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Company Profile: Check Me Out

16 May 2017 Company Profile / General / New weave developments
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Check Me Out launched in 2015 with the aim to connect people with colour and design and encourage them away from fast throwaway fashion.
Holly Pressdee, the founder of Check Me Out graduated from Chelsea College of Art and Design in 2009 with a degree in woven textiles, and has been working within the British textiles industry for the last 7 years with the brand Dashing Tweeds.
During her degree her main area of research was emotionally durable design and the meanings of patterns culturally, where she was inspired by the heritage and meaning of tartan fabrics.
After finishing her degree, she started a blog where she would design bespoke check patterns by taking photos of her friends and family, abstracting the colours of their skin, hair, eyes and what they were wearing and use these colours within the designs to create their unique check patterns.
This lead to the creation of her company where she wanted to create check patterns a wider audience could connect with and began by designing the London check, using the colours of the London underground tube map. The map is such an  iconic image for londoners and tourists, everyone has associations with the tube lines they use.

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Workshop: Scandinavian Weaves

16 May 2017 General / Workshops
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Scandinavian Weaves

Course Tutor: Jette Vandermeiden
Venue: Devon Weavers Workshop,

Discover what Scandinavian weaves are, how to weave them and the many ways they are useful for handweavers of today. This course, designed for weavers of all skill levels (basic weaving experience is required), will include various weave structures such as Halvdrejl, Jamtlandsdrall, Monk’s Belt, Daldrall, Canvas weave, Huck weave in multicolours, 2 block damask, Myggtdrall, and will be a timed ‘round robin’ format.

Jette has been creating textiles since early childhood and has extensive knowledge of fibre related topics. She has been a consultant to museums, documentary researchers, and developers of weaving curricula for college fibre arts programs. A prolific writer and teacher, Jette has conducted classes and workshops internationally and is a regular columnist for Fibre Focus.

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Job: Stephen Walters & Sons Ltd – applications now closed 19. 5. 2017

1 May 2017 General / Jobs
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Stephen Walters are silk weavers designing and producing fabric for international luxury brands. They have built their reputation as design leaders, working exclusively with fashion houses across the world.

The design work is extremely varied and covers a broad range of fabrics from men’s neckwear to contemporary womenswear and furnishings.

They are recruiting for the following two positions to join their highly regarded design team:

Textile Designer
To work within their creative design team, producing CAD representations of their jacquard designs.

They are looking for a designer with good artistic ability and drawing skills, a sensitivity to colour, a diversity of styles and attention to detail.

An understanding of CAD systems would be beneficial but not essential, as full training will be given to the successful applicant. Their design team is currently made up of trained designers from a variety of disciplines such as print, surface pattern and weave. They would like to hear from anyone who is qualified in similar areas and who works well as part of a team.

Textile Designer
To work within their technical design team, creating jacquard weave programs using their specialist textile weave CAD system.

They are looking for a designer with good drawing skills, good attention to detail, patience and a good understanding of maths. It would be beneficial if the successful applicant had an understanding of weave and weave structures and some experience of using CAD systems, but this is not essential, as full training will be given. Their design team is currently made up of weave and print designers and the successful applicant will be someone who works well as a part of a team.

Hours of work: 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday (40 hours)
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Salary: Depending on experience

Closing date for applications: 19.05.17

 

 

The Textile School | Turkey Red: Espionage, trade & fashion

20 April 2017 General / Workshops
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The Textile School study morning,

Date: Friday 21st April 2017

When Turkey red printed fabrics first arrived in Europe from India, the reaction was immediate and incredible. This new colour red brought a feeling of the exotic which transcended generations from the C17th to today.

Find out how the race to discover the secret recipe for this colour saw the ruthless side of business, through deception and governmental espionage; how Scotland became one of the main producers and how one C19th Scottish company was printing over 40,000 handkerchiefs a day to keep up with overseas demand.

