Hello and welcome to the February edition of the HotHive Textiles newsletter. We hope you have all recovered from the snow that has been battering us for the past few weeks and are looking forward to spring!

This month we have some great creative kits to help you celebrate St David’s Day, an opportunity for you to ask advice from marketing and branding specialist Angi Egan alongside some great giveaways and special offers.

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)

Get your business back on track with our brand and marketing expert
	HotHive Textiles has teamed up with Angi Egan, one of the leading authors from our sister company HotHive Books, to help our readers solve all their branding and marketing issues We regularly speak to designer-makers up and down the country and when we ask them what they find most challenging about running their own business we are always met with the same response: “getting people to see my work and ultimately make enough sales from it” We know that many of you find it difficult to establish successful businesses, particularly when trying to balance this with finding time to make and sample new products Having less time to spend on the marketing and promotion of your business means it is even more important that you get it right so that it works for you Take me to the Full Article

Special offer for all HotHive Textiles Readers…
	Val Holmes’ fabulous new book Textile Art Textile 1 is due for publication next month and Val is offering all HotHive Textiles readers 10% off if you order before the publication date of March 12th Textile art and creative embroidery are becoming increasingly popular and there are more and more books on the subject constantly exploring new techniques, materials and products But we tend to forget that beginners also need to know the things that are so often taken for granted New experimental books open the horizons for many who are already well on the road to successful textile work, but can also close doors for those who feel left behind In this book Val Holmes sets out a course to follow or individual chapters on different techniques for those who wish to know more about those areas This book includes tried and tested techniques that help beginners with their first successful results The methods are clearly explained, and further experiments are suggested so you can gradually find your own pathway enjoying and creating in textile media and embroidery 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

New books added to HotHive Textiles Bookstore

We have been adding lots of new books to our bookstore in the last month and here are our pick of the bunch…

	Twenty to Make Eco-Friendly Knits using Recycled Plastic Bags £499 This book shows you that knitting while recycling is not only useful but funky and fun! There’s something for every age group, and the only limit is your imagination Take me to the Full Article

Warming the cold balls of Haarlem
	This week Netherlands-based artist Connie Lene got in touch with HotHive Textiles to show us some pictures of her knitted graffiti, which we couldn’t resist sharing with you Danish born Connie, who was brought up in New Zealand, has been knitting since the 1950s and when out on a cold winter’s day in her home town of Haarlem, she saw something in much need of one of her warm hats Connie explains, “I was wandering around town with my best beloved on a freezing, bitter, bleak and cold day and saw all the magnificent balls lining the side of the Grote Markt the big town square of Haarlem I started viewing my environment with the thought of how could I artistically enhance it however temporarily” Take me to the Full Article

The history of Ruskin Linen and Lace
	By Jenny Lewis In her latest article for HotHive Textiles, Jenny Lewis has been looking into the wonderful world of Ruskin lace Some instructions for working Ruskin lace would look more appropriate in a gardening manual — "Plot the centre unit so that the petals will not touch the bugs"! If this sounds strange, then stranger still is the history of local lace making The techniques which combine three ancient crafts, namely drawn thread work, cut work and needlepoint lace, are probably as old as the Coniston hills surrounding its birthplace Take me to the Full Article

Get creative for St Davids Day

With St David’s Day coming up next month we have put together a few of our favourite Welsh themed kits to get your creative juices flowing…

	Daffodil Brooch £795 What could say St David’s Day better than this gorgeous daffodil broach – guaranteed to make it feel like spring even if there is still snow lying on the ground! Take me to the Full Article

Stash scraps can help to keep disadvantaged children warm
	Injabulo wwwinjabulocom are looking for knitters to knit hats, gloves and scarves to help to keep children in South Africa with FASD Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder warm in their coming winter Although South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere and traditionally considered a “hot” country; winters can be very harsh and cold, especially when your home is just a shack For many years Injabulo has raised funds for ‘Pebbles Project’ and sponsors two children through crèche and pre-school However, they are now seeking your help to do more Take me to the Full Article

Gemma Buxton: an interview
	This month HotHive Textiles have been catching up with textile artist Gemma Buxton, who has been telling us more about her work… Can you tell us about the textiles you create I make bags, cushions and rugs in upcycled felted wool, using ‘raw edge’ appliqué to construct a decorative surface I started making the rugs first as baby play-mats and then carried the technique and designs over into smaller items I’m now reversing the process and designing some much larger work to give my ideas more space Take me to the Full Article

Giveaway
	This month we have a great giveaway courtesy of textile artist Gemma Buxton (you can read more about her above). Gemma has kindly given us one of her gorgeous felt purses to give away – this one features a cute tortoise on a purple background. For your chance to win simply email textiles@thehothive.com with ‘tortoise’ in the subject line. Good luck! Congratulations go to Mrs Smith from Swindon, who was the lucky winner of the button heart offered in last month’s newsletter. Since we featured tea for two creator Sarah Daly last month she has set up her own Folksy shop, you can visit her at http://folksy.com/shops/teafortwo

Get Plastered, Plaster, Print and Stitch
	Get Plastered, Plaster, Print and Stitch By Maggie Smith Published by: Roundtuit Publishing ISBN:978-1-904499-29-9 Price: £8.00 Reviewed by Kerry Miller This is a book that shows you how to step away from the 'perfect image' and create fantastic art work, the likes of which I would normally associate with a design students' portfolio. I would never have imagined that you could combine plaster of paris with a sewing machine/hand stitching to come up with the strikingly unique examples the author has produced. This book shows the reader just how easy it is to create really eye-catching pieces that could be displayed as pictures, wrapped around books as covers or even sold as designer products! Get Plastered is not a "definitive guide to the techniques featured, but a starting point with some sign posts on the way to other possibilities!" Click here to purchase

Diary Dates
15 January - 27 February 2010	Beware of Embroidery - PM Gallery, the extension to architect Sir John Soanes home, Pitzhanger Manor, Ealing, West London
18 January-22 March 2010	Taking Time: Craft and the Slow Revolution - Dovecot Studios (Innovative Craft), 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT
23 January-18 April 2010	Through the Eye of a Needle - Pickford House, 41 Friar Gate, Derby DE1 1DA
1-26 February 2010	Quiltfest 2010 - TBC (check www.quiltfest.org.uk for details)
25-27 February 2010	Stitch & Creative Crafts Show - ExCel, Dockland
1 March-31 May 2010	Arthouse Gallery Textile exhibition - Arthouse Gallery, Sittingbourne, Kent
21 March 2010	The London Vintage Fashion, Textiles & Accessories - Hammersmith Town Hall, King Street, London, W6

Word 4 Word Design and Publishing, Suite 8, King Charles Court, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 4RF
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