The history of an entrepreneurial family whose work influenced followers of the Arts and Crafts Movement, Gothic Revivalism, Art Needlework and Aestheticism LONGLISTED for the Arnold Bennett Society Book Prize 2020 This book is a richly illustrated history of the Wardle family of Leek, Staffordshire, which rose to prominence in fine textile production in the second half ofthe nineteenth century. At its core is an object-centred exploration revealing how an entrepreneurial family responded to complex international factors. Beautiful dyed, printed and embroidered textiles were created in Leek using traditional craft skills. Followers of the Arts and Crafts Movement and Gothic Revivalism, as well as Art Needlework and Aestheticism, benefited from the family enterprises that flourished despite rapid industrialisation. The Wardle family's rich legacy is played out against the backdrop of the Anglo-Indian silk trade. Thomas Wardle travelled in India and integrated Indian designs into British silk production. His work attracted William Morris, Walter Crane and A. L. Liberty, among others, and their designs, printed by Wardle, were internationally applauded. Elizabeth Wardle, embroiderer, worked with many major architects such as R. N. Shaw, G. G. Scott Jnr and J. D. Sedding.Lavishly illustrated, this book will be of interest to those interested in textile and fashion history and the history of the Arts and Crafts movement, as well as the relationship between the British Empire and the Indian subcontinent. BRENDA M. KING is a textile historian and holds the Chair of the Textile Society. She is also a freelance lecturer in the History of Design and Museum and Heritage Studies and the author of Silk and Empire (2005 and 2009) and Dye, Print, Stitch: Textiles by Thomas and Elizabeth Wardle (2009).

Simple Pleasures presents the first major critical assessment of works by the artist Doris Lee (1904-1983). Lee was one of the most recognized artists in America during the 1930s and 40s, and was a leading figure in the Woodstock Artist's Colony. Her oeuvre reveals a remarkable ability to merge the reduction of abstraction with the appeal of the everyday. In so doing, she offers one of the very rare examples of a coherent visual identity that successfully bridged the various artistic "camps" that formed with the shift in the art world in the post-World War II era.Doris Lee exploded onto the national scene in 1935 when her painting Thanksgiving was awarded the Art Institute of Chicago's Logan Prize and instigated the Sanity in Art movement in protest. Two years later, her painting Catastrophe was purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Simple Pleasures explores this initial national recognition in the 1930s within the context of American Scene painting, and traces the artist's thematic interest in the simple objects and scenes of the everyday through her career. It also examines the influence of the rise in abstraction during the late 1940s and 1950s, and the particular way in which this abstraction found resonance with Lee's long-held interest in, and collections of, folk and non-western art. During this post-war period, Lee, like many of her American Scene colleagues, found lucrative work in the heyday of commercial advertising. Lee's commercial commissions for patrons such as American Tobacco Company, Life magazine, Abbott Laboratories, and Associated American Artists are especially compelling in both their populist accessibility and in their deceptively sophisticated abstraction. Sixty-five works by the artist span the 1930s through the 1960s and are comprised of paintings, drawings, prints, and commissioned commercial designs in fabric and pottery. Included are advertisements by companies that commissioned images from Lee, and photographs that contextualize the artist's work within the Woodstock artist's community.

Rozsika Parker's re-evaluation of the reciprocal relationship between women and embroidery has brought stitchery out from the private world of female domesticity into the fine arts, created a major breakthrough in art history and criticism, and fostered the emergence of today's dynamic and expanding crafts movements. The Subversive Stitch is now available again with a new Introduction that brings the book up to date with exploration of the stitched art of Louise Bourgeois and Tracey Emin, as well as the work of new young female and male embroiderers. Rozsika Parker uses household accounts, women's magazines, letters, novels and the works of art themselves to trace through history how the separation of the craft of embroidery from the fine arts came to be a major force in the marginalisation of women's work. Beautifully illustrated, her book also discusses the contradictory nature of women's experience of embroidery: how it has inculcated female subservience while providing an immensely pleasurable source of creativity, forging links between women.