Visit their website www.schooloftextiles.co.uk to book your ticket – limited places available

The day will commence with a short introductory talk, followed by a hands-on study session with original Turkey red textile samples and after a short break, textile historian Mary Schoeser will talk about the  connections with the Scottish Turkey red manufacturing industries and American cowboys. The day will end with a second Turkey red textile study session. Continue reading →

Select Festival & Symposium 2017

17 April 2017 Conferences / Events / Exhibitions / General / Reseach / Symposium
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Select Festival 2017 is a celebration of visual arts on from 29th to April 28th May at various venues in Gloucestershire with over 150 artists taking part. There are  exhibitions, workshops, events, talks and a one day symposium plus  Select Trail Open Studios in the  Stroud Valleys

DIS/rupting Tradition: New Textile Languages. Select Festival 2017 presents a symposium linked to the lead exhibition DIS/rupt.

One Day Symposium - Co-ordinated by Dr Melanie Miller

Date: Sat 6th May 2017.
Times: 11am – 4pm

Dr Melanie Miller has convened a thought-provoking symposium to run alongside the Textile Study Group’s exhibition DIS/rupt. Focussing on the theme of disrupting tradition, the symposium will address issues around ‘new textile languages’.

Speakers: Dr Melanie Miller; Alice Kettle; June Hills and Michelle Stephens.

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Exhibition | On the Line: New perspectives on craft in Southeast Asia

2 April 2017 Events / Exhibitions / General / News
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On the Line: New perspectives on craft in Southeast Asia
Dates: 4 May – 17 June 2017

Venue: The Aram Gallery, 110 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2B 5SG

The Aram Gallery is hosting ‘On the Line’, a British Council exhibition exploring craft through the practices of women in Southeast Asia.

The show’s opening coincides with London Craft Week (3-7 May 2017). On the Line seeks to question the sustainability of craft in Southeast Asia in the context of increasing globalisation. It offers a range of insights into the lives and cultures of women working in this sector today.
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The Cockpit Arts / Clothworkers’ Foundation Award 2017: Call for Entries

24 February 2017 Awards / General / New weave developments / News / Scholarships
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Applications are invited for the Cockpit Arts / The Clothworkers’ Foundation Awards 2017. The Awards are only open to weavers who have graduated within the last 5 years.

The Awards aim to assist emerging weavers each year to set up in business by providing studio space and business support provided by Cockpit Arts as well as shared use of looms. The selection panel, including the acclaimed ikat weaver and designer Mary Restieaux, and a representative of The Clothworkers’ Foundation, will be looking for up to three individuals who demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit as well as creative excellence and craft skills.

The Award contributes to the cost of a place at Cockpit for one year from July 2017 and will include a space in a shared studio equipped with a dye area, 3 looms, Leclerc and Louet, and the following benefits:
• Studio space and use of looms within the creative community of Cockpit Arts at Deptford, London, SE8 with access to office facilities and resource centre.
• Business and professional development services including on-site coaching, a personalised development plan, workshops and seminars.
• A range of selling and promotional opportunities including Cockpit Arts Open Studios selling events twice a year.
• Award worth £2,000 with the remaining £2,000 fee being provided by the Award winners, payable on a monthly basis.
How to Apply:
• Please request a “Clothworkers Award” application pack from dana@cockpitarts.com
• Deadline for receipt of applications is midday, Wednesday 12 April 2017
• Interviews with shortlisted applicants will be held on Thursday 20 April 2017
• Move into Cockpit Arts Deptford no later than 1 July 2017

Weaving Futures: Week 13 | Eleanor Pritchard

11 February 2017 Events / Exhibitions / General / New weave developments / News / Reseach / Workshops
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Weaving Futures is an exhibition at London Transport Museum highlighting the importance of woven textile design to the London Transport system. The exhibition explores the process and making of digital woven textiles, as part of the Museums’, Designology season. Weaving Futures is curated by Philippa Brock and Samuel Plant Dempsey.

Each week, visitors will can see invited designers/artists in residence in the Designology studio, who will be working on a project brief and interacting with a weaver in their residency dates. The weavers will be interpreting the residents work live into digital woven textile prototypes and final works on a state-of-the-art TC2 digital jacquard loom. 

