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In Conversation with… James Fox
Nov 02, 2022
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James Fox is a Lancashire-based textile artist working in machine embroidery and reverse appliqué. His exhibition, Freedom of Movement, is at The Knitting & Stitching Show at Harrogate Convention Centre from 17th-20th November 2022.  James, your Harrogate exhibition is a celebration of freedom of movement and includes a homage to the humble bicycle. Can you tell us more about why bikes were so inspiring to you for this particular body of work?    The invention of the ‘safety bicycle’ in the 1880s, as well as the development of the railway system, allowed movement around the country as never before. The working class were able to get out of the grime from the factories and cycle into the countryside on their day off. And the owners of the factories they worked in could travel by train to their recently acquired shooting estates for the weekend. At the same time, the rise in socialism was spreading across Europe. These two factors inevitably joined forces and the rise of socialist cycling clubs sprang into existence all over the countryUsing these historical factors, I began a series of works which also involved contemporary subjects like alternative transport policies, climate change, social reforms and ‘working class’ concerns. I found further inspiration in ‘Bikestormz’ which is a recent phenomenon in bicycle culture where inner city youth take to the street on their bikes and pull ’wheelies’ in a show of defiance and solidarity against knife crime and violence. Another cycling issue which sparked my interest involves the plight of zero hours contract cycle couriers who were striking for fair wages and working conditions.The safety bike also contributed to the women’s rights movement. To quote Susan B. Anthony, “the bicycle has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world.” She would go on to write: “I rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a bike. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood.” Trade union banners have also influenced your work, and your exhibition features a Right to Roam banner. Can you tell us how you’ve drawn on these historic stitched protest works to influence your art today? Trade union banners have been a source of fascination to me for years. Their representation and celebration of communities, unions and organisations, highlighting unity, compassion and strength with the added bonus of craftsmanship, design and pride. My works, NOT NOW TORY BOY and Right to Roam, give a nod to the tradition of banner makers from the past and are used to comment on contemporary themes. The use of pithy headlines from the press to dilute serious political and social issues, as well as celebrating historical important occasions and their influence on current issues, inspired NOT NOW TORY BOY. You have long been an observer of social, political and economic change, and social commentary is an integral part of your work, woven into your designs. Is there something unique about textiles and stitching that lend themselves particularly well to the language of protest? Textiles, although often derided for the association they have with domesticity, is, I believe, actually an important vehicle for commenting and sometimes criticising society. Using art, and in particular textile art, and even more specifically, embroidery, as a protest/activist statement, can be a valid and important means of responding to cultural, social and political situations. Textile art and its part in protest and political activism can be seen through history from the Bayeux Tapestry to Union banners, Aids quilts and the more recent interest in Craftivism.  You have an art residency with Lancaster and District Homeless Action Service where you have been working with clients to create embroidered stitched portraits. A touring exhibition has been promoting action to support the homeless. What has this experience meant for you personally and for your art practice?   I had been volunteering at LDHAS for a number of years as well as artist in residence for two years; delivering art workshops as well as producing art works which were then gifting works to local schools, hospitals and public buildings as goodwill gestures and community participation. During this time, I built up a relationship with some of the clients and decided to do some work around the theme of homelessness. I suggested drawing a series of their hands which I found fascinating; they suggested I draw their faces. At first, I thought this would be intrusive and perhaps even taking advantage of their situation. Homelessness can make you feel unwanted and invisible, so, for some, to have someone spend time invested in you as a person can be a positive thing in a life filled with negativity.In the 2020 pandemic, the homeless service closed due to Covid (it reopened in 2021). The government’s scheme to get rough sleepers off the streets (‘Everyone in’), which was mainly due to the perseverance of Baroness Louise Casey, former homelessness czar, was implemented. Unfortunately, this was short lived and according to the homeless charity Crisis,“It is predicted that the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic risks a substantial rise in core homelessness, with overall levels expected