Addressing textiles as a distinctive area of cultural practice and field of scholarly research, The Textile Reader introduces students to the key issues essential to the exploration of the textile from both a critical and a creative perspective. The second edition brings together lectures, catalogue essays, academic articles, fiction and poetry, as well as several articles available in English translation for the first time, to capture the diversity of voices informing textile studies today. Content is organized around the themes of touch, memory, structure, politics, and production plus a new section exploring the role of community. With 22 new contributors, this revised edition includes selected work from Maria Fusco, Ursula le Guin, Elaine Igoe, Faith Ringgold, and T'ai Smith. Extended introductions and annotated suggestions for further reading by the editor Jessica Hemmings make the second edition an invaluable resource to students of textiles, craft and material culture.

* SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD 2021 * 'If her moving, engrossing, elegantly written memoir does not win prizes, there really is no justice in the literary world.' Lucy Atkins, Sunday Times All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. When Arifa Akbar discovered that her sister had fallen seriously ill, she assumed there would be a brief spell in hospital and then she'd be home. This was not to be. It was not until the day before she died that the family discovered she was suffering from tuberculosis. Consumed is a story of sisterhood, grief, the redemptive power of art and the strange mythologies that surround tuberculosis. It takes us from Keats's deathbed and the tubercular women of opera to the resurgence of TB in modern Britain today. Arifa travels to Rome to haunt the places Keats and her sister had explored, to her grandparent's house in Pakistan, to her sister's bedside at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead and back to a London of the seventies when her family first arrived, poor, homeless and hungry. Consumed is an eloquent and moving excavation of a family's secrets and a sister's detective story to understand her sibling.

A comprehensive study of walking canes from around the world, dating from the distant past to the modern-day. The book presents a historical context on both practical and ceremonial usage. At the same time, specially shot pictures showcase the celebrated A&D Collection of canes, while enlightening prose demonstrates the cane's enduring relevance to society. More than just a mobility aid, the cane has held numerous offices of significance. From the staff of the legendary Monkey King in the classic Chinese Journey to the West, or the stylised crosiers carried by high-ranking prelates from the Roman Catholic church, to the truncheon wielded by Mr Punch in puppet shows, canes are embedded in the culture of almost every country around the globe. Roving the map with one hand and thumbing through history books with the other, A Virtual History of Walking Canes and Sticks seeks not only to introduce the collector to the diverse wealth of canes available but also to entertain the casual reader. Intermingled with over 800 full-colour pictures are descriptions of gadget canes for tradesmen, squirting canes for pranksters, and glamorous Art Nouveau canes for the dapper gentlemen of the '20s. Informative and meticulously researched, this book paves an accessible route into a niche subject while paying homage to our ongoing relationship with canes. This story stretches back as far as history itself.

Latinx artist Tamara Kostianovsky began using her discarded clothes as artistic material shortly after immigrating to the United States, addressing cultural and physical displacement, assimilation and identity, and the brutal history of Latin America. Today, these emotionally charged materials coalesce in a post-colonial vision for an ecological future. Tamara Kostianovsky creates sculptures from textiles that address the relationship between landscapes, the body, and violence. This volume highlights distinct bodies of her work including sculptures of butchered carcasses, slayed birds, and severed trees. Built with layers of texture, colour, and emotion, these works dive head-first into the tension between beauty and horror, confronting histories of systemic violence and transforming them into utopian environments.

A heavily illustrated classic on the evolution of the handloom. The handloom-often no more than a bundle of sticks and a few lengths of cordage-has been known to almost all cultures for thousands of years. Eric Broudy places the wide variety of handlooms in their historical context. What influenced their development? How did they travel from one geographic area to another? Were they invented independently by different cultures? How have modern cultures improved on ancient weaving skills and methods? Broudy shows how virtually every culture has woven on handlooms. He highlights the incredible technical achievement of early cultures that created magnificent textiles with the crudest of tools and demonstrates that modern technology has done nothing to surpass their skill or inventiveness.

