about quilting from just watching what others do and reading books and magazines that show techniques and then trying them myself. I learned to do peyote stitch bead work from a friend, and learned about presenting myself as an artist from another friend. I love to attend quilt shows and look at art on the Internet sites to see what other people are doing. Sometimes I just sit down at the sewing machine and play until something happens, and it always does.

Q: Where do you see your work going in the future?

A: I hope to continue working on both my quilts and beadwork, but also include some garments back into my work. I intend to enter more competitions and hope to expand my opportunities for exhibiting my work.

Q: Do you have a web site, studio, email address? If so, please give contact information.

A: I can be contacted by email at stitchindeb@yahoo.com  and my web site is. http://sunroomstudio.com  The site  features my hand dyed fabrics, contemporary quilts and beadwork. I will be adding knitted scarves and  wearable art garments soon.  My work space is called Sunroom studio in Olathe, Kansas

I am an Adjunct faculty member of the Fashion Merchandising and Design dept. at  Johnson County Community College. I teach  fashion design courses, such as Pattern Drafting, Textiles and Tailoring.
My faculty website is http://staff.jccc.net/dhillen/