In a recent copy of the Observer Magazine, I found an interesting article about four young weavers. Each one has brought a modern twist to the craft as well as manage to make a living from their weaving.
I have written a very brief summary of each weaver but have included their websites if you wish to see examples of their work. Maria Sigma (mariasigma.com) Maria’s zero-waste textiles use undyed, British Wool, alpaca, linen and recycled cotton, which are woven into cushions, rugs, upholstered stools and garments. They are either woven as one-off or limited edition designs. Hannah Robson (hannah-robson.com) Hannah creates sculptural artworks on her loom in a most unconventional way. With materials such as horsehair, metal, paper and monofilament nylon, which she scavenges from a variety of sources, she weaves them to begin with but then allows them to break free before returning them to the formality of the loom. Jo Elbourne (jorobynelbourne.com) With braided cotton, Jo wraps geometric patterns on to her furniture pieces, which are not intended for everyday use. She uses soft colours together with either red or black to give a strong contrast in the design and uses synthetic dyes to create an interesting colour palette. Christabel Balfour ( christabelbalfour.com) Christabel uses two old looms to weave her rugs and wall-hangings in wool, cotton and linen. Her abstract designs are taken from nature using simple imagery and calm colours when weaving. Lesley Ottewell Several of our members were involved in Remembrance Day activities in 2018, contributing to some amazing displays. Two that have received a lot of attention were at Hertford and Great Dunmow.
At Hertford, local crafters (including members of The Secret Society of Hertford Crafters, school children, people in care homes and other local volunteers) made 15,000 poppies and hand-stitched them to camouflage netting. The result was draped from Hertford Castle - simply stunning and very moving. This display made national and local headlines - read more on the BBC website and on the Hertfordshire Mercury site. As well as the knitted flowers, the crafters made a wreath made up of 352 poppies - one for every Hertford serviceman who died in the conflict and a mini-wreath for each of the 31 graves from World War One in the county. All funds raised from the installation will go towards The Royal British Legion. |
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