Category Archives: LIFE LOVERS

British artist Lubaina Himid makes art with an immediately striking impact, featuring riotous displays of clashing pattern and print. Her love of bold, bright textiles is evident throughout the many strands of her practice, which have varied from painting to sculpture, drawing and installation. These dazzling textiles are, on the one hand, a theatrical device…

Embroidery is deeply entrenched in South American history, spanning from ancient times all the way up to the present day. Its history is fascinatingly diverse, demonstrating the great skill and ingenuity that has been passed on from one generation to the next through the millennia. Over the centuries, South American embroidery has evolved into a…

Before I embarked upon sewing my own clothes a year ago, I (re-)started knitting. But because I’m 100% impatient, I was always looking for patterns with thick wool (the thicker – the better to be honest). Until I found Good Night, Day – my personal holy grail when it comes to modern, easy knitting patterns…

Grayson Perry is one of today’s most radical contemporary artists, and his practice is as diverse as they come. Moving between painting, ceramics, performance, textiles, tapestries and more, his fluid approach to art and design proves just how borderless the act of making art can be. This seamless approach also bleeds into Perry’s life, as…

With her psychedelic clothing and bright red wig, Yayoi Kusama is an inimitable icon of the 20th century. Like many before her, including Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keeffe and Andy Warhol, Kusama has recognised the importance of brandishing an unforgettable public image, one that is innately bound with her life and art. Kusama’s public image is…

From Viking Age clothing to Catholic vestments and prestigious royal gowns, European embroidery has a rich history that is closely intertwined with our cultural past. Europe was also a site for embroidery innovation; techniques that were discovered here continue to live on today in the clothes we wear and the ways we decorate our homes….

Act One: A Failure in Kindness One time I had to ask the local sheep shearer to come to shear my family’s flock. He is notoriously difficult to work with. Several experiences with him in the past led to me not look forward to making this phone call. Mother and I were so anxious to…

Those of you that have already read my first entry ‘Diary of a novice Sewist’, will maybe remember, that PANTS were quite the challenge for me. For weeks… When I started making my own clothes in February, I predominantly found patterns through Instagram. It didn’t take long for my paths to cross with the Persephone…

The art of adorning clothing with embroidery has been an Indian tradition for more than 5,000 years. Its history is deeply embedded into the history of Indian culture, religion and daily life, and it is a tradition that continues to this day. Throughout Indian history embroidery has been there, adorning the homes of ordinary people…

When I first looked through FS patterns, I didn’t notice the RIVA collection. Looking at it closely, this pattern bundle not only contains the perfect wardrobe staples with timeless designs but also featured outstanding detail. Funny story, I never had a classic white shirt – please don’t blame me – but in all honestly, I used…

Louise Bourgeois was one of greatest figures in modern and contemporary art, world renowned for the incredible scope and ambition of her sculptural work. Much has been written about the uneasy psychological tension of her art, which explores memories and traumas from her troubled past, casting light into the darkest recesses of her mind. But…

When I think of Christmas, I think of the smell of oranges, freshly baked Vanillekipferl (Austrian cookies coated in vanilla sugar) and of blown out candles. I think of the city that seems to sparkle with the festivity of Christmas lights and you can just about see every single snowflake illuminated. Christmas markets, where you…

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.   My name is Ella. I’m 29, a proud first-generation American, now Californian, and a home garment sewist by night.  By day, I work for a nonprofit foundation connected to Levi Strauss & Co., offering hardship support for Levi’s employees and retirees. When people in our…

The journey of embroidery in the United States is long and complex, with many twists and turns along the way. It begins with the ancient cultures of Native America, and travels through the 17th century New World, flourishing in the American colonies and remaining a popular pastime in the later cities that emerged. Because of…

French artist Raoul Dufy is one of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century, known for his brilliantly colourful, spirited artworks that convey a world of eternal optimism. Although he is primarily remembered today as a painter, there is another, less publicised side to Dufy – that of a pioneering textile designer. He produced…