Contemporary basketry
Making a basket is probably the oldest weaving method that goes back thousands of years. Young branches and strong grasses were used to make small handy baskets for hunting, fishing, carrying, and More »
Fabrics for Fashion: Part 1
Without fabric there would be no fashion. Whether woven, knitted, printed, embroidered or bejewelled, textiles are crucial to the eloquence of apparel and fundamental to the fashion design process. We are presenting More »
Rosalind Wyatt: Text and Textile
The versatility of textiles and the wide spectrum of usage of fabrics and threads are enormous. Rosalind Wyatt, London based visual artist and calligrapher is well aware of it and use it More »
Paulina Bartnik’s embroidered brooches
Paulina Bartnik is a Polish textile artist based in Lublin. Her work amazes equally art lovers, textile crafters and bird enthusiasts. She creates beautifully detailed bird brooches using techniques of needle felting and More »
Patchwork Noticeboard
Here is an interesting project on how to make a decorative patchwork noticeboard for your kitchen or study, or children’s room. You can try to make the kind of patchwork that you would like to own on a number of occasions. But not the simple machined squares; you can go for other shapes, too. Also, you can cheat. Paper can be just effective as chintz or flannel scraps. Try to make it – it’s a real fun!
Reinventing Furniture
Buying old furniture sometimes requires a leap of the imagination to see the potential of an item rather than what it is now. As long as it’s not a rare antique or a valuable family heirloom, getting your sleeves rolled up and putting your stamp on a piece to make it work in your vintage scheme is a fantastic experience. Creating something with your very own hands can’t be underestimated. Here are some ideas for how to do it.
The Tapestry Artist Urban Jupena
Urban Jupena is an American artist. At the Philadelphia College (now University) of Art he was attracted to weaving and fiber art. After that he attended Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where he received his MFA in 1970. Working under Robert Kidd, he was involved into the commission fiber art for homes and public spaces.
Vintage Metal Signs As a Home Decoration
Vintage metal signs can bring a unique touch to a home or office. They can be classic or artistic, and can bring an antique feel. For the home, metal signs can be found in numerous varieties. In the kitchen, the popular food and beverage brand advertisements of the 40’s and 50’s are often used for decoration i.e. message signs like Mom’s Kitchen’, ‘Always Open’, ‘Kitchen Closed’ etc. You can even order a custom metal signs with a message of your choice. Vintage car adverts, speed limit and vintage metal signs are used extensively for garages.
Toggle Owl Bookmarks
These brilliant owl bookmarks with toggle tops mean you will never lose your place or your bookmark. These clever, brightly coloured owls really pop out against the black aida, while the brilliant toggle tops stop the bookmarks from slipping out of the book and getting lost.
Textile project: How to Sponge?
Sponging is a simple and effective method of adding texture to the cloth, and produces excellent results when using as the background for other decorative finishes such as stencilling or block printing. However, this technique does not have to be carried out with the sponge – you can create similar effects by printing with screwed-up pieces of cloth or kitchen paper.
Shoko Teruyama’s Pottery
Growing up in Japan, Shoko Teruyama remembers tradition being part of daily life. Temples and shrines were everywhere, even inside her home. She was drawn to these sacred spaces and ceremonial objects because they were decorated with texture and pattern contrasted by areas of calm and stillness.
How to Make a Pretty Lamp
Handmade housewarming gifts that are really useful are always well received.These lovely lamps and colourful shades can be created to match existing colour schemes or as stand-alone pieces. Lamps, odd shades and the fabric to cover them can all be picked up for very little at markets and thrift shops. Make sure that the electrics and fittings are of the modern type and take them to a lighting shop to be checked if you are in any doubt.
Create Unique Passport or Notebook Covers
In this project you will learn how to protect and personalise a passport or notebook with a removable and reusable cover. With a few minor adjustments, you could adapt this cover for your passport, diary or notebook of any size and personalise it as much as you wish. In this version we have made the cover to fit a standard paperback novel and reused a skinny belt to create a book fastener and to join the front cover to the back.
Yas – Ming Ceramics
Yas-Ming Ceramics is a collaboration between Yasmin Dilekkaya and Ming Wai Sun. The pair have been working together since they graduated. Their products are fun and functional with animal heads and bums going in and out of ceramic tableware in place of conventional handles. Their process involves slip casting, press moulding and hand building techniques. All work is designed by Ming Wai and Yasmin and handmade in England. All Yas-Ming Ceramics are made in their Kent studio and in a small factory in Stoke-on-Trent.
