"The Denim Quilt", 2021
Kancan Denim, Vintage Sheet, Dye Quilt, Stitching, Sewing.
"How can I take these materials and make the most simple, most graphic image without too many bells and whistles"
- Malka Dubrawsky
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Malka, now the owner of “A stitch in dye” started off as a print maker after graduating from the University of Texas with her bachelor degree of fine arts in print making. In her early career she spent most of her time drawing and print making including lithographs. It wasn’t till later down the road she made her way into textile art after seeing some of the drawings she had made that reminded her of textiles. Having no experience sewing or much experience with textiles whatsoever, she was eager to learn and was very intrigued by fabrics and textiles which led her into dying fabrics and patterning techniques. Little did she know her interest in textile art would bring her journey all over the textile world from designing fabric for fabric companies or quilts intended for galleries. Her journey has even led her to writing books for people to learn how to recreate the designs she’s made and she also offers classes and workshops.
MEANING OF DENIM
For Malka, denim or jeans in that sense was this image of the ultimate cool thing growing up. Malka’s family were immigrants including herself and jeans and denim were outside the norm of what they were used to. For her, denim was this entry point into American culture as a kid. Malka explains how textiles are such a big part of who we are and it was a huge staple point of entering into a new culture. The great thing about denim is that it’s comfortable, casual, welcoming, and it made her embracing the everyday American culture all the easier and had a big influence on where her journey has led her to today.
"[Denim] was this image of the ultimate cool thing"- Malka Dubrawsky
ABOUT THE WORK
Malka’s Kancan X Artists piece is titled “The Denim Quilt. Its design is inspired by the traditional log cabin pattern but in her own interpretation by upscaling the pattern and doing it in a new fresh way. The quilt was made with elements she already had on hand as that is part of Malka’s “ethos” to use up what you got. In this art piece “The Denim Quilt”, she wanted to use up as much of the denim as possible. After using up all the denim she could, she also wanted to add some sort of sentimental quality that she’s altered in some way. On the back of the quilt and one side of the binding she implemented a vintage sheet that once belonged at her parents’ house that she over dyed into a mustard color. During the Pandemic she and her brother have gone through her parents’ home while they have been at a nursing home and this sheet was one of the items she brought back with her. Malka wanted to incorporate this sheet into this quilt somehow and we are so glad she did as it makes this art piece all the more beautiful getting to have a real piece of Malka’s history sewn into it really bringing out the sentimental energy behind this piece.
"When I think about making a new piece, I want to delete all the extraneous and just focus on what absolutely needs to be there"
- Malka Dubrawsky
Website: https://www.stitchindye.com/
Instagram: @stitchindye