Weekly Featured Artist - Mandi of shulamite

This weeks 'Featured Artist' is the talented Mandi of shulamite, Mandi writes in her shop profile "We aim to produce unique, deluxe designs that you wouldn't be able to find at your average local mall, and we hope you like our style!" and you can be sure of that. Take a look through the great selection of Mandi's items at www.shulamite.etsy.com.

Tell us all about yourself and your craft?
shulamite is a combined craft project by myself, Mandi Apple Collingridge (36) and my mom, Pauline Tweedy (60), both stay-at-home moms. It really started out a couple of years ago when I became interested in sewing, but I was a complete newbie, so we began to work together, with me learning her long-term seamstressing skills directly from her.

Because of my interest in Asian culture (I also run a website, Snowblood Apple (http://www.snowbloodapple.com) specialising in reviews of East Asian cult "extreme" movies), much of what we create is highly influenced by the arts and crafts of Asia. I've taught myself how to sew sashiko (Japanese traditional quilt embroidering style), and we use a lot of Asian materials, such as vintage kimono and obi silks.

Also, due to my deep love of Japanese street fashion (mostly wearing gothic lolita or himegyaru on an everyday basis), a great deal of our work is Victoriana and lolita-influenced. Most of our work is a kind of fusion between traditional Japanese crafts, modern Japanese street style and Victorian fashion and elements.

How long have you been creating your craft?
I am a relative newcomer to sewing and crafting - I started only a couple of years ago. My mom has been a seamstress all of her life and always made me beautiful clothes when I was a little girl, I wish I could persuade her to make me some more now! Her mother was a professional seamstress, and so these skills have been passed down through the womenfolk of our family for several generations.

I certainly intend to teach whatever I've learned to my daughter - she's only 4 at the time of writing this interview, so I will have to wait a bit for that!


What is one of the biggest lesson you have learnt about your craft & selling it?
I'm learning that you never stop learning your craft! I have also learned that creating something constructive and wearable that you find beautiful is one of the most satisfying feelings on earth!
As for selling our work, I never think about that element: I just hope that people enjoy our creations as much as we enjoy creating them!

Which of your items did you have the most fun creating & why?
I don't think I can personally single out one item to be honest! I love making the Japanese/Victorian kimono silk cuffs best because I'm a total fabric-o-holic, I adore searching for gorgeous vintage and antique silks and laces and I always end up buying the best I can find and spending way too much money on them *lol*


Do you have any training in your craft?
Only from my mom and also my mother-in-law, who has a degree in fine art and textiles, and who was formerly an art teacher. She has taught me so much about creative embroidery and so many techniques and skills, it's been amazing to learn from two incredibly talented women.

Is there a basic ‘household’ item you use when creating that seems to work just as good if not better than the actual ‘tool’?
Can't think of anything, sorry! I guess with sewing you don't really have much choice but to use a needle and thread *lol*


What is your favourite candy bar & why?
My all-time favourite is Fry's Turkish Delight. Can you get that in the US? It is seriously yummy! [Ed. - you can find it in the US at World Market stores.]

If money, responsibilities, and time were no issues where in the great wide world would you go & why?
Hmmm, good question! I would love one day to go back to Iceland - it is such a stunningly beautiful country, the landscape is breathtakingly beautiful and the people are so friendly, it is such a unique place to visit - I originally went there on my honeymoon! (Yes, I know it's a strange venue for a honeymoon but my husband doesn't like hot weather *lol*)