to sit one-third higher than 2019 levels on current trends. Levels of rough sleeping are also predicted to rise, despite the Government’s target of ending this form of homelessness by 2024 (Crisis, 2022).”The experience of working with this group of people opened my eyes to a system that is almost impossible to navigate once you enter it. It also politicised my practice and spurred me on to start a PhD at Lancaster University. An exciting feature of your work for The Knitting & Stitching Show is sound, with two soundscapes accompanying your exhibition. What do you hope that visitors will take from this fascinating sensory combination of spoken word audio and textile art? I approached MPA to be part of the Right to Roam banner project and was commissioned to produce a sound/audio work to accompany it, which would at the same time be an independent work in its own right. I collaborated with a musician and sound artist who would collate and edit the work I sent. Initially, I contacted people who were involved in land protest, be it political, historical, writing, music, art. I gathered together a group of people who were willing to take part and sent them chosen texts, poems, slogans around the theme. My initial idea was to just have prose and poetry which reflected the romantic, pastoral themes of the countryside without any protest connection as a contrast to the political nature of the banner, but in conversation with some of them regarding the nature of the proposed work, we decided that there should be some more political/radical works involved. So, I decided to make two separate works; one poetic/romantic and one which reflected the theme of protest in this context. Having worked with the actor, Maxine Peake, on a previous work and knowing that she is interested in the Kinder Trespass (she was involved in the celebrations as an eight year old), I was pleased when she offered to contribute to this work.  VIEW JAMES' GALLERY www.jamesfoxtextileartist.co.uk
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When is a scarf not a scarf?
Feb 07, 2022
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Written by Mark Francis There are scarves and then there are iconic scarves.  As a life long fan of a certain Time Lord, I have always coveted Tom Bakers famous neck wear since I was a kid.  When I was a boy I nagged and nagged my Mum to knit me one, which she duly did.  It wasn’t ‘screen accurate’ in any way but I didn’t care as I loved it. I still have it to this day. What made it extra special was that she made it using her wool stash from the 1970’s when she regularly used to knit for my brother and sister. Recently though, I was fortunate enough for a friend to teach me to crochet. Yes I know, I can hear the dyed in the wool Doctor Who fans say ‘The original wasn’t crocheted’, but I didn’t care.  A scarf seems a good place to start with crochet. It’s a simple shape and good to practice your technique.  But it’s so easy to drop stitches and you then end up with a wibbly wobbly scarf, which is exactly what happened to my first attempt.  In the gap between filming and broadcast of The Great British Sewing Bee, I plucked up the courage to start the beast that is the Tom Baker Doctor Who scarf from 1980. This one isn’t the more famous multi coloured scarf first seen in 1974, designed by James Acheson and knitted by a lady called Begonia Pope. It may surprise you to know that the scarf wasn’t ever supposed to be at long as it was, Begonia Pope was only told to knit up all the wool which she duly did.  The scarf ended up at the enormous length that we all came to love and which has become so memorable. In 1980 Tom Bakers costume was completely updated and a new scarf was designed by June Hudson and knitted up using Lyon Suede Chenille wool in colours of red, plum and rust. The Chenille would be nice and light and the updated colours would coordinate with the new costume. It’s a beautiful colour and was a garment I have always loved. The chenille wool is very difficult to find in the same colour way, plus I didn’t fancy working with Chenille as a new crocheter. Instead I found similar colours in the chunky monkey range and made from Acrylic which wont irritate my skin. I had no idea how to calculate how much wool I would need, so I plucked a guess out the air ahead bought 5 balls of each colour. I would later realise I’d need a little more, luckily I was able to get the same dye lots over a year later.   I downloaded a pattern from a lovely site that specialises in the minute details of every Tom Baker scarf (there have been rather more than you think) and got to work. Little did I know how long this project would take me, the winters that I wouldn’t be able to wear it and the summers I didn’t feel like sitting under hot wool, crocheting.   Just before the final episode of The Great British Sewing Bee went out, we were asked to provide an update as to what we’ve been up to and a nice picture.  I decided to mention my crocheting and sent in a suitable picture.  They where surprised how much I had done, which was lovely, but I knew it was just a fraction of the finished project.  Over a year passed before I signed off on the scarf and finished the final tassel. It was a relief to finally have it finished and I knew how thrilling it was going to be to be able to put the finished garment around my neck for the first time.
