There are many textile artists who are drawn to nature as a source of inspiration. In this book, Anne Kelly introduces us to a selection of some of those wonderful artists, makers and collaborative groups who reference the natural world in their work. From the first page the message is immediate; just step outside your door and look with fresh eyes upon what is all around you.

Anne tells us how she, herself, looks at and interprets nature through drawing, and how she uses a nature table in her studio. This informative guide demonstrates how to get the most out of your own surroundings to create original and unique pieces in textiles.  As you would expect from Batsford this book has a tactile cover and is beautifully illustrated throughout its 128 pages.

What’s in the book – Chapter by Chapter

Chapter 1

In chapter one, we take a look inside Anne’s studio at her contemporary version of a nature table. Seasonal flowers and plants compiled by Anne act as inspiration for her work. The collected objects with which she surrounds herself, spark ideas which generate and enhance her creativity.

Observation from life and drawing play an important part in Anne’s practice. Looking at just one plant Anne guides the reader through different ways to interpret their own observations using stitch, print, dyes and weaving techniques. There are plenty of examples of work to illustrate the different techniques mentioned from well known contemporary artists working in this field.

Chapter 2

The second chapter is called ‘Planting in Cloth’ and takes a look at outlines and silhouettes, and the many ways that various artists, including Anne herself, have made use of flowers, leaves and leaf shapes in their work. In this chapter, we catch a glimpse of how Anne’s own inspiration, which is drawn from mid-century textiles, folk art, and vintage design, floral collage, vintage books and herbals, helps to shape her work.

The techniques covered in this chapter include transfers and collage, stencils, pattern, print and dying with natural plant dyes. Work shown as example includes practitioners who look directly at plants and plant shapes, and artists who have taken a step closer to nature by working with plant material itself.

Chapter 3

Chapter three looks at the whole gamut of techniques used to create birds and insects. These are increasingly popular subjects for contemporary textile artists. Anne shows us a selection of small folding books and brooches she has made over a number of years and looks at the some of the techniques she has used to make them and as a bonus there are instructions in chapter four on how to make a folding book yourself.

Again there are plenty of examples of work in a variety of styles from the huge array of artists who take their inspiration from birds and insects. Techniques range from embroidered works and book forms to constructions and sculpture and there are full instructions from artist Suzette Smart on how to make a 3D bird.

Chapter 4

Chapter four is entitled ‘Working in Green Spaces’. Many artists take on residencies during their careers and during these produce work which varies from small stitched textiles to large scale installations. In this chapter, Anne tells us about some of her own and other artist’s experiences of working as Artist-in-Residence in garden spaces in the UK.

She also advises on how to make the most of your own local environment and resources, to help you to develop your own work.

Chapter 5

Chapter five ‘ Nature in Context’ examines how some artists use nature and natural imagery to make statements about matters that concern them; social issues such as women’s suffrage, feminism, and family history, and examines how inspiration for your own work can be found in historical collections such as the Goldsmiths Textile collection. The chapter concludes by looking at working whilst travelling to other parts of the world and ways to record what you find there.

Who is it for?

Both the enthusiastic beginner and those with more experience will find this book is cram packed full of ideas, and techniques to explore. It is suitable for anyone with an interest in the natural world  who would like to develop their interest and incorporate their observations into textiles. You can be confident that if you buy this that you will have great reference book which combines inspiration with clear, well thought out, instruction.

Product details Textile Nature 2016 by Anne Kelly

Published by Batsford – 128-page full colour illustrated hardback book.

ISBN 978-1-84994-343-7

Product Dimensions: 27.9 x 22.4 x 1.5 cm

Book review by Sue Stone

Anne Kelly is a textile artist and tutor. She trained in Canada and the UK and now teaches and speaks to guilds and groups. Her work is exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions, including private collections in the UK and abroad, the Vatican Collection in Rome and at the textile Museum of Canada in Toronto. She was recently artist-in-residence at Sussex Prairies Garden in West Sussex and exhibited at the international World of Threads Festival and the Prague Patchwork Meeting. She is co-author of Connected Cloth, also published by Batsford.