Week 13 features: Eleanor Pritchard

Closes the Weaving Futures season
Residency dates: 15th – 18th Feb 2017
Activity days: 17th & 18th Feb 2017

Eleanor Pritchard  are a small hands-on weave studio based in Deptford, South East London, who design and manufacture an upholstery and an interior accessories range.

Their signature style is characterized by bold geometrics and graphic reversible patterns in a palette that combines chalky and cross-hatched neutrals, sharp accents and deep inky tones. Their aesthetic is clean and contemporary with a nod to English mid-century design. The fabrics draw inspiration from traditional British textile crafts, re-interpreting the vernacular for a contemporary audience.

They work with different mills in the UK for their production and are closely involved with the production and finishing processes.

Their accessory collection is sold world wide through stores including,  Margaret Howell, Twentytwentyone and Artek.

The Aerial upholstery fabric collection has been used on a wide range of furniture projects including the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and Ham Yard Hotel and Eleanor Pritchard have  also worked with studios including Sfera Ricordi and Pelikan. Continue reading →

Friday Late LTM: Weaving Futures

10 February 2017 Events / Exhibitions / General / New weave developments / News / Workshops
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‘Weaving Futures’ residents will be at the London Transport Museum, at the  Friday Late, Urban Fabric event, in the Designology Studio on 17th Feb 2017. 18.45 – 22.00.

The work woven in this innovative, experimental exhibition will be on display as work in progress, and the Curators Philippa Brock & Samuel Plant Dempsey and participating residents will be available to discuss their responses to this season and their outcomes with visitors. The Tc2  Norway Digital Weaving jacquard loom will be running and there will also be a Houndstooth Project workshop  in the studio so visitors can experience designing repeating patterns.

Throughout the Museum there will be  many talks, workshops and displays ongoing, including Designing with Moquette with Annalisa Atkinson, Future Trends with Geraldine Wharry, The Inconvenience of Dress with Jenna Rossi – Camus, about public transport through drawings of fashion satires. Designing stations for local communities – architects talking about the Crossrail stations. The full programme is  available here.   Tickets  for the event can be purchased here

Residents who have participated in the Weaving Futures season have  included Assemble, Beatwoven, Philippa Brock, Camira, Central Saint Martins, BA Textile students, Samuel Dempsey, Linda Florence, Gainsborough Weaving Company, Eleanor Pritchard, Rare Thread :  Kirsty McDougall & Laura Miles, Josephine Ortega, Ismini Samanidou, Studio Houndstooth: Jo Pierce, Takram & Priti Veja Continue reading →

Weaving Futures: Week 13 | Rare Thread

10 February 2017 Events / Exhibitions / General / New weave developments / News / Workshops
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Weaving Futures is an exhibition at London Transport Museum highlighting the importance of woven textile design to the London Transport system. The exhibition explores the process and making of digital woven textiles, as part of the Museums’, Designology season. Weaving Futures is curated by Philippa Brock and Samuel Plant Dempsey.

Each week, visitors will can see invited designers/artists in residence in the Designology studio, who will be working on a project brief and interacting with a weaver in their residency dates. The weavers will be interpreting the residents work live into digital woven textile prototypes and final works on a state-of-the-art TC2 digital jacquard loom. 

Week 13 features: Rare Thread

Residency dates: 12th – 14th Feb 2017
Activity days: 13th & 14th Feb 2017

Rare Thread is a textile studio/collective conceived by Laura Miles and Kirsty McDougall and incorporates a team of designers and specialists including Ruth Greany, Stephanie Rolph, Sophia Fenlon and Hannah Auerbach George. There is a post with more details on The Weave Shed.

The designers of Rare Thread work collaboratively on collections and projects as well as retaining autonomy on other aspects of their practice.

With combined experience in industry of 35 years, Laura and Kirsty decided to merge their individual creative studio businesses to champion hand and machine woven textile design and finishing for a broad variety of textile outcomes including Fashion, Interiors and CMF to Material Development and Trend. Continue reading →

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