Praise for the Build a Bag series: "These books are ideal for those new to bag making and will help readers grow their bag-making skills and confidence as they work through the projects. The plastic templates are a brilliant idea and a great bonus." - The Sewing Directory New to the highly acclaimed Build a Bag series, Debbie Shore brings you a selection of 15 brilliant backpacks! The 15 designs are created using the full-size rigid template contained within the book. It is easy-to-use, durable, reusable, wipe-clean and perfect for fussy cutting, plus it is simple to position and use - there is no need to pin it. The backpacks are made using different techniques, pockets, straps and fastenings to create 15 very different results. But why stop there? The template can also be used for your own design variations. As you mix and match the techniques covered within the book, Debbie gives advice on how to adapt and create your own unique designs. Each project in the book is explained using Debbie's friendly style and easy-to-follow step-by-step photography, and there is also a comprehensive techniques section and a guide to using the template.

In the crowded center of Historic Cairo lies a covered market lined with wonderful textiles sewn by hand in brilliant colors and intricate patterns. This is the Street of the Tentmakers, the home of the Egyptian applique art known as 'khayamiya.' The Tentmakers of Cairo brings together the stories of the tentmakers and their extraordinary tents-from the huge tent pavilions, or suradiq, of the streets of Egypt, to the souvenirs of the First World War and textile artworks celebrated by quilters around the world. It traces the origins and aesthetics of the khayamiya textiles that enlivened the ceremonial tents of the Fatimid, Mamluk, and Ottoman dynasties, exploring the ways in which they challenged conventions under new patrons and technologies, inspired the paper cut-outs of Henri Matisse, and continue to preserve a legacy of skilled handcraft in an age of relentless mass production. Drawing on historical literature, interviews with tentmakers, and analysis of khayamiya from around the world, the authors reveal the stories of this unique and spectacular Egyptian textile art.

The colour and shade of dyed textiles were once as much an indicator of social class or position as the fabric itself and for centuries the recipes used by dyers were closely guarded secrets. The arrival of synthetic dyestuffs in the middle of the nineteenth century opened up a whole rainbow of options and within 50 years modern dyes had completely overturned the dyeing industry. From pre-history to the current day, the story of dyed textiles in Western Europe brings together the worlds of politics, money, the church, law, taxation, international trade and exploration, fashion, serendipity and science. This book is an introduction to a broad, diverse and fascinating subject of how and why people coloured textiles. A fresh review of this topic, this book brings previous scholars' work to light, alongside new discoveries and research.

In an era of increasingly available digital resources, many textile designers and makers find themselves at an interesting juncture between traditional craft processes and newer digital technologies. Highly specialized craft/design practitioners may now elect to make use of digital processes in their work, but often choose not to abandon craft skills fundamental to their practice, and aim to balance the complex connection between craft and digital processes. The essays collected here consider this transition from the viewpoint of aesthetic opportunity arising in the textile designer's hands-on experimentation with material and digital technologies available in the present. Craft provides the foundations for thinking within the design and production of textiles, and as such may provide some clues in the transition to creative and thoughtful use of current and future digital technologies. Within the framework of current challenges relating to sustainable development, globalization, and economic constraints it is important to interrogate and question how we might go about using established and emerging technologies in textiles in a positive manner.

Part of a comprehensive catalog of the International Quilt Study Center and Museum collection, American Quilts in the Industrial Age, 1760-1870 highlights the dazzling designs and intricate needlework of America's treasured material culture. From whole cloth to pieced quilts to elaborate applique examples, all reflecting various design movements such as Neoclassicism and Eastern exoticism, the contributing authors address the development of quilt making in America from its inception in the 1700s to the period of the U.S. Civil War. Covering more than one hundred years of quilt making, this volume examines the period's quilts from both an artistic and a historical perspective. The contributors provide critical information regarding the founding of the republic and the influential republican values and ideals manifested in the quilts of this era. They also address the role that immigration and industrialization played in the evolution of materials and styles. With full-color photographs of nearly six hundred quilts, American Quilts in the Industrial Age, 1760-1870 offers new insights into American society.

