Chris Hough is the creative mind behind Studio 23!
"I design and create my bags, purses, pillows, and accessories using entirely upcycled fabric. I never buy brand new fabric – instead, I salvage and recycle material from clothing, curtains, upholstery samples, and whatever I can get my hands on. Each item is inspired by the scrap at hand and is truly one of a kind!"
What inspired you to start creating your work?
I started sewing about 15 years ago, sort of by chance. At the time, my husband and I were making lampwork glass beads, and jewelry. When we needed some decorative props for our art fair display, I got myself a sewing machine and sewed a few simple things, sparking a new passion. Before long I was cutting up old jeans and cargo pants, repurposing them into purses and bags. That marked the beginning of my upcycling journey and I've stuck with secondhand fabric ever since, discovering plenty of fantastic sources for it.
What do you enjoy most about being an artist?
I love the thrill of exploring thrift stores, vintage shops, and estate sales for interesting materials, and then transforming them into new pieces. I especially enjoy combining unexpected fabric patterns and textures and utilizing raw edges that might otherwise be discarded.
Share one interesting thing about the items you create.
I like to let the fabric inspire what I create. Sometimes I'll go into my sewing studio without a clear plan and just start organizing my stuff. When I find some forgotten fabric it often sparks an idea, and before I know it, I'm making something new.
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