This sumptuous book by accomplished embroiderer Ayako Otsuka is full of incredibly delicate and beautiful whitework embroidery of all kinds. Whitework is simply embroidery worked in white thread on white fabric, and it is renowned for its calm beauty and simplicity. An ancient form of embroidery that was popular in the Middle Ages, Ayako has brought whitework completely up to date with her gorgeous examples. The projects include such items as a sampler, a tea cosy, a teddy bear cushion, a christening gown, a ring bearer's pillow and a table runner. Some items are more complex than others, and there is a comprehensive techniques section with detailed step-by-step instructions, clear photographs and diagrams to guide you. Featuring drawn thread work, Schwalm, Ajour and Hedebo embroidery among other techniques, there is a wealth of information here for the keen embroiderer and 30 very beautiful projects to choose from.

Ottoman Dress and Design in the West is a richly illustrated exploration of the relationship between West and Near East through the visual culture of dress. Charlotte Jirousek examines the history of dress and fashion in the broader context of western relationships with the Mediterranean world from the dawn of Islam through the end of the twentieth century. The significance of dress is made apparent by the author's careful attention to its political, economic, and cultural context. The reader comes to understand that dress reflects not simply the self and one's relation to community but also that community's relation to a wider world through trade, colonization, religion, and technology. The chapters provide broad historical background on Ottoman influence and European exoticization of that influence, while the captions and illustrations provide detailed studies of illuminations, paintings, and sculptures to show how these influences were absorbed into everyday living. Through the medium of dress, Jirousek details a continually shifting Ottoman frontier that is closely tied to European and American history. In doing so, she explores and celebrates an essential source of influence that for too long has been relegated to the periphery.

Authors Mary Anne Wise and Cheryl Conway-Daly detail the creation and the triumph of Multicolores, a rug-hooking cooperative in Guatemala. Rug Hooking serves as a template for how to start a non-profit business while working hand in hand with traditional artisans in developing nations. Through a compelling narrative, the authors describe how they built a business framework from within the local culture and created successful teaching strategies that encouraged both artistic advancement as well as personal growth - all the while establishing and maintaining their enterprise as a force in the global marketplace.

A history of the nightclub from the 1960s to the present day. Nightclubs and discotheques are hotbeds of contemporary culture. Throughout the 20th century, they have been centres of the avant-garde that question the established codes of social life and experiment with different realities, merging interior and furniture design, graphics and art with sound, light, fashion and special effects to create a modern Gesamtkunstwerk. Night Fever: A Design History of Club Culture examines the history of the nightclub, with examples ranging from Italian nightclubs of the 1960s that were created by members of the Radical Design group to the legendary Studio 54 in New York, Philippe Starck's Les Bains Douches in Paris and the more recent Double Club in London, conceived by German artist Carsten Hoeller for the Prada Foundation. Featuring films and vintage photographs, posters and fashion, Night Fever takes the reader on a fascinating journey through a world of glamour, subculture and the search for the night that never ends.

'I have only one problem with this fascinating book - it had to end! I felt so well acquainted with the weavers and the authors and the techniques that it seemed like the story should go on forever. Loving, honest, illuminating documentation is how I would characterise the text, augmented by Joe Coca's superb photography.' Janet De Boer, editor of Australia's Textile Fibre Forum magazine for 30 years. What began as a couple's backpacking adventure transformed into a thriving fairtrade business and a renewed sense of well-being. Over the past decade, Joshua Hirschstein and Maren Beck have developed deep connections with the villagers of Xam Tai who raise their own fibre from silkworms, create their own natural dyes, and weave the patterns of their ancestors into healing cloths, ceremonial textiles and daily wear. Their narrative provides an in-depth and rare view into the everyday lives, culture, and craft of Lao silk weavers. Engaging personal stories and intimate photography bring it all into focus: the patience and skill of artisans, the steady pace of village life, and a commitment to honouring the old ways.

Tribal Rugs: Treasures of the Black Tent is the definitive work on this subject. Dedicated to one of the most ancient crafts of the world, this book leads its reader through the history of the tribal rug. Featured content ranges from the oldest complete rug in the world (dated to the fifth century BC) to the weavings of the nomadic peoples of Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia, compiled from the 19th Century up to the present day. Each chapter introduces a different group of tribes, illustrating the rugs, carpets, kilims and utilitarian bags attributed to their weavers. This book is both a celebration of the woven legacy left by the tribes and a tribute to the skill and artistry of the women who created these magnificent artworks. It aims to provide an introduction for the novice, and entice the more knowledgeable to further study. This new 2017 edition features a marvellous array of new photography showcasing the finest work of each tribe, which will excite anyone with an eye for the tribal aesthetic.

