20 March 2020
Designer Spotlight: 4Ever Blue Creations
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Hi, I am Nicole, the one and only “artist” @ 4Ever Blue Creations. The name is derived from the measurement of time it took me to start my label, and my love of indigo blue (think Blue Jeans) and its fading characteristics.
I have been on Madeit since December 2019 and I like that it is an Australian selling platform, “made in Australia- sold in Australia” keeping it local and supporting our own economy and community ☺️.
I am now semi-retired and besides being very passionate about my creative business, I love doing Ikebana (Japanese Art of Flower Arranging), and enjoy working out at the gym, socialising with my friends, cooking, and spending time with my family.
My family consists of one husband (and no, he doesn’t always come first 😉), one dog, two blue-eyed cats and two guinea pigs. We all live happily together in a leafy suburb south west of Brisbane.
I am very lucky to have an actual studio to work from; it’s above a shed in Sumner Park Industrial Area. I refer to it as my “Happy Place” and I enjoy working there without the self-imposed interruptions I would have at home.
There I store most of my fabrics & notions and like most crafters, I am a bit of hoarder…I can honestly say that I never return from an overseas trip without some new material in my suitcase.
I have a large cutting table, another table for my sewing machine & over-locker, ironing board etc, all set up and ready to go at the drop of a pin.
There is also a little display area, where clients can come to view or order custom-made items or just pop in for a chat and a cup of coffee. I am planning on running more Boro/Sashiko inspired workshops there in the near future.
Most of the hand-sewing and embroidery I do from home, whilst “listening” to the TV. There I also have quite an extensive stash of Japanese and Vintage Fabrics, Sashiko Threads etc.
I have worked as a Travel Agent in Australia, South Africa & Switzerland for nearly 30 years. Having always had a passion for crafts, I’ve been sewing, knitting and embroidering since childhood.
I developed a fascination for Japanese Arts & Crafts in my early twenties and am now a qualified Ikebana Teacher.
Having travelled through Japan on a textile tour in December 2018, I learned more about Sashiko and various other embroidery techniques such as Kogin and Chiku Chiku. And of course, stocked up my stash of vintage fabrics and embroidery threads!
I also love working with up-cycled and pre-loved materials such as jeans, hessian coffee bean bags, vintage silk kimono/saris in combination with natural fabrics such as calico, hemp, linen & leather.
I am often found in op-shops, “just to have a look” and then come home with bags full of rescued items. From those I create mainly pouches and larger bags and also dabble a bit in dress making.
I am regularly inspired by things I see on Instagram and Pinterest; there are so many talented makers out there! I love simple yet well designed patterns, that will allow the colour and texture of the material used to be the showcase.
I love to buy handmade items from other makers because they are so much more special than buying a mass-produced item and I feel good knowing that my money is going to support those individuals.
Hand-making items makes me happy and allows me to express my creativity; product numbers are low, ensuring that every single item is unique and allows customers to have their input too.
Besides, rescuing pre-loved pieces of clothing & homewares and turning them into pieces of textile art saves them from going to the tip and creating land-fill.
Visit 4Ever Blue Creations to find more Japanese inspired and upcycled textile art: 4Everbluecreations
