Patchwork
Kathryn Prater
Please tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Kathryn and I am an artist and craftsperson living in Portland, Oregon. I enjoy working in a variety of mediums, but making patchwork quilts and garments is my main focus. I use all repurposed materials, primarily antique and vintage textile scraps that I collect from all over, and have a little to no waste approach to making. My love of old things and my fascination with our relationships to objects influences a lot of what I make. I’m really interested in the companionship that objects can offer and their ability to store memories and tell stories. In addition to making patchwork, I also enjoy working with wood, making wooden spoons and other carved objects, and am currently learning millinery.
What first led you to quilting and patchwork?
Quilting is something that I’ve been around my whole life. My grandma was an avid quilter and some of my earliest memories take place in her sewing room during the summers I spent on my grandparents' ranch as a child. I think my time spent there, with her, is definitely what first led me down a general creative path, but I didn’t actually get into making quilts until later on. I’m a pretty imprecise, unregimented person, so I think for a while I was put off by the idea of cutting lots of perfect little shapes and following these traditional patterns etc. I think exploring the work of the Gee’s Bend Quilters is what made me fall in love with quilts and realise that there are infinite possibilities when it comes to making them.
Could you tell us about your craft and how it has evolved over the years?
I’ve enjoyed crafting and making things my whole life, and my practice has always involved working in a variety of mediums and lots of experimenting. When I was in high school photography was my main interest, but when I moved to Portland and started art school in 2013, I was overwhelmed by the possibilities and started to take all different types of classes. This sort of led to my love of sculpture and textiles which are now my main mediums. Studying fine art opened up a lot of new ideas and approaches for me, but I do feel like it also stunted my creativity a bit, which isn’t uncommon. My thesis involved a lot of the same methods and concepts that I am still interested in, but after graduating in 2017 I felt pretty lost and like the art world just wasn’t something that suited me. Like a lot of others, the start of the pandemic in 2020 is what ended up giving me the time to redevelop my creative practice and start sewing regularly again, and that’s around when I started to make garments from my patchwork the first time.
Can you take us through your process? Do you have a favorite part of the creation process?
My process is very improvisational. I typically start with a large pile of scraps that I’ve collected from various places, and then I just allow the odd shapes and sizes of each to guide how the project comes together. In an effort to create as little waste as possible, I start by picking pieces that will naturally fit together the way they are, and then build upon those rather than cutting anything down. Because I am often working with old and somewhat rare textiles, it is really important to me to use a scrap in its entirety and to showcase the original shape and state that it came to me in. I love watching the patchwork grow as I work, fitting in different pieces, it feels very similar to completing a puzzle or making a collage, other things that I also enjoy.
We know that you are repurposing textiles for your pieces. Can you please share your thoughts on why is so important especially now to design your pieces with circularity in mind?
Working with repurposed materials is something I never really thought twice about. Because so much exists on this planet already, I find it really important to make use of what’s here and available before contributing to the production of new things. There are so many obvious issues with mass production and consumption that it can be really difficult to be sure you’re spending money in a way that aligns with your ethics and that doesn’t support the mistreatment of workers and the environment. I’ve been pretty committed to buying everything I can second-hand since my early teens (or handmade when I can afford it) for that reason. But even with that aside, I simply find old and previously owned items to be far more intriguing and special anyway, so working with new materials has never really appealed to me. I also like that using repurposed materials for quilting is simply staying true to the origins of the craft. Quilts were born from the necessity to stay warm, and were often (and still are) made using pieces of worn out clothing, curtains, etc. That’s what makes the craft interesting and meaningful to me.
How do you feel about working with your hands? Can you tell us more about the impact that it has on your happiness and well-being?
Working with my hands is super crucial to my well-being. I’ve had a lot of social anxiety my entire life, especially as a child, so I think from an early age I learned to find company and comfort in creating. Working with my hands is still sometimes the only way for me to become immersed in something enough to find peace from my thoughts. It is also of course just so gratifying to use and enjoy something that you’ve made yourself.
How do you think we can become better at reclaiming traditions & skills, and respecting people & processes?
Paying attention. Thinking about where things come from. Slowing down, learning skills. Respecting the amount of time that it takes to make something. Caring for the things we have in a way that will extend the life of them. Befriending and learning from older generations. Realising there are alternatives to supporting huge corporations. Putting in the extra effort to purchase something produced locally or on a small scale. Sharing knowledge and techniques with one another. Trading skill for skill with one another. Spending more time appreciating nature and what it provides us with.
What is your greatest ambition now, when it comes to your practice?
I don’t know if I have one great ambition, but I do have many smaller goals that I��m constantly working towards. This year I would love to release a solid collection of wearable pieces, and actually hire people to model them. Showing some of my work in real life, whether that means a pop-up selling the clothing I make, or having a quilt in some sort of art or craft show is also a goal. And I’m always looking to do more collaborations as I feel they push me both socially and creatively.
Where and how can people engage more with your work?
You can find more of my work on my Instagram @kathryn.a.prater or my website kathryn-prater.com
All photos belong to Kathryn
