TextileArts news and re:views

A new concept in textile kits has been launched by "Squidgy stuff" called ‘course in a box’.

They sell a series of beginners' kits in patchwork, embroidery and appliqué, which contain four separate projects and a whole wealth of techniques. The ‘course in a box’ is aimed at beginners from teenage to pensioners and each one comes in two different colourways. To complement the new range of kits, “Squidgy stuff” has also launched a range of ‘kits in a bag’ suitable for 8 years old and upwards so the aim is to inspire young and old to get started and learn a new skill.

To celebrate the launch of the new site during February and March 2009 there is a special buy 2 get 1 free offer - buy any 2 kits (adults' or children's) and they will despatch a 3rd children's kit to you for free. The free kit will be a lucky dip from the children's kits range.

Squidgy stuff also sell a range of country living inspired home accessories and gifts designed by textile artists and handcrafted along with a selection of vintage, shabby and chic gifts.

The International Fiber Collaborative project for 2008-2009 is Interdependence. Participants will create a full-sized tree for display in April 2009 at Big Springs International Park in Huntsville, Alabama. The idea is to symbolise the interdependence of of different elements of society - family units, communities, and countries, much as the leaves and roots of a tree are interdependent, and neither can survive without the other.

Participants from around the world are invited to create leaves using fibre or fibre techniques to contribute to the creation of the tree. Submissions may relate to interdependence in a social, economical, political, ecological, or geographical way. In total, up to 30,000 leaves may be used.

The application deadline is March 15, 2009.

For more information and to download an application form, visit the International Fiber Collaborative web site.

Job opportunities for textile artists - get involved with the River and Cloth project in the London Borough of Merton. Foir more information see the Embroiderers' Guild web site.

Deadline 12th January 2009

Embloggery is a fascinating project - seeking, in artist Nicole Wolfersberger's words

"to examine the implications of the fact that we now have the ability to disseminate widely something written very quickly, to a potentially very large audience"

Each entry in the blog is a digital image of a hand embroidered diary entry. The first post, what/why, raises questions about how and what we communicate in this age of instantaneous interaction. Forming a stitch, clicking 'publish' on a blog, the actions of the hand and the mind, the relationships and tensions between the physical and the digital, are some of the themes Nicole is exploring. She invites readers to journey with the blog and comment and critique, and to follow the images to her Flickr pages, where they include notes and links which contribute to the overall piece.

Found via Paula Hewitt of The Beauty of Life, with thanks.

The Manchester Craft Mafia are holding a Christmas Market at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, on 13th and 14th December 2008, where you can "peruse a delectable range of contemporary textile and paper based handmade gifts".

More info on their web site.

The folks at Art Van Go have recently started a blog - http://artvango.blogspot.com/, with workshop reports, information and tales of what goes on behind the scenes at 'the studios' in Knebworth, and when they're out and about on the road. It's a good read with some luscious images of textiles from their workshops and exhibitions.

WelshArtNow (WAN) is a new quarterly art magazine that discusses art with a Welsh connection. WAN will ride on the crest of positive change and the sense of optimism that defines modern Wales; there would not seem a better time to launch a new and dynamic cultural arts magazine. The magazine will feature a wide range of contemporary Welsh and is also interested in the rich and varied history of Wales and its people. And as well as talking about art the magazine will showcase original art in a magazine format.

"WAN is a friendly lively read, our ambition is to 'open' up art to a much wider range of people. We believe that the key to this is quite simply the need to talk about art. WAN is a talk shop for art; many voices expressing a range of opinions. Traditionally art magazines are seen as being hard going/ inaccessible, intended only for those already familiar with the discourse of art. Why should it be that way? We would like to see people talking about art in the same way as they might of a TV programme or a piece of music."

The first issue, out now, focuses on drawing and is available from the magazine web site and at a variety of stockists including Borders Bookshops. For more information visit www.welshartnow.co.uk.

Issue 5 of Fibre & Stitch, the online mixed media magazine, is now out - into its second year and as full of great articles as ever.

Everyone will have their own favourites - I enjoyed Terri Stegmiller's 'Quilt First, Paint Second' - which always seems very brave to me! - and as I own lots of felting needles but no embellisher, I was pleased to see an article by Sonja Lee-Austin and Ann M Lee about needlefelting without an embellisher, with information about fibres, tools and techniques.

I have a little collection of cards featuring Ton Schulten's colour-filled work, so Margaret Roberts' bag project inspired by his work was a delight (even though no-one checked how to spell his name!). Liz Berg explores the technique of hand carving rubber stamps and her examples are great - lots of ideas to to take away. I was also very interested in Elis Cooke's custom casting moulds made from polymer clay.

Cas Holmes is an artist whose work I have admired for many years, and it was fascinating to read more about her methods and her motivations in 'Beneath the Surface', with lots of lovely images.

I've picked out the articles that most appealed to me, but there is as much again that I haven't mentioned: so many projects and techniques to explore.

Fibre & Stitch is available online at fibreandstitch.com. There is also a generous selection of free projects on the site, which give a taste of the magazine itself.

The book - Mark Making - covers 20 years of Tilleke's work in full colour photography, with an introductory essay by Dr Jessica Hemmings, focusing on the content of the work. The book has been quite successful and the first edition has sold out.

A second and updated edition has recently been published by Ter Burg (editor of the Dutch Textile magazine Textiel Plus). It's a 72 page softback, written in English, with most parts also translated into Dutch. The book is rather popular and a second and updated edition is priced at 17.5 euros (postage and packing is extra), the book can be ordered from Tilleke Schwarz - contact her on or visit www.tillekeschwarz.com.

A new exhibition by Sleaford Embroiderers in the Roof Gallery at the

Hub
National Centre for Crafts and Design
Navigation Wharf
Sleaford
NG34 7TW

www.thehubcentre.info

4 - 7 September 2008
10am - 5pm

Sleaford Embroiderers, established in 1986, are a group of 25 creative embroiderers who enjoy working with both modern and traditional techniques, from precise and exacting pieces such as goldwork and silk shading to innovative designs of modern progressive textiles including paper and bookmaking, feltmaking, metalwork, etc.

In addition to the waterfront inspired pieces, the exhibition will also include other pieces of new work.