Queen Alexandra used clothes to fashion images of herself as a wife, a mother and a royal: a woman who both led Britain alongside her husband Edward VII and lived her life through fashion. Inside the Royal Wardrobe overturns the popular portrait of a vapid and neglected queen, examining the surviving garments of Alexandra, Princess of Wales - who later became Queen Consort - to unlock a rich tapestry of royal dress and society in the second half of the 19th century. More than 130 extraordinary garments from Alexandra's wardrobe survive, from sumptuous court dress and politicised fancy dress to mourning attire and elegant coronation gowns, and can be found in various collections around the world, from London, Oslo and Denmark to New York, Toronto and Tokyo. Curator and fashion scholar Kate Strasdin places these garments at the heart of this in-depth study, examining their relationships to issues such as body politics, power, celebrity, social identity and performance, and interpreting Alexandra's world from the objects out. Adopting an object-based methodology, the book features a range of original sources from letters, travel journals and newspaper editorials, to wardrobe accounts, memoirs, tailors' ledgers and business records. Revealing a shrewd and socially aware woman attuned to the popular power of royal dress, the work will appeal to students and scholars of costume, fashion and dress history, as well as of material culture and 19th century history.

In this fun and practical introduction to patchwork and quilting, well-known TV personality Sarah Payne leads you through a series of techniques to build up your skills. Each chapter includes a number of different-sized step-by-step projects, including quilts, cushions, tote bags and table runners. Sarah discusses different shapes (squares, circles, triangles) and different techniques (applique, piecing blocks and curved piecing) in turn. She also includes information on basting, layering, quilting and binding, as well as pre-cuts. Filled with guidance and helpful tips and tricks, this book will equip you with all you need to know to get started on your quilting adventure. Put your skills into practice and at the same time create beautiful projects to keep or give as gifts.

From a platypus scarf to a giant crocodile rug, this fabulous activity book features animal-themed knitting patterns and fun puzzles, stories and quizzes to knock your socks off. Combining her love of humour and cuteness, Louise Walker, also known as Sincerely Louise, presents a selection of her favourite knits for you to try out. Including patterns for both home and to wear, this book includes mini animal trophy heads, triceratops slippers, a lion mug coaster and a giant balloon dog for you to recreate at home. Also, knit along to the `Lola the Polar Bear Moves' comic and create a killer whale, raccoon, corgi, meerkat and a toucan, among many other adorable animals. But this book is not just packed with patterns - have a go at the crafty crossword, the `Find the Fibre' wordsearch, The Knitter's Arms pub quiz, Louise's scrap yarn challenge, and many more. Each project is easy to make, only using a basic range of stitches, increases and decreases, so is perfect for beginners wanting to knit something impressive straight away or experienced knitters who are looking for exciting patterns. In just a few afternoons, you could have your very own trophy head to adorn your wall, a knitted toy or a fun piece of handmade clothing. The 20 patterns in this book include: Lion Mug Rug; Triceratops Slippers, Lobster Dinner, Faux Taxidermy Heads including Pig, Cow, Donkey and Giant Elephant; Polar bear; Toucan; Meerkat; Killer Whale; Chickens; Raccoon; Corgi; Starfish; Swan Door Stop; Giant Balloon Dog; Pretty Platypus Scarf; Roselle-Laura the Manta Ray; and Crocodile Rug. The quizzes, puzzles and stories featured in this book include: Get Sincerely Louise to the Craft Fair board game, Craft Crossword, The Knitter's Alphabet, Should I Knit Today?, Find the Fibre, At the Craft Fair, Lola the Polar Bear Moves, Knitter's Bingo, Find the Odd Ball Out, Pub Quiz, History of Sincerely Louise, Hall of Fame, Knitter's Homework, World Map of Faux Taxidermists.

The potential for large sizes, portability and versatility for religious objects including banners, hangings, altarpieces and palls was the impetus for the emergence of fabrics as a painting support in Western art in the Middle Ages. The functionality of the works explains the survival of relatively few examples and although painted cloths were the most common form of interior decoration for centuries, they have received less attention from art historians and historians in part due to this poor survival rate. The papers in this volume explore the use of painted cloths in religious ceremony, pageantry, domestic interiors and scenic art, focusing on their change of context and significance from the 14th to the 21st century and examining their different function, materials and method of creation.

