Strong and durable, yet soft to the touch, linen is one of the oldest and most fascinating textiles in the world. With roots in ancient civilization, there is a raw, untamed beauty to linen that persists today, making it a popular choice for both luxury and everyday items. The ecological benefits of linen also make…
What is linen? A brief history of the world’s most ancient fabric
Dark and decadent, the midnight tone of DRESS BLUE Linen envelops characters in Antony van Dyck’s stirring portraits, enveloping them in a brooding, dramatic aura. Master of the Flemish Baroque, van Dyck was the most successful portrait painter of his day, most notably for King Charles I of England, but he also painted a wide…
As mask shortages continue in American hospitals, there has never been a better time to put your sewing skills into action to help others. The CDC has now recommended everyone wear a mask in public to help slow the spread of Covid-19, so not only do we need to be sewing for medical professionals, but…
“I make my work from my personal life experiences.” From pantyhose to prison sheets, South African artist Turiya Magadlela masterfully transforms the fabric of daily life. Acts of twisting, stretching, layering and stitching lead to intricately layered, abstract designs pulled over wooden frames, left free hanging or filling entire rooms, leaving traces of performance that…
Continuing with our styling series, next up is a pair of stunning draped trousers with a little cute top as I had some extra fabric left. What I love about a good pair of trousers is how versatile they can look for a plethora of occasions. I especially love them in an unexpected shade. With…
One of the most famous artists of all time, Leonardo da Vinci’s art is filled with subtle, mysterious shades of brown like that of POTTING SOIL Linen, proving how entrancing this unassuming colour can be. From undulating landscapes to the tinge of angel’s wing tips, golden browns bring depth and weight into his quiet, mystical…
Do you need some additional help putting together our Akira pattern? This sewalong will take you through the pattern construction with step-by-step photographs and in-depth instructions. You’ll find loads of helpful tips and extra details beyond the instructions provided in the booklet. We hope that with this little extra guidance the sewing process will be…
As many of us are in lockdown whether voluntarily or mandatory now is as good a time as any to distract ourselves with some simple projects. Considering that many of us can’t leave our homes & some of us may be feeling the economic pinch, this project is based on using food or food waste…
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do. My name is Caroline, a Swedish Londoner, and I work in the creative industries in two different roles: I teach on the costume courses at Wimbledon College of Art and I am one half of the startup Selkie Patterns, an online business where we make…
Torn scraps of colour and texture flit across Kurt Schwitters’ endlessly complex designs, pushing back and forth in a bid for attention. But uniting them is a love of caramel and golden browns, like that of GINGER Linen, which creates an overriding mood of warmth and familiarity. Made from the ephemera of his daily life…
“In a lot of my work it’s important that there is this ambiguity, that it doesn’t answer these questions and that there are no definite statements being made. So it’s more a type of poetry; it’s a poetic statement.” Yinka Shonibare’s art is a balance of opposites, combining irreverent, playful fantasy with the shocking brutality…
This is not the article I hoped to write this week. It comes with a heavy heart that it’s even a topic of discussion; nevertheless, we need to talk about how to support makers, small businesses, and local shops during this time of social distancing. Right now is not exactly a fun time to be…
Growing up, my mother told me stories of how young women used to work away making all of their own tablecloths, quilts, dish towels, etc. by the time they got married. It seems like a romantic idea, doesn’t it? How lovely it would be to move into a new home and to be able to…
“It’s that notion of gravity pulling on things, making things collapse, and that potential to collapse.” Multicoloured fabric is bundled into oversized pom-poms, stretched across posts or draped over concrete slabs in the wild, rugged world of Phyllida Barlow. Colossally huge and disarmingly bright, her sculptural installations transform the simple, everyday materials of concrete, plaster,…
I mentioned in my previous articles that fabric needs to be cleaned or ” scoured ” in order for it to take up the dye effectively. I also mentioned that after the fabric is scoured it needs to be mordanted, which will increase the light & wash fastness of the dyes. Once your fabric has…
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01 Apr 2026 @ 6:15 am by Emma Cartmel
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