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In Conversation with…Suzy Wright
In Conversation with…Suzy Wright
Nov 24, 2021
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Suzy Wright creates detailed and vibrant stitched tapestries that resemble paintings through layering and blending threads. Each piece has a distinct personality cultivated from her love of animals food and the exotic landscape. Her exhibition, Birds of Paradise, is at The Knitting & Stitching Show London at Alexandra Palace from 7th-10th October 2021 and The Knitting & Stitching Show Harrogate at Harrogate Convention Centre from 18th-21st November 2021. Suzy, it was amazing to be surrounded by your wonderfully exotic and colourful tapestries at this year’s Knitting & Stitching Shows. Where does your love of bold expression come from? I have never hidden away from colour. I always feel it’s very easy to run away from it and I try my hardest to embrace it with open arms. As the years have gone by, my appearance has become more clashy and vibrant with colour and pattern. I just adore it, it makes me happy. I don’t feel like myself if I wear black. You trained and began your career in fashion and have a very distinctive style of dress. Would you say that your look is an extension of your work? Is your wardrobe art in its own right? I would say that in a way, I have always tried to push the boundaries of what is close to the line of what to wear. When I was younger, I constantly wore big ballgowns, then it changed to long flowing kaftans and kimonos. One time I got on a London bus wearing a pair of full blown fisherman’s waders and yellow coat. I just love how expressive you can be. Now, I love to wear turbans and wild extravagant hats. In 2014, you interned at the studio of Zandra Rhodes. What an extraordinary person she is with a passion for textile design. We had the privilege of featuring an exhibition of iconic pieces from her collection at The Spring Knitting & Stitching Show in 2019. What would you say you learnt there? It was a truly wonderful experience being around someone so iconic and lovely. Normally you’re disappointed when you see an idol but this wasn’t the case. I think just being in a lovely family team environment was great, and helping with a fashion show and being in that world was terrific. it did make me want to go back and do my own work after being so inspired. All your works begin life as watercolour paintings. Can you share with us the processes that you go through to transform them from painted images on the page into a riot of brightly coloured embroidery thread? Well first, I have to be passionate with my subject. There is no point doing anything unless you are inspired by your surroundings. Sometimes it literally just means going to the garden or a beautiful vintage clothing shop. I take memories and get images. My watercolours always tend to be massive – I love working big. I then pin my painting up on the wall. From this, I then rip off a large piece of fabric, take pencils and pens and draw a black and white, quite detailed version of it, sometimes changing it depending on how the watercolour has worked. Then, I do a base coat of thread, like with a painting, and then build up the layers until the painting/stitch pops out with colour. Many of your works feature loose threads that are left hanging on a finished piece. Can you tell us why that’s important to you and what qualities it brings to your work? It does a couple of things. I was always being told by people that they would mistake my work for watercolour or pastel paintings. If I wasn’t there to tell them, I wouldn’t want people going away not knowing. Also, when I did fashion, they always told me: “Cut them off, it’s messy and why don’t you just want to use a digital embroidery machine”, so it’s my way of saying they can shove it! Over the years, I have carefully and finely tuned my strands. In my earlier work, they are much stronger and thicker, but now they’re finer and fewer strands. but give the same impression. What are you working on currently and what’s next for you? Currently I’m working on a new series ‘Bahia’, inspired by Brazilian ‘Baiana’ costume, which launches this October, and I will be hosting a special event in London to mark the release. Details of the launch will be shared exclusively with my mailing list, so I encourage signing up via my website (www.onomeotite.com) to be in the know. I’m also preparing for a group exhibition with the Craft Council in November 2021 where I’ll be showcasing a very special collage celebrating black female artists in the UK. Again, all information can be found on my website and social media pages. This year is definitely going out with great events. To see more work from Onome Otite, click below. SEE SUZY'S GALLERY
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In Conversation with…Hannah Lamb
In Conversation with…Hannah Lamb
Nov 08, 2021
