The next of our artisan embroiderers is Aimee Betts, who describes herself as a “˜Creator of Adornments’. Aimee combines more modern processes, such as industrial sewing and digital embroidery with the more traditional hand-sewn approach to create contemporary embellishment pieces. Her work spans fashion, interior design and visual art and includes modern crafted accessories, jewelry,…
Category Archives: TEXTILES IN HISTORY & ART
Sydney-based sisters’ Maricor and Maricar Manalo‘ describe themselves as “˜Makers of Things assorted’. They’re designers, illustrators and animators by trade, but in recent years have gathered somewhat of a cult following due to their incredible embroidery skills. ‘ Their hand-stitched typographic works are playful and geometric as well as bursting with color, and have earned MaricorMaricar commercial and…
The first of our embroiderers is Emily Jo Gibbs,’ a British artist specializing in hand-stitched textiles. A member of the 62 Group, she became internationally known for her exquisite luxury handbags, but has recently found more artistic acclaim for her embroidered portraits. Her unique ability to bring objects and drawings to life with embroidery means…
Similar to our exploration of the Bohemian Modern trend, we’ve noticed a revival of artisan craftsmanship across the western world. Young people are stepping away from technology and learning a more traditional craft – be it woodwork, beer brewing or knitting – and turning that craft into a business. The last few decades have seen…
When people ask me about craftivism,* I love to talk to them about what’s happening now and who’s doing what here in the present. However, I also try and remember to make the point that craftivism is nothing new, as like with The AIDS Memorial Quilt, which I mentioned last week, many amazing craftivism projects…
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…
A painting depicting women inspecting silk, early 12th century, ink and color on silk, by Emperor Huizong of Song For hundreds of years, China tightly controlled the production and manufacture of silk, making it the most prized of all fabrics.’ The desire for silk created thousands of miles of trade routes as well as advances in…
The Fair Isle Jumper by Stanley Cursiter, 1923 Nothing says warmth like a cozy wool sweater but it took’ thousands of years of selective breeding to get it.’ Ancient’ sheep bear little resemblance to today’s wool sheep, selectively bred for their fine coats. Like other domestic animals, humans bred sheep for different traits to develop the breeds we…
Robe à la française, France, block-printed cotton, c. 1770. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Next in our history series is cotton. The history of cotton is the history of trade and industry with a lot of politics and economics thrown in. Now the most prevalent fabric in the world, it’s humble beginnings…
This will be the first in a series of blog posts where we will take a closer look at natural fabrics such as linen, cotton, and wool, and their journey through the ages. Today, natural fabrics can be found in all shapes, styles, and forms from basic undergarments to high end fashion. In decades past,…
In 1794, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin. Perhaps no other historical fact has been so ingrained into my mind as this. Year after year, I would learn about the infamous cotton gin and it’s epic impact on America as we know it. The all-mighty cotton gin makes it seems that life, or proper living,…
Fencing Doublet. 1580. The Doublet jumped into the fashion scene around the middle of the 14th century. We are turning our attention to this article of clothing today to examine its essential role in fashion history. Doublets were worn for over 300 years and considered a staple in menswear. Although the shapes and cuts changed…
The Seven Sacraments. Rogier van der Weyden. 1445-50. We are turning our attention to the Gothic fitted dress today and its appearance throughout the mid-1300s until the mid-1400s. Our goal is to give an overview of this style while providing images as visual aids. Making your own is quite an ambitious undertaking, but it…
Portrait of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, oil on panel. Attributed to Steven van Herwijck. 1560s. Western European fashion experienced quite a change from 1550-1600. The Renaissance brought in a wave of art and culture that swept over Europe and is visible in the fashion of both men and women. Our clearest and most…
Today, we are focusing on a single artist in order to more carefully examine the Renaissance period. Titian created great works of art that featured highly expressive figures that exemplified the “rebirth” spreading throughout Italy and Europe. Titian’s figures graced his altarpieces, portraits, mythologies, and pastoral landscapes. Tiziano Vecillio (ca. 1488-1576), known as Titian, is…
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01 Apr 2026 @ 6:15 am by Emma Cartmel
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