Hello and welcome to the October issue of the HotHive Textiles newsletter. It is that time of year again where most of you are busy preparing for the autumn shows, so we hope any of you attending have a fantastic time.

Here in the HotHive Textiles offices we have received details of several new opportunities for artists and designers to sell their work, so anyone looking for new channels of promotion should read on below! We have also had a call from our old friend Holly Edwards, who many of you will remember from her time here at HotHive Textiles. She has recently met up with a group of keen entrepreneurs who are setting up a new company and are appealing for makers to help them out. More information on this can be found further on in the newsletter.

Textile art has also hit the airways this month with the launch of Talking Threads, a new 10-part TV series that explores the delights of fabric art, through the experience of respected artists. There are more details below on this too!

Don’t forget to keep in touch with the team here at HotHive Textiles to tell us what you’re up to as we may well be able to feature you. We are always open to suggestions for stories and articles to publish on the website and have lots of opportunities for artists, designers and makers to sell their books, DVDs and kits through us – so do get in touch! We can be reached at the usual places – by email at textiles@thehothive.com or by telephone on 01386 760406. We look forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes
Sara
Editor of HotHive Textiles (www.hothivetextiles.com)

Textile art to be showcased on TV
	A new 10 part TV series dedicated to textile art is now showing on Sky channel 171, in a great new initiative to promote textile art Talking Threads, a new ten part series co-produced by the Country Channel and Colouricious, explores the delights of fabric art, through the experience of respected artists Each episode features a renowned artist, with demonstrations, interviews and an exclusive look into their portfolios Featured artists include Jill Kennedy, Myfanwy Hart, Fay Maxwell, Kim Thittichai, Linda Miller, Di Wells, Gilda Baron, Angie Hughes and Anne Griffiths Take me to the Full Article

New opportunity for skilled makers to sell their work
	Calling all keen makers! Would you like to make money working where and when suits you, to make and help design fabulous items that people actually need I have recently received an email from Holly Edwards, a friend of mine who you may remember from her time here at HotHive Textiles, as she has joined forces with a group of keen entrepreneurs based around Cambridge and London who are trying to set up a business that aims to turn mass production on its head Their watchwords are ethics and sustainability, an alternative to sweatshop mass production Their company, WeFab, is launching soon and they are looking for skilled makers for example in sewing, knitting, jewellery, etc who care about sustainability and want to take part The company are creating a virtual shop which links individual consumers with makers, so that people know exactly where and by whom their items are being produced Take me to the Full Article

Join our textile community

Take a listing in HotHive Textiles to get in touch with the textile community and be sure your work will be seen by the people who matter!

A basic listing in the directory is absolutely free and there are some fantastic low-cost packages available for those of you who would like to promote your business even more.

To list yourself today please click here or for more information give us a call on 01386 760406

Japanese themed kits now available!
	HotHive Textiles are very excited to announce that we have teamed up with Yorkshire based company Japanese Crafts to bring you some fabulous Japanese themed kits to try your hand at Included in the range are Japanese padded mirrors, a traditional gift in Japan; a great kit to help you learn the craft of Kumihimo braiding; and a gorgeous beaded ornament that will look great on your tree this Christmas! You can see the full range of kits here Take me to the Full Article

Coming soon! The HotHive Textiles guide to getting ahead in the industry
	Here at HotHive Textiles we have a large following of students and one of the many problems they face as they near completion of their degree is what to do with it afterwards We have spoken to students from across the country, who have told us that for many of them completing their degree and their end of year show leaves them unsure of what the future will hold Even if they do have a career path in mind there is no guarantee that they will find a job or, indeed, that they will like the work if they are successful in securing employment With this in mind we have been speaking to industry experts across a whole range of textile art and fashion fields to find out what their roles really entail – from the hours they work, the perks of the job, the challenges and of course how they managed to get there in the first place Take me to the Full Article

Exhibition opportunity for all textile artists and craftspeople
	The Oad Street Centre in Sittingbourne, Kent is renowned for its fabulous textile exhibitions featuring work by top textile artists and crafts people from across the country They are now appealing for submissions for their next textile exhibition, which is taking place in the Arthouse Gallery within the Oad Street Centre from March to May next year If you specialise in textile art, batik, embroidery, stump work, bead work, silk painting, silkscreen onto fabric, felt work, quilt making, weaving or any other textile craft then this could be a great opportunity to exhibit your work For more details please contact Jacky at the ArtHouse Gallery on 01795 842244 or email info@arthousegallerycouk Take me to the Full Article

Unusual wedding dresses: your stories

Here at HotHive Textiles we recently read an article in one of the daily papers about a lady who had made her own wedding dress using wool from her sheep This got us thinking about other unusual wedding dresses out there and so we decided to ask our readers to tell us their wedding dress stories