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Hannah Lamb is a Yorkshire-based mixed media textile artist. Her exhibition, Home/Work, is at The Knitting & Stitching Show at Harrogate Convention Centre from 18th-21st November 2021.  Hi Hannah, we’re really looking forward to seeing Home/Work, your forthcoming exhibition for The Knitting & Stitching Shows this autumn. The collections contemplate the role of home and work in our lives, and feature work made before, during and after the COVID-19 lockdowns. Can you tell us a little more about the appeal of home and work as inspiration for your art? Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, all of our lives have been turned upside down. For me, the boundaries between home and work became blurred as my teaching role moved online. The stresses and messiness of my personal and professional lives became entangled, changing the way I felt about home and testing my relationships. On a more positive note, during 2020 I was able to have a wonderful studio built at home. I was able to watch the work progress from my window, whilst working online – daydreaming about a space of my own while doodling little house shapes in my notebook. Multiple lockdowns in our area have made me feel immensely fortunate to have a safe, comfortable home, supportive friends and now a ‘room of my own’ in which to be creative. Has making work during the pandemic been cathartic?  During the early part of the pandemic, I found my creativity had largely deserted me and it was almost impossible to make serious artwork. I felt envious of those who had a huge burst of creative energy during lockdown. Eventually I came to accept that creativity would come when I was good and ready. I began enjoying the simplicity of working with small pieces of materials; patching, piecing and hand stitching. I chose fabrics that felt good in my hands, things that were softened by age. The tactile sensation of working with materials, slowing down and zoning out, was helpful when I felt stressed. Some of these little textile fragments have been incorporated into the collages, prints and house assemblages created for the exhibition. You are deeply fascinated by the structure and surface of cloth and have described cloth as “poetic, with an ability to describe what is difficult to put into words”. Can you tell us what you mean by that and what the work in your Home/Work exhibition has to say? In my book Poetic Cloth (Batsford, 2019) I describe the relationship I have with textiles as an artist. For me, it is both my creative media and my muse. Cloth is ever present in our lives, from cradle to grave. That close relationship allows us to convey meaning through a common language of tactility, texture and movement.My work for Home/Work isn’t intended to be obviously hard-hitting, but there are deeply emotional and personal ideas behind some of the pieces. I have worked with contrasting materials and effects; vintage chintz and softly quilted materials suggest a romantic vision of domesticity; while blackened, torn and bound materials represent turmoil and change. I frequently work with layers of different techniques and materials to create a sense of time and subtle variations of surface. I generally don’t have my work all planned out beforehand but instead allow elements to come together, building things up and joining pieces.My hope for the work in this exhibition is that while some pieces are dynamic and impactful in the space, other smaller pieces will give people a chance to focus and slow down, creating space for personal reflection You live, make work, and write from your home in Bingley, West Yorkshire, teaching too at Bradford School of Art. What role do you think Yorkshire’s rich textile heritage has played in the development of your passion for cloth and textile art? Having moved to the Bradford area 17 years ago, I feel incredibly lucky to be living in a place steeped in a rich culture and heritage of textiles. Textile is everywhere; in the landscape, buildings, places and language. I have had the chance to visit local textile manufacturers, endlessly transfixed by the transformation from fibre to fabric. I love to see the mix of historic mill buildings and modern manufacturing. The relationship between textile heritage and contemporary arts spaces creates wonderful opportunities for artists in the area; Salts Mill and Sunny Bank Mills have both provided inspiration and spaces to exhibit. Local museums and archive collections have also been hugely influential in my work. In the Bradford College Textile Archive, beautiful patterns and fascinating recipe books include items of importance to local industry and highlight their global connections. For me, the seemingly quiet spaces of archives and redundant mills hum with a quiet energy of creative potential. Your work features a wide range of textile processes, like stitch, print and fabric manipulation, and ranges from large-scale installations to small-scale studies. Is there a technique or process that you’re like to explore in future work?  