My name is Cosima Sophia Augustin-Malloy. I was born in America, my family is from Germany, but I have lived in Ireland for most of my life.

Here in Ireland, we have so many sheep and every time I see one, I’m so happy, I could squeal with joy. I love the textile fiber wool and have always spun wool by hand with my spinning wheel at home. I have been a crafty person, doing a bit of knitting, crocheting, and also delving into the silk painting process.

For two years in a row, I worked as an assistant in an arts summer camp for children, teaching and helping with various arts including silk painting, batik, pottery, tie-dye etc.

In 2016 I took part in the Junk Koutur competition, where I made my garment ‘Adonis Blue’ entirely out of recycled materials. I became one of the four regional winners/finalists, which meant I got to go on the Late Late Show and showcase my design at the Cannes Film Festival. I also won a bursary for Limerick School of Art and Design.

I have completed two evening courses, one for Sewing Skills on a sewing machine and one for Pattern Cutting, where I’ve learned to construct a pattern for a garment and alter it if needed. So, from a 2D paper pattern to a 3D fabric garment.

I am currently studying Fashion & Textiles for Product & Costume at the Limerick School of Art and Design, TUS (Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest).

Here at my Fashion and Textiles design course we learn many different textile manipulation techniques like weaving, knitting, all sorts of embroidery stitches, felting, macrame and many more. We work on different projects every semester and therefore practice various textile techniques.

In 2021 we participated in the ‘Keep Well’ project ‘Design a Collar, Ruff, or Cuffs’ in partnership with the DCCI competition, and my collar was part of the exhibition at the Dublin Castle.

As a member of the Textile Journey Group, I participated in the International Felt Stained Glass Exhibition | Group Exhibition at the Pearse Museum in Dublin. This exhibition was an opportunity for the Textile Journey group to showcase stained glass creations in all types of textiles. This exhibition went on to Vienna in Austria.

Since 2021 I have also been working summers at the McKernan Woollen Mills in Co. Clare.

What I really like about textiles is that you always create new things. For example, you can create a fabric out of yarn and then alter this fabric by either embroidering or dyeing it, cut it and re-assemble it back together in a patchwork or quilt on it. There are just so many possibilities as you can mix different textile techniques and with every combination, something new emerges. With this abundance of options to work with in the medium of textiles, so many techniques can be learned.