You replied in your hundreds and we read great stories both from designers who had stumbled across a great idea and created a unique wedding dress and from brides who wanted to share the story behind the dress they wore on their special day We couldn’t possibly share all the stories we were told, but here are a few of our favourites:

	Michelle Aitken Take me to the Full Article

Christmas craft fair opportunity
	Farncombe Estate Centre will be holding a Christmas Craft Fair on Sunday 22 November, providing artists and designers with a great opportunity to display and sell unique handmade Christmas gifts The fair will be open from 1030-330 and artists can take a table for just £20 for the whole day, with no commission charges To book your place at the fair, please download an application form here Take me to the Full Article

Map of textile museums in the UK revealed
	We have just received a great resource from Textile Artist Liz Plummer, who has created a Google map of all the textile-related museums in the UK Liz says, “I started it because I always used to spend hours looking online for such museums before a holiday, and I thought I would put them all in one place! They are not all dedicated textile museums: some are folk museums with a large element of interesting textile information and/or demonstrations I haven’t visited half of them yet but I hope to do so!” If you have visited any other museums that had a focus on textiles that could be added to Liz’s map she would love to hear from you, you can contact her from the link on her blog To visit Liz’s blog and see her map, please click here Take me to the Full Article

Giveaway
	This month we have a gorgeous Japanese padded mirror kit to giveaway, courtesy of Katie at Japanese Crafts. Padded mirrors are a traditional gift in Japan and all Japanese ladies have at least one � and now you can join them! To enter simply email your name and address to textiles@thehothive.com with �mirror� in the subject line. Good luck! We would also like to congratulate Sue Pritchard from Maidstone who is the lucky winner of �20 worth of books from our bookstore, as offered in last month�s newsletter. If you weren�t the lucky winner but would like to treat yourself to something you can visit us at www.hothivetextilesbookstore.com

DIY Embroidery
	By Victoria Macleod Published by Roundtuit Publishing ISBN: 978-1-904499-28-2 Price: �8 Reviewed by Annette Johnson This book is about using things that can be purchased in DIY shops for embroidery. There are sections covering the use of bits and pieces such as washers, nuts and tile spacers; �threads� such as cords cables and tubing; paints, both domestic and specialist (I had never heard of webbing spray); paper and card; stencils and wallpaper. Victoria assumes that the reader has a working knowledge of embroidery techniques and does not give step-by-step instructions for projects but introduces the reader to the delights that can be found in unexpected places. It gives the reader useful information about how the things can be used. There are good photographs of samples that have been made in each section, plus a gallery of work that has been made using DIY materials. The book has lots of ideas that could inspire readers wishing to be more adventurous in their choice of materials. It would suit people who like to see ideas to gain inspiration.� At the end of the book there are some suggestions for greeting cards. This is a small but attractive book of 20 pages. Click here to purchase

Diary Dates
5-17 October 2009	Dreams & Nightmares In Textiles: By Rosina Godwin - West End Centre, Queens Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 3JD
6 October 2009-26 February 2010	Natural Fibres: A World Heritage - University of Leeds International Textiles Archive, St. Wilfreds Chapel, Maurice Keyworth Building, Moorland Road, Leeds LS2 9JT
6 October 2009-26 February 2010	75 Years of Stitching in Yorkshire: Celebrating the establishment of the Embroiderers� Guild Yorkshire Branch at Leeds 1934-2009 - University of Leeds International Textiles Archive, St. Wilfred's Chapel, Maurice Keyworth Building, Moorland Road, Leeds LS2 9JT
7-31 October 2009	09 at The Grand - The Grand Theatre Art Gallery, Swansea, S.Wales
17 October 2009-4 January 2010	Taking Time: Craft and the Slow Revolution - Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Waterhall, Birmingham B3 3DH
17-18 October 2009	Seven Strands Textile Exhibition - Hambleden Village Hall, Nr Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
21 October-8 November 2009	Concrete, Steel, Cloth - The Robert Phillips Gallery, Riverhouse, Manor Road, Walton on Thames, Surrey, KT12 2PF
22-25 October 2009	Crafts for Scotland - SECC, Glasgow
29 October-1 November 2009	The Knitting and Stitching Show - RDS, Dublin
30 October-1 November 2009	The Malvern Autumn Quilt festival 2009 - Severn Exhibition hall, Three Counties Showground, malvern, WR13 6NW
30-31 October 2009	Textiles in Sussex - Lewes Town Hall, High Street, Lewes, East Sussex
4-5 November 2009	'Christmas with Conviction� exhibition and sale - Notting Hill Gate�s 20th Century Theatre, 291 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2QA
5-8 November 2009	Crafts for Christmas � Birmingham NEC
6-8 November 2009	The Chilford Autumn Quilt Festival 2009 - Chilford Hall Vineyard, Linton, Cambridge, CB21 4LE
7-8 November 2009	Oxton Art Fair - Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Road, Birkenhead CH43 4UE

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