Meet Jan Mullen

North Fremantle, Western Australia

Photos by Bewley Shaylor

I am thrilled at the opportunity to share Jan Mullen’s story with you.  I love her methods and the carefree dynamics of her quilts…not to mention all the wonderful, bright, fun fabric that she has designed!!  Jan offers some wonderful insight into the world of quilting.  Enjoy…


Hi Jan.  When did you start quilting? 

I have had my business, Stargazey Quilts for ten years.  I was quilting for about four or five years before that.

 

Why did you start quilting?

I have always made things. Textiles have dominated my creative life. I wanted quilts as a decorator item for my kids’ beds when we moved into a big old house. Making them was a given. After a few quilts and a bit more knowledge I was hooked.

 

Do other people in your family quilt? 

No, but almost all the females on my mum’s side have stitched in one form or another. Australia doesn’t have a quilting tradition but it has a very strong embroidery base.

 

Tell me about your family.  What do they think about your quilting?

Husband Ben, kids:  Brodie 23, Keelan 21, Miffy 19.

They all happily accept what I do, enjoy keeping warm under the quilts, especially on the couch watching TV. They also love the chance to travel with me, but miss the effort I used to put into home cooked meals. 
I know they are proud of my achievements.

 

Where do you live?

I live in Australia. On the west coast – in Perth, the most isolated city in the world.   My studio is close to the beach – although I rarely get there! I cross the river on the way to the studio – idyllic for a city I think. The community in Fremantle is very tolerant and supportive of artists.

 

What were your favorite arts and crafts projects as a child?

I did a bit of everything but shone with textiles. I have a piece of weaving that I did when very young. I have my first bit of free machine embroidery. I drew a bit, I stitched my clothes…Jack of all trades – it wasn’t until I started quilting that I really settled to one discipline.

 

Did you study art in college?  

Yes.  I have a bachelor of education (art /craft) majoring in Textiles/sculpture. So I am qualified to teach high school art – although I never wanted that as a career. When I was studying I was teaching local hobby courses in ceramics – I loved teaching interested students what they wanted to learn.

 

Tell me about your business.

I am self employed in the Quilt Industry. Through my business, Stargazey Quilts, I design patterns, write books, design fabric, and teach…All pieces in the pie to try to gain a reasonable income.

 

What other hobbies do you have besides quilting? 

I have no time or interest in hobbies as such. Work and travel take up a big part of my life. Family, cooking, and running a house take up most of the rest. I do love to read – novels when I travel, magazines (food, home dec mostly) when I am home. Ben and I see a movie every Monday night (our ‘date’). I have a full life, always learning and doing, never bored.

What inspires you creatively? 

Inspiration strikes in all places and often. I have a few ‘channels’ in my brain to take inspiration from appropriate sources.  I will see some art, say a stone sculpture – what connects with me may be the form of it, the line, a decorative detail, the stance, the color of the aging stone, its setting, the play of light or the juxtaposition of it and it’s audience…. One of these sparks will connect with fabric design, or help in designing a new quilt block….Or the shape with inspire some appliqué, or taking a photo of it I may print on fabric and embellish etc….

 

Whose quilts inspire you?  Why?

Old primitive quilts.  Some contemporary ones.  Nothing predictable, just whatever tugs at me or gets me thinking about technique, design or color.

 

Do you own any antique quilts?  Where did they come from?

Yes, the USA. Mostly bought whilst at Quilt market or Quilt Festival…Mostly scrungy old tops (silks, satins and wools). My preference is for either the primitive or the worn out and unwanted.   The quilts that I own have a ‘soul’. I had to buy them to give them a revered life!

 

What is your favorite part of the quilting process?

No favorite part – I like quilting because it has a variety of processes. It keeps me interested and challenged. Just when I begin to get bored with one process it is time to move on to the next.  I finish all of my work quilts and work them quickly and to a deadline – again, hard to tire of them.

Do you quilt your own projects?  By hand or machine? 

Yes, by machine. When I started, I quilted by hand – loved the process and the look and feel. Machine quilting is different, but I can do things that I can’t with hand quilting.