For more information visit: www.annekellytextiles.com

Which other textile books inspire you? Leave a comment below to let us know.

This book is a treasure trove of inspiration and ideas in which Alice Fox guides us through her methods of working with natural processes and gives us the encouragement to explore those processes for ourselves. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this book has wonderfully detailed photographs of all my favourite things; meticulous hand stitch, rusted and stained fabrics and collections of ‘found’ objects. The book is interspersed with some lovely examples of work by other artists who also use natural processes.

Since childhood, the author has been fascinated by the natural world. She went on to complete a degree in Physical Geography and worked as a nature conservationist before later training, as a mature student, in Contemporary Surface Design & Textiles. Alice now works as a professional artist. Her artistic practice has a strong link to the natural world and encompasses textile art, fine art printing and tapestry weaving. This book is part of a series of textile books published this Autumn by Batsford. It has a stunning cover photograph of a detail one of Alice’s leaf stitching pieces and you certainly won’t be disappointed when you look inside.

What’s in the book – Chapter by Chapter

Chapter 1 ‘Exploring, finding, collecting’

In Chapter 1 ‘Exploring, finding, collecting’ we are introduced to hunting and gathering. The chapter is full of tips on responsible collecting, including guidelines for picking plants. Foraging hotspots are highlighted with sections on the coast, the countryside, farms woodland, and urban spaces, including home and garden. There are also tips for staying safe whilst collecting. The chapter concludes with an account of Alice’s project ‘Gifts from the Pavement’ outlining how it was put together.

Chapter 2 ‘Natural colour’

Chapter 2 ‘Natural colour’ explores the use of plant material as a source for colour. It includes sections on Eco printing and the low impact processes involved; including advice on safety when handling dyes and metals. Alice encourages us to look for local plants to produce colour. On the page ‘Animal, vegetable or mineral‘ Alice explains how the fibre of the base fabric can make a difference  to the finished result. The processes are clearly detailed and Alice guides us through basic recipes that are easy to follow. There is a paragraph on growing plants for dyeing, instructions for how to make vegetable inks using kitchen waste, and a couple of methods for making walnut inks. Alice recommends ways of collecting colour on walks and how to make marks ‘in situ’ with mud, clay, and charred wood.

Chapter 3 ‘Rust marks’

Chapter 3 ‘Rust marks’ is my own favourite part of the book. I have long had my own collection of rusty items, so beautiful to my eyes that I can’t part with them. I have not used them extensively in my work so I was interested to read more about the process of rust printing. In this chapter Alice starts by giving us an explanation of what rust is and how it can be used to make marks. There’s a fascinating few pages about the chemistry of using tea and vinegar to release and enrich the colour of rust prints and suggestions of other wetting agents to try. There is advice for making rust prints on paper as well as information on how to prepare fabric for printing and tips for wrapping and binding and for using salt water as a mordant.

Chapter 4 ‘Foraged fibres’

Chapter 4 ‘Foraged fibres’ begins with suggestions on using found fibres instead of conventional threads. In the section ‘Twisting and Twining’ Alice details how to use plant material to make fibrous threads and string that can be used to stitch and to weave. There is a short piece on beach-combing to collect materials for weaving, and simple methods for weaving, both on and off a frame, are fully described, as well as darning acorns and collecting leaves to stitch and quilt.

Chapter 5 ‘Combining techniques’

In Chapter 5 ‘Combining techniques’ Alice tells us how her work builds up in in layers and how she uses fabric and paper equally as her base material as each has different qualities. This chapter also covers processes such as printing from a relief, rubbings, monotypes,and embossing. There’s an absorbing section showing how, with minimal equipment required, screen-printing can be done on the kitchen table. There is instruction for making simple books and also on how to experiment with, and incorporate stitch into your prints.

Chapter 6 ‘ A sense of place’

In the final Chapter ‘ A sense of place’ Alice talks about her connection with landscape, her relationship with the coast and outlines her time spent as artist in residence at Spurn Point on England’s east coast. ‘Taking time’ and ‘A fresh view’ urge us to notice details and spend time looking with fresh eyes at the familiar to discover things previously unseen.