Kari Hestnes has been a knit designer for almost 40 years-and she's a perennial fan favorite for her focus on gorgeous details and stunning embellishment, her flattering garment shaping, and her playful, vivid use of color. Now, she's revisited those four decades of challenging and endlessly rewarding work in order to bring together the best of the best, in one extraordinary collection: classic cabling, dynamic textures, and brilliant multicolor patterns for sweaters, cardigans, and tops, all featuring Hestnes's inimitable style and characteristic aesthetic flourishes. - Patterns using a variety of techniques and design elements, with instructions included for a minimum of five sizes - Full-color photographs of each project-plus additional nature photos were taken by Kari herself - Decades of timeless design inspiration, now available in English for the first time

This sumptuous and inspiring book, written by needlework expert Trish Burr and created in association with The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a stunning, contemporary guide to embroidering flowers. All the reusable iron-on transfers needed are kept safely together with the book in an attractive hardback folder. Focusing mainly on long-and-short stitch and Trish's delicate, considered use of silk shading, the book contains all the clearly-illustrated stitches needed, and gives thorough advice on preparation and choosing fabrics and threads - including a handy thread conversion chart. The embroideries are reworkings of botanical artworks from Kew's Art Collection. There is one 'starter' project to encourage readers to try out the techniques, one large sampler containing 18 small elements that can be worked individually or as a group, and nine further projects - including a striking spider chrysanthemum, an elegant waterlily and an opulent magnolia. All the projects are shown step-by-step, with an order of work diagram given where appropriate. The enclosed reusable iron-on transfer papers offer embroiderers a fast and accurate method of transferring the designs - the transfers simply need ironing on to fabric so that the reader can start embroidering straight away. The templates are also included at full size at the back of the book. This stunning yet practical book is a must-have for anyone interested in capturing flowers in thread.

The Grammar of Pattern describes characteristics of textile and other surface patterns, and identifies, illustrates, and reviews a wide range of pattern types including spotted, striped, checked, tessellating and other types of all-over patterns with original drawings and images. This book includes original black-and-white line drawings and color images. The modular nature of patterns is explored, and attention is focused on the vast diversity of pattern types which can emerge from a small inventory of components. The book features material that is easily accessible with obvious mathematical content kept to a minimum and offers fresh perspectives on the nature of tessellating and other all-over patterns. This book serves as an effective practical guide for both students and professionals. Select sample exercises and student assignments are included, making this an ideal course text for teachers engaged across the full range of design education.

Design and sew your own gorgeous, unique skirts, with no need for shop-bought patterns. Start by creating your own block and toile using just four body measurements. Then select your skirt shape, add the fittings, fastenings and details you want, and put the whole thing together with ease. With clear step-by-step photography and easy-to-follow instructions, Jenniffer Taylor (of The Great British Sewing Bee) will show you how to mix and match the design elements you really want to make your perfect garment; choose from A-line, flared, gathered, pencil and pleated shapes, and from pockets, zips, buttons and yokes. The book contains 10 inspiring skirt options to get you started... but it's your skirt, your way, so fill your wardrobe with an array of gorgeous skirts that fit you perfectly and suit your style!

A modern, stylish and practical exploration of the traditional craft of block printing. For self-taught textile designer Molly Mahon, there is something special about block printing that has stood the test of time. From the initial design process, through to the carving of the block, the mixing of the colour and the actual printing process, Molly has always found printing to be meditative. This book enables readers to explore this ancient craft through Molly's contemporary designs and the influences that inspire her use of pattern and colour, before teaching them practical skills and potential ways to transform their creations into beautiful homeware. The book is divided into three main sections: A Modern Block Printer: An introduction to Molly and how she found and nurtured her love of block printing. Also, Molly gives a brief history of the tradition of block printing. Design Journeys: Molly sees pattern everywhere she looks and this is what creates the basis of her blocks. When Molly is designing, it's as if she goes on a journey, whether it be a walk in the forest or a work trip to India. She is constantly inspired by her surroundings in all that she sees and feels. Here the reader is taken on some of her favourite journeys with an inspirational sourcebook filled with beautiful images. Discover a brief history of block printing, design ideas and stories focusing on how India's artisan craftspeople and traditional block printing techniques, nature and the Bloomsbury Group have all inspired Molly's designs. Practical Printing: This chapter focuses on how to block print, including information on key tools, step-by-step techniques for printing on paper and fabric, and pattern design advice. Follow instructions to make five simple homeware projects with your newly printed creations and find exclusive block templates drawn by Molly for you to copy and recreate at home. House of Print is a celebration of both the art of block printing and the joy of design.

