Clay and Fabric feature & $60 GC GIVEAWAY!

At the last Unique LA show, I met Amanda of Clay and Fabric while looking for some unique gifts.  I just adored her items made of...clay and fabric, of course!  I just love the colors, patterns, and shapes of her pottery and quilts, and for anyone who has something different in mind, she actually does custom work as well!

Now, after all of the eye candy in the pictures below, and the interview so you can get to know Amanda better, she is offering something extra special.  A $60 gift credit to her Etsy shop!  That means that you can peruse her goods and get exactly what you want.  That will definitely be a hard choice for the winner!

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Tell me a little bit about yourself!

I like to call myself a clay and fabric artist.   They are my two favorite mediums.  I have been quilting for over 20 years and doing ceramics for about 10 years and it's only been recently that I combined the two.  I was formally trained as a graphic designer and always had a love of quilting and pottery.   I try to incorporate all three mediums in my work.

Where did the name of your store come from?

Well I love doing quilting and pottery and I wanted to have a name that had both aspects.   I also wanted to leave some room for other new items in the future that may not be quilts or pottery but still made out of clay and fabric.  So I just boiled it down to my base materials and I got my name!


Why did you start making goods for Clay and Fabric?

I've always been making things and I love doing it!  Now I want to share my art with others and make a living out of making things too. I am compelled to craft and make art.  It goes along with being an entrepreneur - making everything I already make wasn't enough, so I went and made a business as well!

What is your favorite item?
I love all my items.  I really don't make things that I do not like.  I do have favorite  projects though.  A favorite clay project was making 100 mugs.  It's a rite of passage in pottery to make 100 of the same thing, sort of like making 1,000 origami cranes.  Getting 100 hand-thrown items to be more or less identical is not easy, and takes a great deal of patience.  A favorite fabric project is a large red and black quilt.  The pattern is curvy, woven shapes with a gradient pattern.  It has about 800 pieces, each uniquely shaped.


What is your most popular item?

My most popular item is my utensil holder with a utensil design.    Everyone seems to be really drawn to them.  I love making useful things and making them beautiful.  This item really showcases my design taste.

Where do you get the inspiration for your work?

I usually think of the function first.  I like useful things.  So far as the design elements, I'm very inspired by nature.  Most of my designs feature plant or animal life.  I'd say there is some Zen influence as well, as my aesthetic is fairly minimal.  I also design sets of things, such as a table runner with matching flatware, so one product might be the inspiration for another.


What makes your store unique?

I haven't found any other clay and fabric artists, although I am sure there out there somewhere.  Everything in my store is an original piece of art, and my art is an expression of myself, so my store would be unique even if there were thousands of clay and fabric artists.

What is the toughest part about making your goods/your artistic process?

There are not too many downsides  for me.   I love thinking up new products, creating products,  and selling them.   Going to shows and meeting my customers is just as fun as sewing a quilt. I even like crunching the numbers and seeing what is doing well and what is not. This helps me create and gives me ideas for new products.  The toughest part for me is finding the time!   My shop is a one woman operation and I work and do everything myself.


Do you take custom orders?

Yes, I take custom orders.  I can almost make anything you desire - as long as it is made out of clay and fabric.     You can look through my shop and see a design you like but you would like it with a different color.    Or you can find a picture online and I can make something similar .  Or we can work together  to make something really unique.  I also work with shops and do wholesale orders.  A custom order usually takes 3 to 4 weeks, depending on the particulars.

Where can I see more of your work and buy a gift?

Website:  www.clayandfabric.com
Store/Etsy:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/ClayandFabric
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ClayandFabric
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/clayandfabric/
Instagram:  @Clayandfabric


Are you going to be at any shows soon, so I can see your work in person and say hello?

Coming up this summer I will be at:

The Renegade Craft Fair Los Angeles July Market pops up this July 26+27 in downtown LA’s Grand Park (200 N. Grand Park Ave.)  (http://www.renegadecraft.com/losangeles-july-market-details)

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I have never quilted before, and after seeing the pretty ones at Clay and Fabric, I have a reason not to...  I can buy a really pretty one from Amanda!  Oh, and of course the ceramics are amazing.  I love them all, so it would be a really hard choice for me to pick just one pattern if I won the giveaway!

Speaking of the giveaway, is someone ready to win an amazing prize?  The winner will get $60 to the Clay and Fabric store to choose any item or items they wish.  Nice!  Enter in the widget below, and...

Good luck!

Clay and Fabric