Message from Jean....
Hello to all the quillers on this new Australian forum. Karon has asked me to supply a bit of a profile on myself and how and why I quill as I do.
I was born at Tamworth NSW, eldest of 3 children. Raised in various suburbs of Sydney by our Dad who ran his industrial design business from home. Left home at 16 with full time job. Married at 20, had 2 daughters, divorced at 23. Our whole family left Sydney in 1977, moving to North Dorrigo in the mountains behind Coffs Harbour. We bought a Country General Store and Post Office. Remarried at 30, divorced at 30. given 6 grandchildren. Remarried (IAN) at 40 (third time lucky). Now in 2010, 3 great grand children.
I have always been a craft interested person. My family and friends had hand made gifts on all important occasions. I believe that what ever I do, I will do it to the best of my ability. This has given me a lot of joy in my life.
I learnt about quilling around 1993 when Ian's aunty from a retirement village in Queensland called to see us at the factory where we lived in the 1 room - staff room.
Aunt Elsie had been a sewing and craft teacher before retirement. She was eager to share with me this new carft she had just discovered called QUILLING!
Her description of quilling went like this:'You take a strip of paper, stick it through the eye of a cut off needle and then twist it around and stick the end.' I was interested to find out more. Next morning I headed into our local craft shop purchased a $5.00 American quilling book and a $2.50 needle eye tool. Over the following weeks I experiemented with strips of paper I cut from the edges and ends of flyers(junk mail). When all family and friends got quilled Christmas cards that year I knew I was HOOKED. I did buy a few more quilling books but eventually got tired of other peoples patterns, so I started to create my own.
For a short time I sold my cards at a Sunday Market table next to my in-laws banana and orchid stand. A small table with 2 chairs. 2 chairs as I
often had a student to teach. Most of my cards were of Australian native flowers as I realised that many of them worked extremely well in quilling. I was showing a friend of ours the cards and she suggested that I should write a book on how to do them. Other people would love to make them too.
It took 6 months to cut and measure every strip, what shape to quill and how to construct the whole pattern. Next step was to find a publisher. To the local book shop to find an Australian publisher of craft books. There were 2, 1 in Sydney and one in Tasmania. 2 letters were sent off the next day. Then I waited, perparing myself for rejection slips. Within 3 days I received a phone call from Kangaroo Press in Sydney. 'Send me your manuscript please, we are interested.' I was STUNNED to say the least. I found out later that getting non fiction printed is a lot easier than fiction. After letters and bundles of papers back and forth, photographs of finished pieces, proof reading checks and the all important contract signed, the book was sent to print. This full process took 12 months. As the author I would receive 10% of recommended retail price which was to be $19.95. I would receive $1.95 per book. 3000 books were printed in early December 1995 and sold out in 3 weeks and the book was reprinted. Royalities are paid every 6 months, until books are all sold.
I can still remember the excitement when receiving a post office card telling me there was a parcel waiting for me to pick up. I knew it was the advance copies of my very first book. The butterflys in my tummy were fluttering so hard when I drove into the post office. I actually had the shakes when I picked up the brown paper covered parcel. Very carefully I unwrapped it layer at a time. The smell of fresh ink was wonderful. Just holding my first commercial book against my heart, I was almost in tears. I had often dreamed of being a published author as I have written children stories since I was a child. My dream had come true but not in the field of choice, it didn't matter. This was a great moment in my life.
I think this might be a good start for my quilling life story.
Will continue at a later time.
Yours in Quilling
Jean Woolston-Hamey
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