TextileArts news and re:views

"Art, Nature, Creativity, Life" is a new online book by Virginia A. Spiegel, available now with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the American Cancer Society.

"Art, Nature, Creativity, Life" is full of essays; art, art, and more art; recommended books for artists, nature lovers, gardeners and other creative types; over 80 inspirational photos; more than 35 haikus, and much more. The nineteen chapters are greatly expanded versions of the best issues of Virginia Spiegel's e-newsletter of the same name.

You can find ordering information, reviews, and more information about the online book, and a sample chapter, on Virginia Spiegel's web site.

A new venture by artists Linda Kemshall, Laura Kemshall and Catherine Nicholls, thr3fold is subtitled 'the journal of creative vision'. Issue 1 of the journal will be launched at Ironbridge on Sunday 3 June 2007 - admission by advance ticket only. Linda, Laura and Catherine will be exhibiting nine new quilts and other works, demonstrating techniques featured in the first journal and giving a lecture.

Filled with inspirational articles, projects and information the journals cover a broad spectrum of creative subjects including quilting, drawing, painting, printing, embroidery, knitting and collage. Each journal consists of a 52 page book gloriously illustrated in full colour and a CD packed with further information including printable patterns, copyright free images and video demonstrations.

You can preorder Issue 1 on the thr3fold website, or from the DesignMatters store, where there's a preview of another exciting goodie from Linda and Laura Kemshall, their new book The Painted Quilt, due out in August.

March 23rd sees the publication of a new book - Mark Making - about the embroidery of Tilleke Schwarz. The book 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.

Mark Making is published by Ter Burg (editor of the Dutch Textile magazine Textiel Plus). It's a 72 page softback, written in English, with some parts also translated into Dutch. Priced at 15 euros (postage and packing is extra), the book can be ordered from Tilleke Schwarz - contact her on or visit www.tillekeschwarz.com.

A major exhibition of Tilleke Schwarz's work will be shown in the UK in autumn 2007 at the Knitting and Stitching Shows in London, Birmingham, Dublin and Harrogate, and Mark Making will also be on sale, if you can bear to wait! More information at www.twistedthread.com, where the new book will also be available to order soon.