textile Archives - Try Handmade

Audra Textile Design Studio

July 19, 2017 by Erika Jurney 4 Comments

Look what I just discovered in the Gallery.

I am Audra Zilinskiene (Audra Zili) – a textile designer located in Vilnius, Lithuania. I’ve been working with textile fifteen years. All the time I was interested in the source of textile, traditional weaving and dyeing techniques, ethnic design of different cultures.

I feel proud of my little discovery – textile mosaic. I have spent two years to find the best way of combining and constructing the colorful yet simple circles to something unique, eye-catching, comfortable to wear and of firm construction.

Aren’t they gorgeous?

Omaha, Nebraska, USA

June 20, 2017 by Tara Gentile 3 Comments

This week’s Shop Local post stops in Omaha, Nebraska. Below you’ll find my favorite picks from the Omaha craft scene. If you don’t find something that fits your fancy, check out the Omaha Craft Mafia website for more fabulous Omaha artisans. When you’re in town, you’ll want to visit the Hot Shops Art Center where you’ll find “over 80 studio artists, as well as four gallery spaces, in [the] building complex located in downtown Omaha.”

The crafter behind Stash comes to Omaha from Finland by way of Great Britain. She’s been sewing since she was tiny, making her own clothes in elementary school, as her mother was a textile designer. Now she makes chic bags out of vintage fabrics! The wristlet above is constructed from a chocolate & red vintage fabric, red canvas, and leatherette trim. Don’t you love the strong shape juxtaposed with the floral pattern & feminine pleats? Fabulous!

Continuing with the strong shapes, Bren Duvall, of BrenDesign, created these sterling silver “Building Earrings” in the image of a city skyline. She says has an “obsessive quest of building an eco-conscious small business from nothing more than a pile of recycled metal bits.”

Shifting gears a bit, when my baby girl gets a bit bigger, she must have one of these skirts! Many children’s boutiques do pillowcase dresses, cute hats, or leg warmers, but Bustle has crafted this flamenco skirt for your tiny dancer. Ellene Mcclay, the proprietress of Bustle, is inspired by vintage fabric and historical fashions. She also creates jewelry, accessories, and clothing for ladies of a more mature age at her other shop, Deciduous Soul.

Last but not least, this clever little idea caught my eye and couldn’t be passed by! September House creates embroidered flower pot wraps that are sure to add a nice touch to even the prettiest plant.

Graphically bold pillow covers

May 5, 2017 by Erika Jurney 2 Comments

Hitomi Kimura is the designer and screen printer of kalla Design, textile and surface design studio based in Ibaraki, Japan.

In 2007, after studying graphic design and working for a publisher in London, England, Hitomi started her own small business in Japan, selling her screen printed matters.

All the printed products are hand screen printed with water-based eco-friendly inks and then some of them are carefully machine sewed by the designer herself.

Gifts of the Textile Arts

April 20, 2017 by Beverly Rustica 5 Comments

Gifts from the talented hands of textile and fiber artists are a wonderful way to celebrate the season. Below are just a few of the great pieces of work sure to delight someone on your gift list this year.

Sue Bleiweiss of Upton, MA is a full time mixed media fiber artist working with both fabric and paper, currently exploring the art of quilting, surface design, and book making. She is self published and has co-authored two books with Terri Stegmiller: Creative Ways with Fibre & Stitch and Creative Ways with Books & Journals. Her work can be found at her shop on etsy.

After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design with a major in ceramics, Betty Busby founded a custom tile manufacturing business in Los Angeles. After selling it to move to New Mexico in 1994, she has gotten more involved in fiber art, and exhibits in shows nationally and internationally. She creates her own raw materials, and has been dyeing her own fabric since she began quilting over 30 years ago. Her amazingly beautiful art quilts can be found at www.bbusbyarts.com, sales are through her etsy shop

Colin’s Creatures is a collection of hand carved, lifelike, fine porcelain wooly animals, primarily sheep figures. Heads, legs, horns are made from porcelain for its detail, while bodies are cast stone for stability and a wonderful substantial feel. The fur is a woven fabric of wool, mohair or alpaca from the same German source of used on Steiff teddy bears. These whimsical handmade pieces can be found at www.colinscreatures.com

Diana Hughes of dyedianadye uses a variety of shibori techniques to hand dye gorgeous garments and accessories. Her Soba Scarf series, funky hand dyed scarves that are composed almost entirely of fringe, can be worn in nine different eye catching variations. This is one very versatile accessory! Diana’s work can be found at www.dyedianadye.com

For more incredible textile and fiber artists see TAFA: The Textile & Fiber Art List.

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

April 16, 2017 by Tara Gentile Leave a Comment

[hTara]

Baltimore, Maryland is this week’s focus of the Shop Local post. I found lots of great crafters who will all be showing at Squidfire’s Art Mart on May 9 from 11am – 6pm. Baltimore is a perfect spot for a day trip for a lot of people – DC, Central PA, Philadelphia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware. If you’re looking to get out of town but not spend the night, Baltimore might be the place for you!

This adorable scarflette is woven by hand by Carly Goss, a graduate of the fiber arts department of the Maryland Institute College of Art, using tencel and hand-dyed silk. I can almost feel the luscious fibers on my neck! Carly says she “[specializes] in bringing a new, modern aesthetic to traditional weaving patterns.” If you’re in the Baltimore-area, you can take a class at Carlybird Studio to try your hand at weaving!

JennyJen specializes in appliqued housewares & totes. This owl pillow is created from cotton, then the tree is appliqued with a quilted, mushroom color fabric, and then a felt owl is appliqued on top. Each of JennyJen’s pieces feature this whimsical flair with expressive animal characters.

“Naughty Kitten! Please don’t eat the fish.” Lana Kole designs wall decals to add a unique touch to your rooms. Being a renter, I love wall decals! They provide so much personality to a blank wall but leave no holes or other marks that need to be covered up. Lana Kole Studio also specializes in textile and surface design.

For more great artists and crafters in the Baltimore area, check out the Charm City Craft Mafia. And the Baltimore Etsy Street Team. You can also use Etsy’s Shop Local feature to find Baltimore artisans.