We interview Hazel Monte
Stitching storyteller, teacher and avid blogger Hazel Monte invites us into her ‘little blue house’ to tell us all about her creative life
Hazel Monte’s online journal Handstories is one of our favourite places to hang out on the web. Hazel blogs about her sewing projects and how they reflect her moods, musings and memories, as well as daily life in her cosy Seattle home. We chatted to her about her sewing journey and what inspires her today…
Can you tell us a bit about your home life and whereabouts you live in Seattle?
Seattle is full of inspiration, it’s so green, with many beautiful parks and gardens, and I love being close to the water, mountains and forests.
We’ve been in our 1909 home, just outside of downtown, for 25 years. In it you’ll find my husband, our 16 – and 20-year-old sons – lots of baseball equipment (theirs), books (ours), plenty of cloth (mine), Twinkle the cat and me.
Our home is a cosy very lived-in space, but that does not always equal roomy! There are shelves, boxes and baskets piled with cloth scattered around the house. I usually stitch by the living room window where there is the most light. While I’ll be sad once the boys move out, the silver lining will be claiming one of their bedrooms!
Where do you get your creativity?
Growing up I was a dabbler in many crafts, and very involved in theatre, writing and art. Quilting, knitting, hand-spinning and a little embroidery were my focus for a long time.
It was just about ten years ago that I discovered the work of Jude Hill, who blogs [about storytelling and textile art] as Spirit Cloth. Her approach spoke to me in a way I’d never felt before. I joined one of her online classes – Jude and the community she gathered were very welcoming and encouraging. Everything about my making began to evolve from there.
What do you love about stitching?
Texture and time. The tactile experience of cloth – how soft and comfy it is, and the memories each scrap can hold, the textures of different fabrics melting together into one as the thread pulls through the cloth, stitch by stitch. And how slow it can all be, allowing plenty of time for each piece’s story to grow. The pace of the process is so centring.
Your writing about your work expresses a lot of feelings…
Yes. Sometimes a piece is a reflection of what’s going on, others might be memories, or a wishing for how things might be.
Connection is at the centre of everything for me. I think my work and writings are first about connecting with myself, trying to see and understand where I am/came from/want to be… When a post or piece touches something personal for a reader or customer, it’s a gift to me, deepening the whole experience knowing that we’ve shared something kindred.
Do the materials come first, or your ideas?
It usually starts with a scrap that catches my eye. The colour or shape bring a bit of story to mind, and it all grows from there. I rarely know how a cloth might turn out at the beginning. The surprise of each piece is part of the wonder for me.
How does your work impact on your art?
There have been many roles in my 25-plus years of teaching – classrooms, theatre, art, librarian… I had thought I might be done a few years ago, but one thing led to another and now I’m a part-time support teacher in an elementary art room.
It’s been a really good change. Being able to spend time with children, making art, sharing stories, and feeling that I’m doing some good in my community, without all of the responsibilities of being in charge, has given me so much more time and mental space to explore my own creativity.
Can you tell us a little more about Grandma Blanche?
Grandma Blanche was quite a character! She was a small-town bartender, who spent her off hours crocheting zig-zag afghans and embroidering in her purpletrimmed trailer home. She taught me the embroidery stitches that I still use – cross stitch, outline, daisies, French knots. Her last gift to me was a quilt covered with cross-stitched figures of trees, deer and houses.
What are you working on now?
For the shop, there are winter scenes that hold daydreams of starlit forests, snow and ice, night-time sea journeys and cosy homes.
As for family makings, there are always big plans, and too little time! My youngest son always gets a laugh out of my cloths with critters, so I’m working on a stuffed animal version made from an old recycled and felted wool blanket. And there are two quilts in the works for the boys.
Connection is at the centre of everything for me. I think my work and writings are first about connecting with myself