Surface Design Association

After I had received the invitation to join the TAFA-list last fall I finally decided to do something I had been meaning to do for quite a while: I joined SDA, the Surface Design Association.

I had heard a lot of praise about their journal, and as my decision to join SAQA a little more than two years ago definitely had a boosting effect on my work, I thought “who knows, might happen here, too”.

Now, so far I would definitely not consider myself an accomplished “surface designer”. I am a good hand-quilter, though sometimes struggling to adapt hand-quilting to modern design quilts. I am working on my machine quilting. I still haven’t done any screen-printing (though I am planning to, once Ste. Marie is over). So far, I do a little bit of additional stitching beyond quilting, and am planning to do a lot more of that.

Shapes 3  (2012), detail.
Surface design is slowly showing up in my work...

I have only theoretically done any folding or pleating or manipulating of fabric (though, again, I am planning to for the future). But good things take time.

When I received the first copy of SDA’s journal I was thrilled to see all the interesting things reported on. And when I had finished reading, I felt humbled. Indeed, I am still pretty far from being an accomplished surface designer. But one can learn, and that I intend to do.