TTD Spring Play Day

Hello and welcome to the January newsletter, I hope you all enjoyed a good break over Christmas and are all settling back into work. In this month’s newsletter we have brought our January sales to you, with some fabulous bargains to be had at The Textile Directory bookstore. We also have a very interesting account of one artist’s experiences of an Artist In Residency in Japan, as well as news of an award winning textile design company in Dorset. Don’t forget that time is running out for you to apply to join us at our Spring Play Day at the VSM headquarters in Redditch, read on for details of how to apply. Everybody at The Textile Directory would like to wish you a very happy new year.

Best Wishes Sara

The Textile Directory Bookstore January Sales

Now that Christmas is over we’re sure that you are just like us and are down on the high street looking for the bargains in the January Sales. Well, here at The Textile Directory we have decided to bring our sales to you, with a look at the discounted books that are currently available on our bookstore.

Tassel Making

By Anna Crutchley

WAS £9.99 Now £5.00 with free UK delivery

The art of passementerie made simple with 40 original projects with step by step photographic instruction including lavish curtain tie-backs, decorative light pulls, simple key tassels and natural-look tassels made out of jute.

To buy this book please click here

Essential Crochet

By Erika Knight

WAS £20.00 Now £10.00 with free UK delivery

Essential Crochet brings this craft right up to date whilst retaining its characteristic qualities. Divided into five chapters - Basic, Timeless, Contemporary, Heirloom and Vintage - the thirty projects embrace both modern and traditional designs. They range from a basic patchwork throw made from individual motifs to a crisp white filet crochet cushion with timeless appeal and a contemporary table mat made from pearlised wire.

To buy this book please click here

Free Expression

By Robbi Joy Eklow

WAS £17.99 Now £12.59 with free UK delivery

The Goddess of the Last Minute shares her art quilt techniques. Chapters include fused applique process, free-motion quilting techniques, innovative finishing techniques, and dyeing your own fabrics. You too can create award winning art quilts without an art degree or even knowing how to draw. Includes eight patterns of Robbi's popular quilts.

To buy this book please click here

Thread Magic

By Ellen Anne Eddy

WAS £19.99 Now £14.99 with free UK delivery

A compendium showcasing the art as well as the sewing machine techniques used in the nature inspired art quilt work of Ellen Anne Eddy.

To buy this book please click here

Creative Quilting

By Karey Bresenham

WAS £20.00 Now £14.00 with free UK delivery

A compendium of more than 400 quilts culled from the nearly 6000 Quilt Pages made by 918 artists who have participated in The Journal Quilt Project displayed at the International Quilt Festival. Each quilt shown represents a page in a quilter's life story, chronicling joy, frustration, tragedy, inspiration, mundane moments, artistic epiphany - and every event and emotion in between. This book will inspire anyone with an interest in quilting to experiment and explore their own creative abilities.

To buy this book please click here

To browse through our complete range of books available please visit

www.thetextiledirectorybookstore.com

A selection of pieces Jane produced during her time in Japan

My Experiences As An Artist In Residence In Japan

By Jane Clowes

In September 2007 I left England to spend three months on an Artist in Residence program in Mino, one of the most famous locations for paper production in Japan. Every year five artists worldwide are chosen from hundreds of applicants to take part in this project, which aims to continue the tradition of Mino washi paper by inviting artists from all artistic disciplines to create works using the Mino washi. Being a textile artist I was fascinated with the fabric-like qualities of this very fibrous paper and was interested in taking the paper beyond a flat existence and creating more textured and sculptural pieces.

I first heard about this exciting opportunity through the J-AIR website. I applied to the project in April 2007 and was informed of the selection committee’s decision in June 2007. I would not have been able to undertake this unique opportunity without the vital financial support that I received, primarily from the Arts Council England, Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Leek Town Council and Wedgwood. I am also very grateful to Westwood College who had the foresight to see the potential benefits that this opportunity could bring and gave me a three-month secondment from my teaching post.

