Open University free courses

Textiles from Ghana

This is another of the really interesting courses you can do on the Open university website. This one is only 4 hours to complete. Looks fascinating. I might actually do it myself rather that just blogging about it!

Click here to check it out.

Ordsall Hall Research

I have finally started researching some images for use in the Ordsall Hall piece. And I came across this really useful resource run by the Open University. Its called Open Learn and its full of small units of their courses which you can access for free. 

The image above came from a unit called "Picturing the Family" and it shows some kids from Lynton Street, Ordsall, Salford.

Go to www.openlearn.open.ac.uk or try clicking here.

Picturing the Family is a fascinating insight into photographic portraiture, but there are loads more mini courses on the website.

Woman's Hour discuss the new embroidery

I missed this last week and only just got round to listening to it on the web.

Have a listen here. Jenni Murray discusses embroidery with Lynn Setterington and Louise Gardiner. Louise does a machine stitched portrait of Jenni on air. Brilliant. (Well you can't see it obviously but I just like the sound of the sewing machine!)

the image above shows Louise in her studio. Have a look at her website for some examples of her work at www.lougardiner.co.uk 

Below is an example of Lynn Setterington's work. She uses quilting and hand embroidery often to get across a message or issue.

Knitting and Stitching Show

I visited the Knitting and Stitching Show on friday and thought I would share some of my favourite things. I don't normally like the K&S show much, (too many people, rubbish catering!) but I thought there was some interesting work on show this year, including mine ha ha. and I got talking to a few people which was nice.

SUSIE VICKERY

I loved Susie's work which uses stitch and print to tell the stories of tailors. I'm not sure this image does it justice really, so you'll just have to go to the show and have a look!

I did not take any photographs at the show so go to the website.

www.susievickery.com

PLACE SETTINGS

One of my most favourite things at the show was a stand by Alice Kettle and Helen Felcey called Place Settings. It was a combination of stitch work by Alice and Ceramics by Helen. 

I loved the combinations of the beautiful marks made by the stitch and the placed ceramic vessels and spoons. The machine sewn marks reminded me of CyTwombly's paintings, it was a kind of domestication of Twombly. 

Alice Kettle's website is lovely and has some very large images on it so you can really explore the details. 

ROANNA WELLS

Roanna showed some amazing hand-stitched drawings reminiscent of foggy landscapes.

She also did a little demonstration of her technique which was very generous of her and drew a fascinated crowd round her cramped space.

This photo shows you the overall effect but if you want to see the work in more detail she has a beautiful website, look here.

LISA CONNOLLY

I also like Lisa's work which is stitched drawings but with quite a nice sort of wobbly line and lots of knotty areas of black thread which gave the work a kind of inky and blotchy look.

Have a look at Lisa's blog its really interesting about her experiences as a designer just emerging from college. click here.

Loads more to mention but I'll come back to them!

More 100% Design

Here is part 2 of my favourite textile designers from 100% Design. 

First off is Timorous Beasties from Glasgow. I have loved their stuff for years when they just did screen printing now they have a wonderful collection of digitally printed linens.

Next we have Tactile Wonderland and some lovely printed and laser cut wallpaper and silks.

Margo Selby has a collaboration with People Will Always Need Plates. With a collection of cushions featuring images of Trellick Tower, an example of brutalist architecture in London.

Lastly (for now anyway) we have Annette Taylor Adams of ATA Designs with some fabulous wallpapers and fabrics featuring her dogitally printed photographic designs. This below is her New York Collection.

100% Design

I went to the 100% Design show at Earls Court in London this weekend and thought I would share with you some of my favourite textile designers. 

So in no particular order first off is Charlene Mullen who's actual stand I completely missed which is very annoying as I love her work. This is a cushion with a black stitch work drawing.I think you can see why I might like this!  Go to www.charlenemullen.com for more.

There was quite a bit of interesting wallpaper on show from simple drawings like these by Dupenny with a fabulous 50's sauciness, to more textured lasercuts and slick digitally printed ones.

You can see more of Dupenny's work at www.dupenny.com

Ayme Fitzgerald showed some amazing digital prints on wallpaper. (see below)

Have a look here for the complete range www.aymefitzgerald.co.uk

Where you will a fantastic surreal jungle world of zebra's and exotic foliage.

Puff and Flock are a very interesting group of 8 textile designers who are really pushing the boundaries of what textile design can be and do. With work exploring such things as magnetic felt and woven light. Have a look at their website at www.puffandflock.com for more information.

The image below is of Jenny Leary's magnetic felt designs. Her website www.ferrofabric.com is very interesting.

These are just some of the designers whose work I liked there are loads more and I'll add them to the blog as and when time allows. So keep checking back.

Waiting for the 7-23 to Victoria

Its that time of year when the Knitting and Stitching show comes to town. Well 3 towns anyway.

Namely London, Dublin and Harrogate.

I've got 3 pieces in it. One as part of the Pfaff Embroidery challenge (see above, if you click on the picture you can see the bigger version, its clearer.) and 2 as part of the Art of the Stitch which is showing there as well.

Have a look on the Twisted Thread website for more information.