Sally COLLINS
« … avid champion of ‘Make Do and Mend’ culture Sally Collins creates her pieces from second-hand fabrics such as crochet and lace, heat treated copper and gold-plated elements to create compositions of layered pattern, colour and form. With a playful emphasis on excess detailing and frills Sally’s sometimes eccentric designs add to the charm of her work making her a much loved designer. Of her work Sally says: “My concern is not only with the ecological benefits of re-using and re-inventing something old, discarded or forgotten, but with the beauty of the history of an object when it has been passed down through a family or transformed into something else for another purpose.” » (Amelia’s Magazine)
« Working from my beautiful little workshop nestled at the bottom of my garden in the West Midlands, I create colourful and tactile jewellery pieces from a combination of precious and non- precious metals and recycled textile elements.
Not only exploring issues of recycling and sustainabilty, my work considers issues of ornamentation and the concept of the ‘superfrilly’; the emphasis is on excess detailing and frills, taking pleasure in unusual or abundant combinations of fabric and texture. Every piece is meticulously handmade and completely unique.
I also work as a lecturer on the BA (hons) degree in Jewellery and Silversmithing at Birmingham’s School of Jewellery. »
« My collection ‘Make Do And Mend’, is a range of earrings, rings, brooches, neckpieces and bodypieces inspired by a domestic approach to recycling and sustainabilty. I combine sewing, knitting and crochet with traditional jewellery making skills to create tactile and colourful pieces of contemporary jewellery.
Hand pierced elements in sterling silver, gold- plated sterling silver or copper and patinated metals are layered with recycled pieces of fabric, reknitted unravelled jumpers and frilly clusters of crochet.
‘Make Do And Mend’ comprises of a range of large ‘statement’ body pieces and brooches designed more for exhibition purposes, alongside a more wearable and accessible range of brooches, necklaces and earrings. »
Sally COLLINS – ‘Hybrid 3′ body piece
Sally COLLINS – collection ‘Make Do And Mend’, small scale brooches
Sally COLLINS – collection ‘Make Do And Mend’ – ‘Florry’ necklace
Sally COLLINS – collection ‘Make Do And Mend’ – ‘Doily’ necklace
Sally COLLINS – Silver ‘Reknitted’ (large scale) brooch