Frieda Strachan Studio

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Frieda Strachan Studio ARTIST / MAKER / DESIGNER

Scottish artist living and creating in Los Angeles

First cushion commission in a while - a mix of Shape and Spark, I got to work on this a while ago then dragged my heels ...
10/15/2026

First cushion commission in a while - a mix of Shape and Spark, I got to work on this a while ago then dragged my heels after the stress of my green card renewal.

My studio has a shop window, even though it isn't a shop, and I display things in there as if it is a shop (and confuse a lot of passers by who try and come in when Paul and I are working). Was really confused one day when I randomly sold a cushion from there to someone Paul was working with one day, and then they reached out for a second cushion, this time a commission!

If you have ideas, and you want me to make you something, let me know ❤️ Christmas is coming, innit

Did a little indigo tie dye on some cotton swaddle blankets for my pal's new baby.I have some indigo dyed kids clothes c...
10/15/2026

Did a little indigo tie dye on some cotton swaddle blankets for my pal's new baby.

I have some indigo dyed kids clothes coming up on ⚡️GOOD BRAINS WORKSHOP⚡️ this weekend if yir interested too.

Someone very dear to me had a baby, and when I first heard the news I wanted to do a big collaborative quilting project ...
10/15/2026

Someone very dear to me had a baby, and when I first heard the news I wanted to do a big collaborative quilting project with all their pals, then very quickly realised the labour involved for everyone in planning and executing that. I also had never made a quilt, and had just started using my sewing machine. But I'd push on with making it anyway!

Here is my first 'real' quilt - The Hackney Quilter by Lima. Fabrics picked from Remainders Creative Reuse with help from another buddy in Scotland (on FaceTime), and quilted in the most punk DIY haphazard way possible (it's what the bairn would want).

Initially I was so embarrassed of this, because it's so wonky, mistake-covered and maybe a little wild, but I do think it represents the love and admiration I have for this new mother. I persevered, because they would - and they do. They inspire me in many ways, and they inspired me to make a quilt. This will be sent to Scotland tomorrow (FINALLY). I can't wait to see the quinie with it. Hopefully soundtracked by some ska.

First custom cushion in a while! SHAPE with a secret mustard yellow SPARK in there too.Love all the textures! Icelandic ...
09/27/2026

First custom cushion in a while! SHAPE with a secret mustard yellow SPARK in there too.

Love all the textures! Icelandic spun and unspun, vintage Scottish wool (one pick from the Isle of Harris), merino and a neon silk blend. Client made some great choices 😍 The tweed backing is going on tonight and then it'll be off to its new home.

I've been spinning a few project plates over the past couple of month - curtains, rugs, cushions and quilts. And a lot of dye baths in my yard... but with my sticky visa situation, I didn't feel mega inspired until last week. As ever, I'm so grateful for my studio space in the midst of the CHAOS. Come visit me there, maybe I'll make you something.

I loved everything about this experience weaving at LA Tactile Lab over the weekend. Emily is an amazing teacher and I l...
09/14/2026

I loved everything about this experience weaving at LA Tactile Lab over the weekend. Emily is an amazing teacher and I learned so much - take this class!

At the start, I heard Ira tell someone else to focus on getting as much weaving in as possible, which I took to heart, focussing on process and play over how it was going to look... but I love how my wee sampler looks! Oranges, pinks and yellows and of course a dash of vintage Scottish yarn (it felt/looked like flax?!) and woolly neutrals. I don't know why I ever expected this to be a 'restrictive' form of weaving - there is so so much to play around with!

I went straight to my studio and immediately threaded to my own baby wolf before I forget what I learned. I can't wait.

Had the most special day at LA Tactile Lab with Emily for the first part of my intensive weaving weekend - an amazing bi...
09/12/2026

Had the most special day at LA Tactile Lab with Emily for the first part of my intensive weaving weekend - an amazing birthday gift from dood. Swipe through to see my day in reverse. Tomorrow it's weaving time and I cannot wait to pick my weft colours and see how they play out on my loom. It was also very cool to see Hailey Ruffner woven piece as an example when going through the basics 😍

Since moving to LA I've really struggled to find confidence in my practice, confidence in who I am generally, I suppose - especially when the dream was to rely on my work for financial income in the same ways I did in Scotland. It's been a wee struggle to find the joy in making anything. But this year, after officially closing my business, I've really enjoyed doing wee creative things for myself, for my house and with other folks (shout out to everyone who partook in my housewarming dye bath!). Today felt VERY exciting!

I've had the most stressful, anxious and sad month - but it's finally looking like things are going in the right direction, and this was the perfect start to a cosy wee birthday week. I've had a bigger version of this loom sitting in my studio for a while now, and after our roof fell in and covered it in water, it's sat untouched, but I can't wait to use it now 🥰

Made an indigo dye pot, dunked my clothes in, and now I match the sky.This was originally beige lounge wear from asos (m...
08/13/2026

Made an indigo dye pot, dunked my clothes in, and now I match the sky.

This was originally beige lounge wear from asos (my bad) that I bought during the covid lockdown in 2020. I loved it, but hated the colour and Paul offered to dye it at SUAY SEW SHOP the first time I visited him. I chose a lilac dye at their original Frogtown location. It's been almost 5 years since I dyed it now, and it felt like time for another revamp, but I still wanted to keep some of the Suay colour too. I think it looks great.

I love nature, I love dyeing and learning new things - and having dood not mind when I make a mess in our garden. More to come - I obviously used to indigo to colour some random fabric pieces from Remainders Creative Reuse too!

Got a big pile of grey and olive fabric pieces to make more curtains and coverings with, and have dried out some marigol...
08/05/2026

Got a big pile of grey and olive fabric pieces to make more curtains and coverings with, and have dried out some marigolds to make dye too. But then, of COURSE I screwed up my back somehow (truly no idea, but it's BAD) and I haven't been able to make anything with them and now my sister arrives on Thursday. Sigh. Life, eh?

I ran out of the vintage kimono silk that I somehow acquired for $30 at a flea market, and unless something vintage or second hand crosses my path like that again, it'll be plant textiles from remainders for the foreseeable!

If you know much about planting a dye garden, let me and dood know because he built the raised bed you can see in the background and need ideas.

Life lately has been good, spent with folk I love, and I'm really trying to make my house in Pasadena feel like a home. ...
08/01/2026

Life lately has been good, spent with folk I love, and I'm really trying to make my house in Pasadena feel like a home. Family and friends have visited, and on Thursday my best friend Kiki (Christine, my sister) arrives. How lucky I am!

I've filled as much of my time with the loves of my life as I can. Art rules, animals rule, my family rules, my friends rule, and my new haircut rules. You likely rule if you made it here - thank you ❤️

Mam and Doug came to LA with a week's notice and just left the city today. A really happy whirlwind where I tried to fit...
07/18/2026

Mam and Doug came to LA with a week's notice and just left the city today. A really happy whirlwind where I tried to fit as much STUFF as I could into the two weeks the were here. And of COURSE that included showing Doug how to dye using onion skins.

We went to the PCC flea together and I bought this table cloth (I think that's what it is?) and decided to dye it as a wee bed or sofa cover. It's now the perfect olive green. Here are also a couple of photos from all over the place. I never thought Doug would ever visit me n Paul, so I'm overwhelmed the two of them were here. Off to get real sad for a while, but then I'll remember that my sister, Christine, gets here in 3 weeks. I'm very lucky this Summer!

The song isn't actually a comment on them, we just love it! 😅

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Los Angeles, CA
90031

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