When does a carpet transcend the category of interior accessory to become art? This well-illustrated book features 200 carpets found in behind-the scenes tours of amazing homes around the world. In thematic chapters, it covers the main international trends, from Ethnic to Art Deco and from Contemporary to Artsy. These dressed-up living spaces provide inspiration for anyone fascinated by stylish living, creative interior design and the myriad possibilities for home decor. In addition, the author provides helpful information on the provenance of materials, quality of design, composition and workmanship possibilities for home decor. It's a fascinating glimpse into the homes of people with a good taste. Carpets & Rugs is comprehensive and more relevant than ever.

Spearheaded by Constantine Sekeris, author of "MetamorFX," this book is an in-depth look at costume design and illustration. Showcasing an educational process breaking down the problematic areas of costume design for the film, video game and animation industries. From 10 top leading artists in the field, this title will have a wide range of aesthetic and design solutions. One will learn how to design and illustrate a costume from start to finish with educational tips and the process from sketches to finished Photoshop images to 3D ZBrush sculptures to fabrication.

This book explores the fascinating history and present-day practices associated with cotton. This is a story of commercial and cultural enterprise, of the ties and tensions between East and West, of technological and industrial revolution, social modernization, colonialism and slavery. Cotton's history mirrors profound global transformations. And cotton remains one of the most significant mass commodities today. Cotton's track record on labor conditions in factories and plantations has tarnished its history and reputation, even as cotton clothes became the hallmark of modern industrialized society. Cotton expressed popular fashions and popular politics in dynamic ways. Yet cottons also take other cultural forms and are part of vibrant craft traditions in many parts of the world. This book explores the history, impact and ongoing life of this hugely influential textile.

For centuries, the peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa have been producing domestic and professional embroidery to decorate themselves, their families, clients, homes and public spaces. Embroidery is an expression of artistic, personal, family, regional and even political creativity which has played an important role in the social and cultural lives of people throughout the region. It has also reflected economic and political changes over time as well as social, religious and artistic contexts. This is the first reference work to describe the history of embroidery throughout Africa south of the Sahara from the early modern period through to the present. From quilted armour to embroidered caps and leather sandals, it offers an authoritative guide to all the major embroidery traditions of the region and a detailed examination of the material, technical, artistic and design dimensions of the subject. Generously illustrated with 395 images (362 in colour) of clothes, accessories, and examples of decorated soft furnishings such as cushions, bed linen, curtains, floor coverings and wall hangings, the Encyclopedia is an essential resource for students and scholars of the subject.

The lavish new book from bestselling author and renowned textile artist Moy Mackay. From concentrating mainly on the felting techniques described in detail in her previous books (Art in Felt & Stitch and Flowers in Felt & Stitch), this latest title by the prolific and popular felt artist now shows you how to find inspiration for your own felt painting creations. Delve into the catalogue of Moy's beautiful, colourful sketchbooks and photographs and learn about her own design process and influences, through which your own artistic abilities can be explored. Moy takes you through every step of the felt-making process then shows you how to put together four fabulous felt paintings of various subjects. There is also guidance on stitching - both hand- and machine-stitching - as well as how to use colour and introduce texture in the form of different fibres and threads. There are numerous examples of Moy's work throughout the book, inspired by the dramatic scenery of the Scottish Borders where she lives and works, providing further inspiration for your own gorgeous felt paintings. From inspiration and design to the finished vibrant picture, Moy's third book explores the development from initial thoughts through to the essential embellishments that add life and character to her work.