Richly comprehensive, this book gives us a one-of-a-kind look at all aspects of the work of internationally-renowned contemporary textile artist Gerhardt Knodel. Including over 400 images, it documents the development of Knodel's art from 1969 through 2014. Knodel became widely known for creating huge "environments of cloth" like 44 Panel Channel, a corridor of china-silk panels through which viewers walk, or the three-story-high Sky Court at Xerox world headquarters, a creation of wool, Mylar, and nylon. Knodel has transformed our view of textiles during the past 40 years, and here he describes his goals as well as his interest in the complex language of historic textiles as a stimulus to new work in the fiber medium. Experts share insights on the earlier phases of Knodel's work; his recent work, including a focus on games; and more. Resources include a biography orienting Knodel's influences to his works, plus an illustrated chronology.

Dyeing and Screen-Printing on Textiles is a clear, easy-to-follow guide for students as well as accomplished artists and designers who wish to expand their knowledge of a range of fascinating techniques. Joanna Kinnersly-Taylor covers all the key processes used in creating dyed and screen-printed fabrics using a range of synthetic dyes. This comprehensive guide includes recipes for cloth preparation, dyeing and printing, fixation, designing a repeat, and preparing imagery and screens for exposure. Also included is advice on equipment needed for setting up a studio and safe working practice. The step-by-step instructions are accompanied by inspirational images of works by practitioners from around the world. This new edition of Dyeing and Screen-Printing on Textiles has been fully updated, and features brand new colour illustrations.

The fashion business has been collecting and analyzing information about colors, fabrics, silhouettes, and styles since the 18th century - activities that have long been shrouded in mystery. The Fashion Forecasters is the first book to reveal the hidden history of color and trend forecasting and to explore its relevance to the fashion business of the past two centuries. It sheds light on trend forecasting in the industrial era, the profession's maturation during the modernist moment of the 20th century, and its continued importance in today's digital fast-fashion culture. Based on in-depth archival research and oral history interviews, The Fashion Forecasters examines the entrepreneurs, service companies, and consultants that have worked behind the scenes to connect designers and retailers to emerging fashion trends in Europe, North America, and Asia. Here you will read about the trend studios, color experts, and international trade fairs that formalized the prediction process in the modern era, and hear the voices of leading contemporary practitioners at international forecasting companies such as the Doneger Group in New York and WGSN in London. Probing the inner workings of the global fashion system, The Fashion Forecasters blends history, biography, and ethnography into a highly readable cultural narrative.

Bauhaus artist Friedl Dicker-Brandeis The work of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis (1898-1944) occupies a key position in the broader history of the Austrian avant-garde while also deepening our understanding of modernism. Her work covers an impressive range of media and genres in the visual and applied arts. Influenced by her studies at Vienna's Kunstgewerbeschule (which later became the University of Applied Arts Vienna), the Itten Private School, and the Bauhaus in Weimar, she worked as a painter, stage designer, architect, designer in Vienna and Berlin, in exile, and as a deportee. This book explores the heterogeneity of Dicker's work, reconstructs her artistic strategies and references to aesthetic and political discourses from the 1920s to the 1940s, and documents for the first time her works in the collection of the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Portrait of her work and collection catalog, dedicated to the artist, designer, and architect Friedl Dicker-Brandeis Essays by Julie M. Johnson, Robin Rehm, Daniela Stoeppel, and others To accompany an exhibition in Vienna and Zurich

A must-read for Civil War enthusiasts and quilters seeking accurate information on reproducing Civil War quilts. The stories of fourteen extraordinary Civil War quilts and the women who made them bring you face to face with the drama of war and its effect on thousands of lives. Some of these quilts tell love stories, others relate the determination of women seeking an active role in the war effort, but all represent efforts to support the fighting men. Each of these quilts tells stories of struggle and survival. The book contains patterns and information for making "block by block" or "potholder" quilts, with 40 traceable quilt block patterns with templates for hand piecing or rotary cutting for machine piecing. Also included is information on reproduction fabrics and how to participate in modern soldier-related community service quilting. This second edition also features a lively discussion of the Jane Stickle quilt, one of the most famous quilts made during the Civil War. With patterns rich in personal histories and strong visuals, author Pamela Weeks continues to deliver, and then some.