While in Japan I was lucky enough to visit Arimatsu, the birthplace of Shibori, a traditional textile technique similar to tie-dyeing. I was able to meet the artisans at the shibori centre and was deeply inspired by this intricate art form. This then heavily inspired my paper creations and I began treating the paper like a fabric and creating paper shibori. I wanted to work with everyday objects that were specific to Japanese culture and I chose to use chopsticks. I wrapped over two thousand chopsticks to create the piece, Made in Japan, which is the size of a tatami mat - a traditional Japanese flooring material and a measure by which rooms were sized. I wanted the pieces to speak quietly about their own beauty so I decided not to add colour and left the qualities of the wonderful paper to speak for themselves. To further enhance the pieces I used light boxes for display, which again brought out the delicate qualities of the paper.

For me the combination of learning new skills and the opportunity to experiment with paper creations, while being totally immersed in Japanese culture was the perfect combination for the production of innovative and original artwork.

My work is on display at The Washi Paper Museum, Mino Japan, until 21 January or can be viewed at www.janeclowes.com

Maggie Stearn

Maggie Stearn is a textile artist from Dunstable, Bedfordshire who specialises in hand-dyed, hand-woven silk textiles, scarves, shawls and cushions. Maggie also sells a range of kits for you to have a go at producing something yourself. We spoke to Maggie to find out more.

Can you tell us more about the products you make?

I mostly produce silk scarves, shawls and cushions, making additions or adaptations to follow a fashion trend whenever practical or possible. For example, two years ago I wove fabric for ponchos because they were fashionable at the time. I use colour for the most part rather than fancy weaves, which could distract from the dying techniques used. The weight of silk I use cannot be obtained in this country ready-dyed and so I dye my own fibre and yarns to produce a greater variety of colours in the amount needed for each project, only dying stock colours such as black, navy and wine red in larger quantities. Whenever possible I include my own hand-dyed, hand-spun yarn for texture and weave effect. Often I use a warp painting technique, which produces extra colours when the dyes blend over a short length or warp or fibre. Each item is designed individually on and/or off the loom, meaning that no two items are alike. Good quality hand finishing is important to me when making each item. They are all machine-washed in the ‘finishing‘ process to ensure colourfastness and the advantage that a customer can launder without the cost of dry cleaning.

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I am working on some woven wall panels with themes from nature, sea and skyscapes, woodlands etc., as well as some different colour and weave effects.

Who are what are the main influences behind your work?

My work is influenced by the beautiful way silk takes on dye, its natural sheen and the way colours have an effect on each other when combined or placed next to each other. Inspiration comes from nature as well as other people’s artwork, whether it is textile or not.

Where can we see examples of your work?

People can come and see my work at quality craft shows around Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and southwest London. Our local guild is also having an exhibition at Bromham Mill, Bedfordshire this summer.

What are your aims for the year ahead?

This year I need to get a website online and find better ways of merchandising. Craft fairs are time consuming, expensive and very hit and miss as far as sales go. The fees can eat up a large proportion of money from sales with little profit/earnings for what is a very labour intensive craft, although they do enable one to meet ‘the buying public’ face to face and provide a means of testing reactions to new products.

If you would like more information about Maggie’s work please visit www.mini-webs.com/maggiestearn or email maggiestearn@hotmail.com

I'm looking for...

Kemmy has been in touch with us as she is looking for some material that has stuffing between its inner and outer layer. Does anyone stock this fabric or know where Kemmy can purchase some? If so please email details to me at admin@thetextiledirectory.com and I will pass them on to her.

Craftspace and VSM pick up one of their awards

Correction

In the December issue of the newsletter we told you about the Jaguar Awards for Arts & Business that Craftspace and VSM had won for a textile project they were running together. Due to a mix-up of information, the article reported that the awards were won for a project taking place with The Project Group, while it was actually with a group of students from Birmingham City University. Craftspace and VSM will be working with The Project Group for the first time in February, and as promised we will bring you more news of this in the March Newsletter.

Diary Dates

For more information about any of the events listed please click here.