I love learning new processes and it can become quite addictive so I try not to just learn new things for the sake of it. In my work I try to focus on choosing the best combination of methods and materials to convey my ideas. Having said that, I’d love to have the time to develop my skills with natural dyeing and printing. This is such a huge area of study you could spend a lifetime learning – if only I had more time! You’re a member of the acclaimed 62 Group of Textile Artists which aims to challenge the boundaries of textile practice. How do you feel that your own work contributes to this ambition and which boundaries would you like to break? Becoming a member of the 62 Group was a huge honour. I know the group is hugely respected and so there is a weight of expectation. In some ways it is hard to be pushing the boundaries of textile practice today; there is so much openness to what textile art can be. I do sometimes worry that the textile art world is too cosy and not self-critical enough but one of the things I like about being in the 62 Group is the rigorous selection process, which means if members don’t have work selected for three exhibitions in a row they are out of the group. This pushes me to make the best work I can, continually questioning my practice and its context. Recent work created for our ‘Connected Cloth’ exhibition as part of the British Textile Biennial, has encouraged me to consider the global context of textile manufacture. I wanted to learn about the colonial and post-colonial context of British textiles. For me it’s important to be constantly learning, questioning and challenging myself. To see more work from Hannah Lamb, click below. SEE HANNAHS GALLERY
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In Conversation with…Onome Otite
In Conversation with…Onome Otite
Nov 03, 2021
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Onome Otite is a London-based artist specialising in figurative textile collage. Her exhibition, Cirque, is at The Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace, London from 7th-10th October 2021 and Harrogate Convention Centre from 18th-21st November 2021. We caught up with her to learn more about her work… Onome, we can’t wait for visitors to see your wonderfully vibrant life-size 3D collages in London and Harrogate this autumn. What is it about fabric collage that you love working with as an art form?  Apart from enjoying the craft element of embroidery and dressmaking, I love that textiles hold stories. All the fabric I use is recycled and my textile collection includes fabric donations, off-cuts from seamstresses, clothes outgrown, out-dated or just rejected – that someone once owned, wore or used in a particular way. Stories at my fingertips! The fabric design could also have a meaning or the craftsmanship specialised – the list is endless! My skill is to rework the fabric as well as those memories, meanings and stories into a beautiful collage. Please can you give us a little insight into your making process? Where do you find inspiration for your hand-drawn figures and how do you choose the fabrics to decorate each piece? My life-size collages explore costume in contemporary circus, in particular the performers clothing in Cirque Du Soleil and Cirque Nouveau, where costume plays an integral part in the theme and storyline of the performance. I also studied how the performers interact with their costume to convey narrative to the audience. My use of wax print fabric pays homage to both my Nigerian ancestry and the colour and design patterns of contemporary circus costume. Fabrics with similar shapes and motifs were sourced in London and Ghana. The vibrancy of the textiles lends itself well to the collages’ buoyant circus theme. For example, ‘Untitled iii’ pays homage to my experience in Makola Market in Accra, Ghana. Shopping for art materials in Makola was hectic and hot! The material I purchased included a patchwork design ‘nsasawa’ featuring many patterns, shapes and bold colours. A popular style to wear by the street performers in Ghana, this was the perfect material to inspire the development of this collage. Like my experience in Makola Market, this dance-like figure is animated, open and inviting, and full of life and I wanted to reference this in the fabric.⁠ Your pride for your West African ancestry is clear in your work through your use of batik and waxed print cloth. What is it about those fabrics that appeals to you as an artist? I’m naturally drawn to bright colours and patterns, but my use of batik fabrics and recycled materials helps to weave a cultural narrative into my work. Traditionally the colours, patterns and symbols of the fabric design suggest stories and emotion, which inspire my designs. I like to experiment with collage and create various textural combinations. Growing up within a Nigerian community, I’m also influenced by women who use traditional colourful clothing as a means of empowerment. Women using textiles to celebrate their womanhood and heritage resonates with me and is a subject I’m excited to explore. The manipulation of pattern and the prints’ vibrancy adds to the celebratory mood of the artwork.  In 2016, you won a Cockpit Arts Prince’s Trust Creative Careers Award, have been mentored by the British Fashion Council, took part in a British Council Cultural Exchange Programme in Ghana, and have exhibited your work all over the world. That’s a phenomenal CV for such a young artist. Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give other budding young artists hoping to achieve commercial success with their work? I have been creating artwork for the best part of 8 years, though I launched as a business with the Prince’s Trust in 2016 and it has been a really exciting experience. As part of The Prince’s Trust Business Enterprise Programme, I completed a business plan and was also awarded a studio space at Cockpit Arts – a business incubator for craft and designer makers, where I was provided with further creative career development and design direction. Previously working from a home studio, I was finding the lack of space difficult to manage, yet the cost of a London studio was too much to afford at the early stage of my business. Having supportive mentors (both in business and art) helped me to focus on my creative practise and growth. If there is anyone considering using their ideas and creativity to start their own business, I would say go for it 100%! There are so many initiatives and schemes in the UK to support emerging creatives and I would advise to focus on these opportunities rather than let doubt hold you back.  The collection you are bringing to The Knitting & Stitching Show is Cirque, a series that explores costume in contemporary circus, and specifically the role of costume in conveying the theme and storyline of a performance. Is costume design a possible avenue for you in the future? Working with a costume designer would be a wonderful collaboration – never say never! What are you working on currently and what’s next for you? Currently I’m working on a new series ‘Bahia’, inspired by Brazilian ‘Baiana’ costume, which launches this October, and I will be hosting a special event in London to mark the release. Details of the launch will be shared exclusively with my mailing list, so I encourage signing up via my website (www.onomeotite.com) to be in the know. I’m also preparing for a group exhibition with the Craft Council in November 2021 where I’ll be showcasing a very special collage celebrating black female artists in the UK. Again, all information can be found on my website and social media pages. This year is definitely going out with great events. To see more work from Onome Otite, click below. SEE ONOME'S GALLERY
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In Conversation with…Kate Wells
In Conversation with…Kate Wells
Oct 27, 2021
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Kate Wells is a hand and machine embroidery artist. Her exhibition, Dip Your Mind in Gold, was at The Knitting & Stitching Show London at Alexandra Palace from 7th-10th October 2021 and The Knitting & Stitching Show Harrogate at Harrogate Convention Centre from 18th-21st November 2021. Kate, it was fantastic to be fully immersed in your wonderful world of intricate gold work at The Knitting & Stitching Show this autumn. Is there something particularly special, different, or challenging about working with gold thread? What’s its appeal for you? Working with gold thread has its challenges – the most delightful aspect of the challenge is to shift the mindset from embroiderer to metal-worker and think like a jeweller or goldsmith. My points of reference come from these crafts, rather than from the world of traditional gold embroidery. Having said that, Opus Anglicanum is the very pinnacle of stitched goldwork, simply down to incredible draughtsmanship and composition and execution. Medieval and renaissance goldsmiths’ work come from the same root and continue to inspire me along with more contemporary design in gold and metal. I like the limit it gives the work. Most of my gold pieces so far have minimized the use of colour and tone which has simplified many choices in designing, concentrating on the way that light moves across its reflective surfaces. Even with a limit, the possibilities open up further – adding jewel colours is an obvious step, but then there’s further to go with playing with texture and added materials. I added gold into some landscape embroideries which was interesting, keeping the gold under control within the drawing and blending of the colours. Gold brings a dimension that has to be handled carefully to avoid sparkle and glitter. It resonates with the splendour of life, the preciousness of being. You are inspired by nature too and have made many beautiful landscape and bird embroideries. They have such a painterly quality. Do you think you ‘see’ in thread when observing scenes in nature? I am drawn to nature, the landscape and birds, air and wind. Drawing and painting have always been primary tools and I carry a small sketchbook and fineliner pen in my pocket on most walks. I love these little sketchbooks as the scribbles come back to life with an immediacy that a camera doesn’t quite capture. When I start to select threads, it’s the colour or texture mixes I reference, so the bottom thread is as important as the top thread in the machine, both mixed together on the surface. The same happens when using a charcoal or graphite drawing for the starter – I use textures of grey-white-black thread-mixes to give the graininess of the stitched drawings. Your work is part of The Diana Springall Collection. What does it mean to you to have your work included in that important collection of fine art? The Diana Springall Collection is probably the most significant body of contemporary embroidered work brought together under one discerning eye. Not