Lauren MacDonald

Lauren MacDonald is a designer, researcher and quiltmaker. Her first non-fiction book, In Pursuit of Color: From Fungi to Fossil Fuels, uncovering the Origins of the World’s Most Famous Dyes (Atelier Editions), was released in July 2023. A second book is under development. She has an MA in Material Culture from UCL and a BSc in Human Ecology from the University of Alberta. Lauren has taught textile-based workshops since 2016, collaborating with: The Institute of Making (UCL), The New Craft House, Selvedge Magazine, Store Projects, Designers on Holiday, Toast, Straw London, Edmonton Public Schools, Sydney Craft Week and Absolute Beginners. 

Describe your approach to teaching
My teaching style is relaxed and encouraging. I have a materials-first approach to anything I make, and that comes through in how I teach. I try to get students to understand what they’re working with so that they can understand how to explore it, manipulate it, and best express themselves through it. 

What inspires your own work? 
I am inspired by the lives of the materials I work with. I’m somewhat sentimental and have been made misty-eyed by more than one worn-out tablecloth. Not entirely unrelated, I find the history of handicrafts inspiring because it feels like a connection to my ancestors, and more broadly as a connection to others in the world today who use their hands to create beauty.