Mimeograph machines or stencil duplicators were low-cost duplicating technologies developed in the late 19th century. Cheaper than traditional printing at the time it allowed individuals and small groups to print and circulate their own materials. Paper based stencils could be easily prepared on a typewriter but did degrade during use. The fanzines that my husband wrote and published thirty years ago were littered with ink filled closed letterforms like ‘b’, ‘d’ etc.  

More durable stencils could also be made using a thermal process – these old thermofax machines have been adopted by textile artists, myself included, as the stencil can be used to add fine line, detail and text to fabric. Stencil is the typeface used on this quilt.  

This piece is one of four small quilts in my Print series that were part of my solo exhibition at Festival of Quilts in 2019. The quilt is supplied with top and bottom hanging sleves.