Luxurious, beautiful, and portable, tapestry was the pre-eminent art form of the Tudor court. Henry VIII amassed an unrivaled collection over the course of his reign, and the author weaves the history of this magnificent collection into the life of its owner with an engaging narrative style. Now largely dispersed or destroyed, Henry's extensive inventory is here reassembled and reveals how, through tapestry, Henry identified himself with historic, religious, and mythological figures, putting England in dialogue-and competition-with the leading courts of Early Modern Europe while promoting his own religious and political agendas at home. Campbell's original account sheds new light on Tudor political and artistic culture and the court's response to Renaissance aesthetic ideals. Sumptuously illustrated with newly commissioned photographs, this stunning re-creation of Europe's greatest tapestry collection challenges the predominantly text-driven histories of the period and offers a fascinating new perspective on the life of Henry VIII. Published for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

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.

Fashion Sewing: Advanced Techniques guides the reader through a range of intermediate and advanced skills, such as tailoring, sewing with knits, inserting linings and facings and how to sew a wide range of design variations for collars, pockets and sleeves. The detailed step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, with clear accompanying illustrations. This comprehensive guide is an ideal accompaniment to the first book in the series, Fashion Sewing: Introductory Techniques, but it will also enable those with little sewing experience to master their fashion sewing skills and create beautiful, professional-looking garments.

Renowned colour expert and quilt and fabric designer Kaffe Fassett explores flowers as a source of inspiration for patchwork and needlepoint in this new quilting guide and pattern collection. Along the way, he shares a behind-the-scenes look at his fascinating design process-from mood boards and "sketching" with colour swatches to planning and sewing the quilts. While the focus is on patchwork and needle point, the design and color ideas translate to many design disciplines and materials, including crafts, fiber arts, floral design and home decor. Accessible to all skill levels, the designs on each page will inspire you to see how much more colourful and alive your needlework, quilts and creative projects can be.

National Jewish Book Awards 2019 Finalist for Visual Arts. Richly illustrated and meticulously documented, this is the first comprehensive survey of synagogue textiles to be available in English. Bracha Yaniv, a leading expert in the field of Jewish ceremonial textiles, records their evolution from ancient times to the present. The volume contains a systematic consideration of the mantle, the wrapper, the Torah scroll binder, and the Torah ark curtain and valance, and considers the cultural factors that inspired the evolution of these different items and their motifs. Fabrics, techniques, and modes of production are described in detail; the inscriptions marking the circumstances of donation are similarly subjected to close analysis. Fully annotated plates demonstrate the richness of the styles and traditions in use in different parts of the Jewish diaspora, drawing attention to regional customs. Throughout, emphasis is placed on presenting and explaining all relevant aspects of the Jewish cultural heritage. The concluding section contains transcriptions, translations, and annotations of some 180 inscriptions recording the circumstances in which items were donated, providing a valuable survey of customs of dedication. Together with the comprehensive bibliography, inventory lists, and other relevant documentation, this volume will be an invaluable reference work for the scholarly community, museum curators, and others interested in the Jewish cultural heritage.

Tapestries have been an enigmatic form of artwork for hundreds of years, with the intricate symbolism of their woven narratives still fascinating viewers today. Unicorns and fantastic beasts rub shoulders with well-heeled aristocrats; famous biblical and saintly stories are played out; allegorical figures, gods and goddesses recline in classical landscapes; and the arms and military achievements of wealthy patrons are depicted in sparkling glory. However, far from being an outdated craft, tapestries continue to be woven to this day, both by talented amateurs in their homes and by highly skilled artisans in studios and workshops around the world. In this beautiful illustrated introduction to the history of tapestries, Rosita Sheen reveals the fascinating story of these masterpieces, exploring their conception, manufacture, and symbolism right up to the present day.

As an important part of Chinese culture, Lingnan culture, mainly those in Guangdong province, plays a key role in the world culture. Elegant Guangdong Series cover 5 subjects of the Lingnan cultural and traditional gems in South China. Each volume has used vivid and precious illustrations and portraits. Gambiered Canton Gauze outlines the birth, evolution, dyeing and finishing process, prospect of this ethereal silk fabric in South China.

This book features the collector/author's well-informed views about a careful selection of mainly 19th century knotted pile carpets and flatwoven covers in various techniques from his own extensive collection, which has been built up over a period of more than five decades. Many of the rugs, which are all of the highest graphic and artistic quality, have been acquired without recourse to the open market and are therefore previously unseen and unpublished. Raoul (Mike) Tschebull's long experience in the genre allows insights that go beyond the conventional wisdom of the traditional antique oriental carpet bazaar. His collecting career began under the aegis of one of the great US collectors of a previous generation, Joseph V. McMullan. This beautifully illustrated book will include a general introduction to the region, which straddles the present-day border between north-western Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, setting the context for the focused presentation of some 70 examples, each with the author's comments about design, structure, technique and attribution, providing a matrix within which dating can be considered. In-country field experience colours some of his views, and extracts from his field notes and accompanying images will be included the book.