An unprecedented study that reveals tapestry's role as a modernist medium and a model for the movement's discourse on both sides of the Atlantic in the decades following World War II With a revelatory analysis of how the postwar French tapestry revival provided a medium for modern art and a model for its discourse and marketing on both sides of the Atlantic, Weaving Modernism presents a fascinating reexamination of modernism's relationship to decoration, reproducibility, and politics. Tapestry offered artists a historically grounded medium for distributing and marketing their work, helped expand the visibility and significance of abstraction at midcentury, and facilitated modernism's entry into the dominant paradigm of the postwar period. K. L. H. Wells situates tapestry as part of a broader "marketplace modernism" in which artists participated, conjuring a lived experience of visual culture in corporate lobbies, churches, and even airplanes, as well as in galleries and private homes. This extensively researched study features previously unpublished illustrations and little-known works by such major artists as Helen Frankenthaler, Henri Matisse, Robert Motherwell, Pablo Picasso, and Frank Stella.

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.

Chapters provide detailed information on manufacturing (spinning, weaving, dyeing, decorating); communicative significance (ethnicity, identity, tradition, rank, geographic origin); and marketing and commercialization among contemporary groups of indigenous descent"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.

Textile design inhabits a liminal space spanning art, design and craft. This book explores how textile design bridges the decorative and the functional, and takes us from handcrafting to industrial manufacture. In doing so, it distinguishes textiles as a distinctive design discipline, against the backdrop of today's emerging design issues. With commentaries from a range of international design scholars, the book demonstrates how design theory is now being employed in diverse scenarios to encourage innovation beyond the field of design itself. Positioning textiles within contemporary design research, Textile Design Theory in the Making reveals how the theory and practice of textile design exist in a synergistic, creative relationship. Drawing on qualitative research methods, including auto-ethnography and feminist critique, the book provides a theoretical underpinning for textile designers working in interdisciplinary scenarios, uniting theory and texts from the fields of anthropology, philosophy, literature and material design.

This volume looks at how the issues of textiles and gender intertwine across three millennia in antiquity and examines continuities and differences across time and space - with surprising resonances for the modern world. The interplay of gender, identity, textile production and use is notable on many levels, from the question of who was involved in the transformation of raw materials into fabric at one end, to the wearing of garments and the construction of identity at the other. Textile production has often been considered to follow a linear trajectory from a domestic (female) activity to a more 'commercial' or 'industrial' (male-centred) mode of production. In reality, many modes of production co-existed and the making of textiles is not so easily grafted onto the labour of one sex or the other. Similarly, textiles once transformed into garments are often of 'unisex' shape but worn to express the gender of the wearer. As shown by the detailed textual source material and the rich illustrations in this volume, dress and gender are intimately linked in the visual and written records of antiquity. The contributors show how it is common practice in both art and literature not only to use particular garments to characterize one sex or the other, but also to undermine characterizations by suggesting that they display features usually associated with the opposite gender.

An essential guide to the techniques and traditional craft of hand weaving. This practical and inspirational book is perfect for beginners who want to learn the techniques of the traditional craft of hand weaving. Step-by-step instructions show you how to weave on a frame loom, including changing yarns, mastering curves and using interlocking to create intricate patterns. There is also advice on spinning, dyeing yarns, designing your work, incorporating found objects, and constructing your own simple looms. Written by an experienced weaving teacher, this book contains all you need to know to get started on weaving beautiful objects, and includes projects to make your own 'weavelets', purses and wall tapestries.

Today, we are living in the New Space Age, where mass commercial space travel is almost within our grasp. This otherworldly possibility has opened up new cultural images of space, both real and fictional, and has caused fashion design and spacesuit engineering to intersect in new, exciting ways. Spacewear traverses this uncharted territory by exploring the changing imagination of space in fashion-and fashion in space-from the first Space Age to the 21st century. Exploring how space travel has stylistically and technologically framed fashion design on earth and how we need to revisit established design practices for the weightless environment, Spacewear connects the catwalk and the space station. This book draws together speculative fantasies in sci-fi films such as Star Trek and 2001: A Space Odyssey, with the engineered spacesuits Biosuit, and the NASA Z-2 and with catwalk interpretations by the likes of Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan, Andre Courreges, and Iris van Herpen. While the development of commercial space agencies has led to new concerns for style in garments for outer space that re-think fundamental design principles such as drape, high fashion has experimented with new possibilities for weightlessness that extend far beyond the 1960s vision of Space Age metallic fabrics and helmet-style headwear. Brownie takes the reader on a fascinating journey from fantasy to function and to form, deepening our understanding of this new category of fashion that is prompting new approaches to garment design and construction both on earth and in outer space.