Textile designer Celia Birtwell has made an indelible impact on British textiles, infusing them with her unique brand of vibrant, swirling and expressive patterns. She has led a remarkable life, playing a central role in defining the freewheeling optimism of the swinging sixties, and going on to develop a monumental legacy as one of the…
The Life of a British Textile Icon: Celia Birtwell
This tutorial is to support the fly zipper instructions in the Mykonos Pattern booklet found on pages 66-69. Apply a 5/8” strip of fusing to the wrong side of the Left Front Pant (Q). Apply the Front Fly Fusing (AD) to the wrong side of the Right Front Pant (P). Fold the fused portions to…
Darkness pervades Tacita Dean’s artworks, falling over craggy rocks and epic mountains into inky, bottomless wells. Black Linen shares Dean’s endless black, a colour that intensifies mystery and drama, cloaking and concealing everything it touches. The dark shadows in Dean’s artworks heighten the sublime, cinematic awe of her scenes as she draws us in, inviting…
“My paintings are not about what is seen. They are about what is known forever in the mind.” Agnes Martin’s world is one of order and tranquillity, as minutely patterned grids and ruler straight bands expand across vast surfaces suggesting wide open space. Yet there is also sensitive musicality at play as lines tremble and…
Known collectively as the “first lady of weaving,” world-renowned German-American weaver Else Regensteiner was one of a generation who brought a Bauhaus sensibility for weaving-as-art into the American cultural landscape. As well as producing striking weavings that experimented with unconventional and unexpected patterns, colours and materials, she was also hugely influential as a teacher, writer…
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do. Hi! My name is Caitlin! I am an ex-graphic designer, wedding coordinator, and retail manager, living in Los Angeles with my hubs, French Bulldog Wellington and farm cat rescue Gracie. I currently work as a trainer for an e-comm fashion company and looking to move…
Dusty, dreamy shades of lilac like WISTFUL MAUVE appeared time and again in the art of pioneering abstractionist Hilma af Klint, representing otherworldly, spiritual states of mind. A medium, theosophist and artist of the early 20th century, Af Klint is now widely recognised as one of the very first abstract artists. Throughout her long career,…
The Charlie shirt first caught my eye because of the interesting pleating detail on both the back and front, and I was curious as to the construction method. Funnily enough, I initially misunderstood the front closure to be a covered button placket, but was pleasantly surprised to see that the same design aesthetic could be…
From textiles to furniture, architecture, restaurants and book publishing, British designer Sir Terence Conran is one of the foremost figures of the late 20th century. A man of many talents, his simple, streamlined designs had widespread, mass appeal. Perhaps best known for founding the Habitat stores and penning the iconic 1970s lifestyle publication The House…
This tutorial is to support the welt pocket instructions in the Mykonos Pattern booklet found on pages 60-63. Position the Welt Opening Fusing (AG) on the wrong side of the pants using the Back Pocket Template (AH). Apply fusing with an iron and transfer pattern markings. On the right side of the fabric, transfer all…
Tea towel kits from Fabrics-Store – If you haven’t checked them out, now is a great time. There are many lovely patterns with fruits, florals, mushrooms, vino and the adorable village rooster and these kits are perfect for all skill levels. If you’re just starting out and practicing sewing a straight line, or if you’ve…
Although green is found abundantly in nature, especially here on the “Emerald Isle”, there is no one plant that gives you a rich deep green directly from the dye pot. Yes, a variety of plants can indeed give you subtle hues or shades of green but to get a true green one has two main…
Textile designer Eddie Squires was a true innovator in his field, pushing the scope of printed patterns in a series of daring and bold new directions. As a key designer and director for the leading textile company Warner & Sons Ltd., Squires played an instrumental role in enlivening British textiles during the latter half of…
This tutorial is to support the neckline placket instructions in the Cameron Pattern booklet found on pages 27-35. This tutorial uses dark blue thread to clearly show stitching. Be sure to use matching thread when sewing your Cameron. To get started, make sure the interfacing is applied to the wrong side of all four neck…
DOVE linen’s near white has just a hint of turquoise blue, mimicking the pale, salty light of JMW Turner’s stunning Venetian marine views. Known as the ‘painter of light’, Turner was entranced by Venice, with its green-blue water reflecting the sky into illusions of infinite, endless space. The floating city became a recurring theme in…
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