“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 in India: The Colour of Desire
Hello there, my name is Alexis Bailey and I am a sewist and blogger happy to be here talking hand-sewing on the thread. Hand-sewing has its roots deep into history. As garments took on more intricate design, and beauty, hand-sewing was right there to assist in construction and details. I find that as a community…
The warm, golden grey of DRIZZLE Linen has been in Californian artist Ed Ruscha’s armoury for decades, colouring sun-drenched rocks, pool sides and dry, parched grasses. His sleek photographs, prints and paintings feature bold motifs and punchy slogans that reflect the urbanised commercialism and luxury branding of American life with a knowing irony, particularly in…
One of my favorite ways to acquire linen clothing is through thrift shopping. Purchasing secondhand is cost effective and a fun way to spend an afternoon. Sifting through racks of clothes becomes an adventure of “oh the things I could find!” As we have talked about before, linen is an amazing fabric because it gets…
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…
Today I am practicing a basic heirloom technique known as “Drawn” or “Pulled” thread work embroidery. This type of embroidery is achieved by gently pulling out individual thread along the grain line to create a small gap in the fabric. A combination of hand stitches is then used to create simple to elaborate designs within…
Fresh outdoor light breezes through Lilla Cabot Perry’s dappled gardens and shadowy rooms, forming powdery puffs of pale blue, lilac and green. Sheaths of icy lavender like that of SILVER LILAC Linen streak through them and cross clothing, trees and rooftops, invoking the tart, biting freshness of morning. A leader in 19th century Impressionism, Perry…
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…
“I want the story to be told so that people understand what’s going on.” Above all else, Faith Ringgold is an avid, entrancing storyteller, weaving the darker side of African American history into her richly complex works of art. Though her practice spans a broad range of media, she is perhaps best known for her…
The cool, aquatic turquoise of Tile Blue Linen adorned many of Henri Matisse’s brilliantly colourful artworks, investing in them a fresh, oceanic light. One of the most prolific and inventive artists of all time, Matisse’s long, successful career spanned nearly an entire century and covered a huge variety of techniques, from drawing and painting to…
Knowing how to care for your clothing is a big component of creating a well-loved wardrobe that will last. The same is true for textiles in your home. Linen is an incredible fabric for many reasons. It is natural, strong, and high quality. Its durability, breathability, and resistance to bacteria sets linen apart from other…
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…
Growing up I was bombarded with ideologies about not finding happiness in worldly measures of success. Things like, making a lot of money, getting promotions – all external measures of generally doing well in life, so to speak. The intent of these ideologies was noble – they were meant to reinforce the idea that external…
The dusty, muted warmth of MONTANA GRAPE Linen was the ideal backdrop for Paul Gauguin’s rustic scenes, conveying sun-soaked tracks of earth, dry flowers, or the shadowy layered depths of human skin. A leader in the French Post-Impressionist oeuvre, Gauguin heightened colours so he could transcend reality, combining this dreamy shade of purple with feverish…
One of the most exciting aspects of natural dyeing is foraging for colour around you. There are so many incredible dyes available to us in the natural world & you don’t have to look too far to access these. Recently I have been spending more time foraging for dyes & every time I gather…
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