only does the owner of the collection love embroidery, but is also a practicing embroiderer and artist so her special understanding runs right through the diversity of the collection.Diana’s passion for the art of embroidery runs deep and is founded in the importance of drawing. To be part of this collection, even in a small way, is to feel connected to a significant group of artists whose work is respected and valued at the very best level. I hope to be showing a small stitched sketch, ‘Beach ll’, from the collection at The Knitting & Stitching Show this year. Much of your work is made for clients to commission. How long does that process tend to take from start to finished work, and what does it involve? Working to commission can be a slow process – especially if there is an order-book waiting for my attention! The original conversation is really important to get the ‘feel’ from the client, the occasion or dedication behind the work or to see the space that the work needs to be designed for. Sometimes the process needs research, sampling and even several starts before the real direction is established, then the work can be made quite quickly. The research stage is easily as long as the making. The client rarely appreciates this time-factor but every now and then, there’s a sense of having a ‘patron’ who is willing to support this whole process for the long-view of the final piece. As well as your art, you make stoles and pieces for churches and the clergy. Is that a different creative process for you? What’s the most elaborate church commission you’ve ever had? I was invited to make a set of bespoke stoles for a church in Sheffield as part of the celebratory aspect of their worship. Unusually, there was a significant collection of beautifully designed and well-made contemporary textiles in the church which I seemed to resonate with and I’ve since added more work to their collection, sponsored by members of the congregation. I like the format of stoles, and tend to see the whole length as a design-area, rather than simply adding a motif or icon at the hem. The most elaborate commission came from an inspired newly ordained priest who wanted a set of stoles in each seasonal colour but who had the most detailed list of significant images to be included for each stole design. We got on really well; each visit was like opening a jewel box for her and my colour palette of silks and rayon threads also grew. The entire collection cost far more than we could have imagined but somehow, we met in the middle and the result was a delightful addition to her worship. I’ve not made work for Bishops or made altar-cloths for cathedrals and it may not be my first line of work, but it has a depth of meaning which I value. What are you working on currently and what’s next for you? Currently I’m working on a new series ‘Bahia’, inspired by Brazilian ‘Baiana’ costume, which launches this October, and I will be hosting a special event in London to mark the release. Details of the launch will be shared exclusively with my mailing list, so I encourage signing up via my website (www.onomeotite.com) to be in the know. I’m also preparing for a group exhibition with the Craft Council in November 2021 where I’ll be showcasing a very special collage celebrating black female artists in the UK. Again, all information can be found on my website and social media pages. This year is definitely going out with great events. To see more work from Onome Otite, click below. SEE KATE'S GALLERY
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We’ve been shortlisted for the Best of Craft Awards!
We’ve been shortlisted for the Best of...
Aug 24, 2021
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We’re chuffed to bits that we’ve been shortlisted for ‘Best Show/Event’ for this year’s Best of Craft Awards! Thank you so much to everyone who nominated us, it’s such an honour!HJJVoting is now open! Please take a moment to vote by clicking below. Voting closes on 24th September and the winners will be announced on 28th October!HJJEveryone who enters will automatically receive an exclusive download pack straight to their inbox. You’ll also be entered into an exclusive prize draw to win lots of fabulous goodies including a cruise, all valued at over £3,900!HJJWe’re so grateful to have been included this year and would love your support! Simply click on the button below to have your say and vote! VOTE NOW About the Best of Craft Awards The UK’s longest running craft awards hosted by Crafter magazines is back and bigger than ever, giving you the opportunity to celebrate all the inspiring people that make the world of crafts such a wonderful community in which to work and play. HJJ The Best of Craft Awards 2021 is a true celebration of all that is creative and a genuine mark of quality. Craft enthusiasts and readers of Crafts Beautiful and PaperCrafter magazines have been keenly nominating their favourite brands, shows, products, tutors, designers and more. After the nominations are collated and verified, the voting stage begins. HJJ Now is the time to vote for your favourites in the Best of Craft Awards 2021. Which brands, bloggers and products have your loyal support? Who do you want to see in the spotlight?
