From scraps to sculpture with Phong Chi Lai

Show Notes

Takeaways from this episode:

• A quilt doesn't have to stay flat.

  Phong’s soft sculptures and patchwork chairs playfully stretch the boundaries of quilting, exploring what happens when comfort, memory and form meet in three dimensions. What other shapes might your materials want to take?

• Intuition and planning go hand in hand.

  While his patchwork process is spontaneous, Phong’s work is grounded in years of design thinking, handcraft, and technical understanding. The result? Pieces that feel whimsical – but are deeply considered.

• Old textiles carry silent stories.

  Phong finds richness in stains, loose threads and worn hems. Whether sourced from op shops or personal history, these materials are more than just sustainable – they’re soulful.

• Being a maker is about doing the work, not just dreaming it.

  Phong calls himself a maker rather than an artist or designer, valuing the act of bringing ideas to life with his hands. What could shift if you focused more on the making and less on the label?

• There’s power in restraint and resourcefulness.

  From crumb quilting with thread-ends to reworking placemats into quilts, Phong embraces creative limitations. “Resourcefulness,” he says, “is a very, very strong creative driver.”

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Explore the artwork from this episode below

During the live interview, we shared some images of Phong’s artwork. Since you’re listening to the podcast version, we’ve made these images available for you below.