French Tapestries and Textiles is a survey of the Getty Museum's seventeenth-and eighteenth-century French textiles-one of the world's finest collections. Featuring twenty-five extraordinary tapestries woven at the Gobelins and Beauvais manufactories, the catalogue also highlights three carpets, two knotted-pile screens, and two sets of embroidered bed hangings, one of which is the only complete lit a la duchesse surviving from the period. Among the magnificent textiles discussed in this lavish volume are the Emperor of China tapestry series, the whimsical Story of Don Quixote, and Boucher's cycle The Story of Psyche. A gatefold in the book opens to reveal a photograph of the stately twenty-nine-foot carpet commissioned for Louis XIV's Galerie du Bord de l'Eau at the Louvre, a piece not publicly displayed for more than 120 years. Each entry includes a listing of artists and weavers, date and place of manufacture, and materials and techniques used, followed by a complete description and a condition statement. The accompanying commentary provides information on the literary, historical, and visual source of design imagery as well as the context of the textile's commission and production. In addition, each textile shown has a complete provenance, exhibition history, and bibliography. For lovers of French decorative arts and connoisseurs of textiles, this book offers a study both of the art of tapestry- and textile-making and of the aesthetic tradition exemplified by these remarkable objects.

Textile design has a very exciting future. New fibres, fabrics and applications are constantly appearing and designers now have a wealth of avenues to explore. This book offers students a basic grounding in the three main pathways of textile design - printed, woven and mixed media textile design. Using a wealth of imagery and case studies from designers and studios at work today, the book looks at the basic principles of design and production, and the stages of creating a textile collection, giving students all the tools they need to develop their own work. Finally, the role of the textile designer is explored in several market sectors giving students an insight into the industry and possible career paths they may wish to follow. Designed for students both at degree and foundation level, the book will also appeal to those wishing to enter a career in textile design.

New research into the techniques of tablet weaving, sprang, braiding, knotting and lace is presented in this lavishly illustrated volume written by leading specialists from Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and USA. Drawing inspiration from the pioneering work of Peter Collingwood, this publication explores aspects of these craft skills in the prehistoric, Roman and medieval world through scientific, object-based analysis and 'research through making'. Chapters include the growth of patterned tablet weaving for trimming garments in prehistoric Central Europe; recently identified styles of headdress worn in the Roman Rhineland and pre-Islamic Egypt; Viking-age Dublin as a production centre for tablet-woven bands; a new interpretation of the weaving technique used to make luxurious gold bands in the twelfth to late thirteenth centuries; and the development out of plaiting of bobbin lace borders in gold and silver threads from the fifteenth to early seventeenth centuries. Practical experiments test methods of hand spinning and the production of figure-hugging hose in ancient Greece and Renaissance Italy. A typology of braid and knotting structures in late medieval Europe is also set out for the first time. Diagrams, illustrations and photographs enrich each chapter with a wealth of visual source material. The work is the outcome of recent discoveries of archaeological textile finds from excavations as well as fresh examination of material recovered in the past, or preserved in treasuries. Early textiles form an increasingly popular subject of interest and this publication, which is a landmark in the study of various specialised textile techniques, aims to provide the reader with a better understanding of these virtuoso craft skills in antiquity.

Over the past 30 years, research on archaeological textiles has developed into an important field of scientific study. It has greatly benefitted from interdisciplinary approaches, which combine the application of advanced technological knowledge to ethnographic, textual and experimental investigations. In exploring textiles and textile processing (such as production and exchange) in ancient societies, archaeologists with different types and quality of data have shared their knowledge, thus contributing to well-established methodology. In this book, the papers highlight how researchers have been challenged to adapt or modify these traditional and more recently developed analytical methods to enable extraction of comparable data from often recalcitrant assemblages. Furthermore, they have applied new perspectives and approaches to extend the focus on less investigated aspects and artefacts. The chapters embrace a broad geographical and chronological area, ranging from South America and Europe to Africa, and from the 11th millennium BC to the 1st millennium AD. Methodological considerations are explored through the medium of three different themes focusing on tools, textiles and fibres, and culture and identity. This volume constitutes a reflection on the status of current methodology and its applicability within the wider textile field. Moreover, it drives forward the methodological debates around textile research to generate new and stimulating conversations about the future of textile archaeology.