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Diana Bensted: Next Steps in Crochet – Make a Sampler Blanket – Special offer
Diana Bensted: Next Steps in Crochet ...
Apr 23, 2021
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Save 20% - Pay just £32* Next Steps in Crochet: Make a Sampler Blanket By Diana Bensted, The Crochet Chain *Plus transaction fee BUY THIS WORKSHOP Sponsored by: Sponsored by: About Crochet a sampler blanket with confidence with the help of passionate crocheter Diana Bensted. We will be following patterns for 10 different stitches and techniques to create a sampler blanket with a tulip border. If you have started on your crochet journey, and patterns bemuse you, or if you are happy with the basics, but want to know more.  Then this is the course for you!  Diana will be guiding you through the techniques and tips that she has picked up in a decade of crocheting that will make your crochet projects easier, quicker, and more enjoyable.  The patterns and worksheets provided can make a great sampler blanket and can be used in combination or on their own.  Throughout the masterclass, you will also learn how to read a crochet pattern, starting with common words, though colour coding and finally as commercial patterns are written. We will be covering different join as you go methods, cables, Tunisian entrelac, 3-D flowers, magic ring, and more.   Materials you will need: A kit will be available with 10 colours of Stylecraft Special DK, or Highland Heathers. You will also need a selection of crochet hooks from 4.5mm to 6mm.  Materials can be purchased from suppliers of the Beyond K&S Shopping Hub, available here: www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/shopping-hub.  Bookers will receive full joining instructions and a session materials list. Plus, there will also be details of patterns, advance preparation guides and links of where kits can be purchased if these are applicable to your session.   Sessions overview: Session 1 – Good foundations and Shells: Learn how to work into the foundation chain, and the alternative foundation double crochet stitch, starting a pattern. Pattern repeats and shell stitch. Session 2 – Granny Goodness: Starting in the round, choosing, and changing colour, standing treble, join as you go, weaving in ends. Session 3 – Spike St: Working into the row/rows below. Double crochet, Straight edges. Session 4 – Bobbling along: Using Double crochet, learn to make bobbles, working in rows. Session 5 – Babette square: Make a solid square in the round, finding the ‘hidden’ stitch and join as you go using a second method. Session 6 – Ripple Rows: Increasing and decreasing, reading your crochet and different height stitches (dc, htr, tr). Session 7 – Curious about Cables: Learn about front post stitches, cable stitches and working sideways. Session 8 – The 3rd Dimension: Making a flower, using a magic ring, working in 3D, joining the background and a 3rd join as you go method. Session 9 – Tunisian Entrelac: Using short rows of Tunisian simple stitch you will learn to crochet Entrelac. No need for a special hook! Session 10 – Beautiful Borders: Finish your sampler blanket, working into row ends, the border base and tulip border, and back post stitches. Access to the session The On-Demand recordings will be available to view until 11:59 pm GMT on 31st December 2021. BUY THIS WORKSHOP ALL WORKSHOPS About the Tutor: Diana Bensted Diana Bensted trained as a Primary School teacher and works as a freelance crochet pattern designer and teacher.  She owned her own wool shop where she taught courses and honed her crochet skills.  She has designed patterns for DMC, King Cole, Inside Crochet, Lets Knit and Women’s Weekly.  Teaching for many years at the Knitting and Stitching shows and weekends away, as well as local yarn shops, she self publishes her designs on Hochanda, Ravelry and on her own website.  Diana is known for her friendly, patient and knowledgeable approach to teaching Crochet. Tutor contacts Email: Website: www.thecrochetchain.co.ukFacebook: www.facebook.com/thecrochetchainInstagram: www.instagram.com/thecrochetchain ** The Knitting and Stitching Show are not responsible for the kits visitors purchase from the tutors including the price, availability or delivery. Stock may be limited. Please liaise with the tutors for details and please note restrictions may apply.
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