Do you enjoy machine quilting?

Love it. Also love hand quilting but I rarely have the time.

Has quilting taught you any lessons of life?  Please share.

I have learnt a lot about my self and others in my quilting life. The good part of teaching is that the good in everyone is constantly reinforced. Most people I meet are wonderful and well meaning – others tend to become good if treated with respect.

 

Do you belong to a guild or quilting group? 

I am not an active member of a group. I don’t have time first and foremost.  I used to, but working in the industry does have the downside of always being on the job…

My regular students have become ‘my group’. I regard studio classes as special – I can give students a lot more info and access to other processes and materials. I can develop and nurture them.

How has your quilting changed over the years?

It has gotten a bit freer, less square block orientated. Using my own fabrics almost exclusively has changed my outlook.

What is your favorite color?

Mmmmmmm, it varies! I love wearing black. Red inspires, blue calms, then there are all the others – couldn’t live without any of them. I am known for my use of brights, but all palettes have the possibility to excite me.




Tell me about your favorite fabrics.  Do you ever hand-dye your fabric?

Jan Mullen fabrics for Marcus Brothers naturally!

I haven’t dyed fabric for years but am tempted of late to buy a very big printer and do interesting pieces for my own personal use….If only I could afford the time and money!

Has quilting ever helped you through a time of struggle or heartache?  Can you share about that?

I did an art quilt once – my first official one in fact – doing it rid my brain of some personal angst. Very rare for me, I’m usually pretty cruisy, so if I fill with angst again I would consider quilting it out.

Do you hand piece or hand quilt any of your work?  Tell me what you like about this process.

Yes. I like to have some handwork to sit with at night. I keep my hands busy whilst being with the family or sitting in hotel rooms. I like that it is a different discipline, the stitching has a softer feel and has a different look.

I encourage those that don’t hand stitch to work my way and enjoy it. I don’t work to templates or strict looks. Many students attracted to my machine work can be successfully introduced to hand stitching – my reverse appliqué book has helped sway a lot of stitchers.

Do you collect certain types of fabrics, quilting tools, gadgets, or supplies?

Not of late. I have a great collection of all types of fabrics and rarely buy more. Tools and gadgets – don’t rely on them just the best quality notions and equipment I can buy. My work doesn’t need anything fancy.  Good knowledge, good use of basic tools and knowledge of self is better than gadgets.

Have you developed any special quilting techniques or products?

Yes, my business revolves around these. My work comes from a rule breaking mentality but is a safe and easy way to free up.

Have you ever entered a quilt show?  How was that experience?

Yes, but not for a long time. No time or interest in that at the moment.

I have won prizes and have had rejections.  I feel like judging should be more transparent – that criteria should be available to view, even judging comments on quilts. ‘Why did this quilt beat the next one?’  ‘Why was my quilt rejected?’ Entrants and the public could do with the education that it would give.

Judging and selection processes are potentially wonderful though!

Do you use any tools to achieve a ¼” seam allowance? 

My techniques don’t rely on perfectly measured stitching just straight stitching – it is amazing how that frees people.

Do you have any tips or advice for beginners? 

Learn from the best. I see so many that have learnt from friends, who have learnt from friends…. Whilst this isn’t bad, often basic skills and understanding of process aren’t learnt. Ironically in my free and crooked classes I tend to take some students back to the basics….

Do you have any suggestions for quilters who are trying to fit more quilting time into their day? 

Clear a space or spaces that you can access in a wink – machine set up, project pieces cut and labeled, basket of hand work by the TV etc.

Small pieces of time will add up.

Thanks for sharing so openly with us Jan!  We love what you're doing.  Keep it up!!

For more info about Jan’s teaching schedule, patterns, books, fabric, etc. visit her website:

www.stargazey.com

So who do you want for the next Real Women Quilt Featured Quilter?!!  I'm always open to your suggestions.  and let me know.


We are working on loading all the past Featured Quilters into our Featured Quilter Archive....sort of like our own little Hall of Fame!! 

Featured Quilter Achives!!