Weaving Europe, Crafting the Museum delves into the history and the changing material culture in Europe through the stories of a basket, a carpet, a waistcoat, a uniform, and a dress. The focus on the objects from the collection of the Museum of European Cultures in Berlin offers an innovative and challenging way of understanding textile culture and museums. The book shows that textiles can be simultaneously used as the material object of research, and as a lens through which we can view museums. In doing so, the book fills a major gap by placing textile knowledge back into the museum. Each chapter focuses on one object story and can be read individually. Swooping from 19th-century wax figure cabinets, Nazi-era collections, Cold War exhibitions in East and West Berlin, and institutional reshuffling after German unification, it reveals the dramatically changing story of the museum and its collection. Based on research with museum curators, makers and users of the textiles in Italy and Germany, Poland and Romania, the book provides intimate insights into how objects are mobilised to very different social and political effects. It sheds new light on movements across borders, political uses of textiles by fascist and communist regimes, the objects’ fall into oblivion, as well as their heritage and tourist afterlives. Addressing this complex museum legacy, the book suggests new pathways to prefigure the future. Featuring new archival and ethnographic research, evocative examples and images, it is an essential read for students of textile and material culture, museum and curatorial studies as well as anyone interested in history, heritage and craft.

This book presents a wealth of images that will spark the imagination of all who see them. There are times when all artists struggle for inspiration. This can be particularly true when you try to create patterns, textures and designs with which to decorate your work. In this book, Carolyn Genders presents a wealth of images - of both natural and manmade objects - that will spark your imagination as soon as you see them. The book also highlights how these images can be visually abstracted, refined and developed to create other beautiful patterns, designs and forms. The result is not only a useful guide to how the creative process works but also a visually glorious sourcebook of images. This book is a must for all - whatever field you work in and whether you are an amateur or a professional artist.

Creativity is an integral part of human history, yet most studies focus on the modern era, leaving unresolved questions about the formative role that creativity has played in the past. This book explores the fundamental nature of creativity in the European Bronze Age. Considering developments in crafts that we take for granted today, such as pottery, textiles, and metalwork, the volume compares and contrasts various aspects of their development, from the construction of the materials themselves, through the production processes, to the design and effects deployed in finished objects. It explores how creativity is closely related to changes in material culture, how it directs responses to the new and unfamiliar, and how it has resulted in changes to familiar things and practices. Written by an international team of scholars, the case studies in this volume consider wider issues and provide detailed insights into creative solutions found in specific objects.

Patchwork quilts are hugely evocative emblems of our domestic past. With no two quite the same, each example hints both at the story of the particular household in which it was produced and at a larger piece of social history. But quilting is by no means only historical, with the craft seeing a huge revival in popularity in recent years, and items that were once made for purely utilitarian and practical reasons are now produced and appreciated for the connection they afford us to a rich vein of heritage and nostalgia. Illustrated with a stunning range of examples from the Quilters' Guild Collection - of which the author is curator - this book is a wonderful introduction to a hugely important aspect of British domestic history.

An essential resource for any designer, crafter, artist, or historian, The Complete Pattern Dictionary is the most comprehensive, practical, and beautiful directory of patterns throughout history, covering all periods, styles, and cultures. Throughout history, patterns have come in countless permutations of motif, color, and scale. From the first rhythmic marks pressed onto clay vessels, to the latest digital design, pattern-making has been an essential part of the decorative arts since time immemorial. With 1500 illustrations of patterns from all ages and cultures, The Complete Pattern Dictionary is not only a visual feast, it is the most comprehensive resource available on the subject. The book is arranged thematically according to pattern type, with chapters on Flora, Fauna, Pictorial, Geometric, and Abstract designs. Each pattern includes the name of the pattern, the year of its creation, and a brief description. The categories are supplemented by in-depth features highlighting the work of key designers including William Morris, Sonia Delaunay, Charles and Ray Eames, Lucienne Day, and Orla Kiely, as well as sections detailing the characteristic motifs of key period styles from Baroque to Art Deco.