My studio, the home of Kata Golda, is nestled snugly in the small, mossy seaside town of Port Townsend, Washington. Much of the inspiration for my work comes from the subtle details in the natural world, where nothing is straight and nothing is perfect. I try to begin each day with a walk in the woods or time in my dye garden. The flow of my day shifts between the repetitive production of filling orders, scheming and sketching new ideas for my line, dyeing fabric, and stitching something simply for pleasure. The rhythm of my creative endeavors is punctuated by domestic arts— cooking, gardening, mending, and keeping a tidy and organized space. I find that chores clear my head, structure my day, and focus my craft. I love the sense of order and accomplishment from a thoughtfully planned routine. I almost always have a hand-bound journal and sharp pencil within reach. It is a practice that I started over twenty years ago to make space for my artistic, wandering ideas while keeping my methodical mind at peace. 

My dye practice intimately connects me to the seasons and to this beautiful land. The routine of making a garden plan, starting seeds in the greenhouse, nurturing seedlings, harvesting blooms, drying and organizing baskets full of flowers, and putting the garden to bed after a frost brings me immeasurable joy. Creating dye pots with the bounty is a trial of color mixing, over-dyeing, and careful observation. Sometimes the result is a vibrant color surprise, often the outcome is a shade of yellow, and every single time I learn something new. Coaxing color from plants is grounding and humbling. It is easy to get lost in sorting my fabric rainbow, making sure each piece is tagged with its unique recipe, and dreaming up ways to stitch with all the plant-dyed goodness.

I come from a long lineage of resourceful, creative and artistic women. I grew up surrounded by busy hands and vibrant colors. I spent many childhood days in my mother’s knitting, cross-stitch and needlepoint shop, The Strawberry Patch. I was drawn in by the possibility of color and the simple joy of making, so I too kept busy hands. Kata and Golda were my great grandmothers who laid the foundation for handwork in my family. My grandmother and my mother continued the thread with their profound talent – I have never met anyone as talented as my mother in the realm of knitting, needlepoint and cross-stitch. As a result, my life has also been one steeped in art and craft: my coping tools and my great joys in life come from making things – just like the women before me. I am a passionate learner and am mostly self-taught through observation and modeling. This desire to create has led me on a wandering path rooted in handcraft where I have spent time as a professional custom quilter, a book binder, and ultimately starting Kata Golda. In 1999, inspired by the color and texture of hand-dyed wool felt, I started making toys for my baby girl. As she grew and began to draw, I made her first sketchbook, decorated with a hand-stitched felt teddy bear and adorned with her name. It became the forerunner of the Kata Golda collection.

One of the things I love about making a living from crafting is the joy and satisfaction I feel from making something just right. I create slowly and with intention. The things I make take time. I am reminded each day just how important it is to pay attention to the little details. I will jot down a note to remind myself of a good word, draw a picture to keep a shape and eventually these parts take form in a project idea. When I pay attention and take note, my life is rich. As I seek out new ways to challenge myself and grow as a person and as an artist, my collection also changes, expands, and matures. I find immense joy in sharing my love of hand work with others through free sewing tutorials, DIY kits, and carefully curated bundles of plant-dyed fabrics. Taking the time to slow down and make something with your hands using quality materials is such a gift, and I feel so lucky to do this work.

Special thanks goes to the people that help make Kata Golda possible: Botanical Colors, Galadriel Nichols, Frank White, Joy Kaplan, and Joanna Camp.