The roots of embroidery are often traced back to ancient China. It was the Chinese who first began cultivating and producing silk, a magical substance that could be woven into the softest fabrics, or spun into threads as soft and fine as human hair. Some of the very first embroideries were also produced in China…
Category Archives: TEXTILES IN COMMUNITY
Embroidery has an incredibly rich and varied history spanning thousands of years, and it is still widespread and popular today. In fact, of all our world’s ancient traditions, it is one of the longest surviving. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised at this epic lifespan – embroidery has the power to entirely transform clothing and fabrics,…
“African-American quilts are not simply a set of colours, techniques, or patterns. They’re a celebration of culture by artists who understand and love it best.” Ellison Langford, Scalawag Magazine, 2019 If anyone word could define today’s flourishing culture of African American quilts, it would be ‘diverse.’ Pattern styles are diverse, ranging from densely worked abstract…
By the end of the American Civil War in 1865, quilting was an established practice across African American communities. But as emancipation gradually emerged, so, too did new approaches to quilting, which shifted and adapted to suit the changing times. No one overarching style ruled, but some of the most celebrated quilts of the era…
The strong tradition of African American quilting has existed ever since the dawn of America. Quilts from this period are bound into horrific acts of slavery, a reminder of the terrors that shaped the past and left ripples of trauma throughout history. But they also speak of courage and determination under fire, of people who…
“I do view African-American quilting as a genre, just like traditional quilts, art quilts, modern quilts. Our quilts are just a little bit different.” O.V. Brantley, Founder of Atlanta Quilt Festival Quilting is a vital strand of African American culture, telling vividly complex stories of pain, oppression, freedom, and power. There is no single unifying…
Chinese textiles have a rich, fascinating history that stretches back millennia, telling wondrous tales of their most ancient civilizations. From textured, hand-woven hemp and ramie to embroidered cotton and hand-dyed silk, the hard-won textile traditions of China have produced some of the most exquisite and desirable fabrics of all time. Indigo is a vital strand…
“The origin of taste, of fabric printing is India.” Georg Stark, contemporary textile artist With a name that means ‘the Indian’ or ‘from India’, the colour indigo is woven tightly into Indian history. The first nation to turn indigo production into an international trade, ancient India produced some of the finest and most luxurious indigo…
Indigo’s deep blue has been treasured by Japanese people since ancient times, forming a vital strand of their sartorial and visual culture. Known in Japan as ‘aizome’, indigo dye is so integrated into Japanese society that this deepest, entrancing shade is often referred to as “Japan blue.” Initially only reserved for the wealthiest members of…
Indigo dye is soaked deep into Africa, where some of the finest fabrics in the world have been made. The exquisite skills required to produce such high-quality fabrics has been passed down from one generation to the next for at least 700 years, making African indigo production one of the oldest industries in existence. From…
It is hard to imagine the humble-looking, dusty green indigofera tinctoria plant would hold deep within its roots such a vast and complex history. Well known as the origins of indigo dye, this tropical plant has tracks that can take us all the way back to ancient Peru and Egypt, the tribes of Africa, India’s…
After donation and beautification, notification is the third tenet of Craftivism.* Compared to the other two tenets, notification tends to garner the most discussion. Unsurprisingly, it is also the one most likely to hit people with the biggest punch, as it features a juxtaposition between the “soft” world of craft and the “hard” world of…
This post is the 3rd in a series about craftivism. If you missed the previous posts, you might want to check out the Introduction and Part I. The second tenet of craftivism is beautification, or making your surroundings more beautiful by using your craft skills. As yarn bombing is what people think of first when…
A finger puppet from Craft Hope’s project with Country Woman magazine Last week on the blog, I wrote an introduction to craftivism, an international creative movement that I started in 2003. As I noted last week, within craftivism, I created three different tenets to help illustrate whether something falls under that umbrella:’ 1) donation (creating items…
In late 2000, I lived in New York City and learned how to knit. I just wanted to learn a hobby with which I could connect to others, I didn’t want to create a movement. But that didn’t mean I didn’t need to change my life. It wouldn’t be until later that I fully realized…
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