I will leave the last word to Alice herself “Perhaps engaging more consciously and creatively with the physical world can provide an antidote to our increasingly virtual lives. Recognise the potential in the everyday and you will find resources all around. An appreciation of the local helps to build a deeper understanding of the world around us. I hope that you will start to see things you wouldn’t previously have noticed. Look closely and use your imagination – there are so many possibilities”

Who is it for?

This book is a must for those wishing to explore natural processes or who want to look at their own practice with a fresh eye. Both the enthusiastic beginner and those with more experience will enjoy reading this book. With clear instruction and with plenty of inspirational illustrations this is an indispensable book which will be referred to again and again.

Product details Natural Processes in Textile Art 2015 by Alice Fox

Published by Batsford – 128 page full colour illustrated hardback book.

ISBN 978-1-84994-298-0

Product Dimensions: 27.9 x 22.4 x 1.5 cm

Book review by Sue Stone

Which other textile books inspire you? Leave a comment below to let us know.

In the 21st century, when life seems to be lived at an increasingly fast pace, it is refreshing to see a book entitled ‘Slow Stitch’. Look inside and you will be encouraged to take a more considered and leisurely approach to your own creative technique. The slow movement, which started in the 1980s in Italy, initially related to food; this book takes the same principles of balance, connection, sustainability and rhythm and applies it to textile processes. Part of a series of textile books published this autumn by Batsford, it has their signature cloth covered cover so is a joy to hold and leaf through.

The author, Claire Wellesley-Smith, is a textile artist living and working in Yorkshire, UK. She teaches extensively, working in adult education, schools, community projects, museums and galleries. Her workshops involve sustainable stitch, repurposed cloth, and traditional techniques.

Slow Stitch 2015

The book is divided into four parts and throughout it is beautifully illustrated with photographs of both Claire’s own work and the work of a variety of artists from around the world. There are lots of ‘close up’ details of the work, something I always enjoy seeing, and the sensitivity of the stitch really shines through. Some of the artists are familiar to me, some less so, but all the work shown has wonderful quality to it.

What’s in the book – chapter by chapter

• Part one gives us the background of the Slow Movement and how it relates to textiles. Claire explains her own low impact approach to working, in which the discarded is given a second life. She also details the value of using local resources such as cloth or fibres, plant dyes, and water for dying, encouraging place-based making. Claire tells us about the importance of seasonality and how the cycles of nature play a large part in her own practice.
• In part two Claire focusses in on materials and techniques, describing the use of repurposed materials which Claire refers to as ‘carrying their own slow stories’. She also shares her ideas on up-cycling and the reuse of old projects, and how and where to source both old and new materials. There is a fascinating section on slow dying, using plant materials and kitchen waste, and outlining the results you can expect from this. Advice is given on which simple equipment to use and how to get started with your own hand-stitch rhythms, with ideas for exploring the process and how to develop your stitches.
• Part three looks at cross-cultural activity; universal traditions, and our relationship with cloth. Claire examines techniques such as Kantha, piecing and patching, and mending, clearly defining the processes and their origins and there is an absorbing couple of pages describing Japanese Boro which I found particularly interesting.
• Part four is called ‘Contemplative’. Stitching by hand is, for me, a rhythmical and therapeutic process so this is an intriguing part of the book for me. Claire describes this feeling so well in the section entitled ‘Reflective and Mindful Practice’.  Here you will find some great advice about how to begin a daily stitch journal. ‘Stitching, Walking and Mapping’ reflects on the role walking plays as part of Claire’s practice, shows us the ‘stitch sketches’ she makes on location, and how she ‘finds’ and collects colour.

Finally Claire tells us about how she has observed the relationship between mindfulness and making through several of the community based projects she has been involved with and how these projects have helped the well-being and mental health of the participants.

To conclude in Claire’s own words: “ This book is not designed to provide a blueprint for projects, but to act as an overview of some of the ideas I see as central to slow, creative textile methodologies.”

Who is it for?

This book is the antidote to the chaos of modern life and would be perfect for anyone who is interested in slowing down the pace of their own practice. It would make a great reference book providing both inspiration and instruction, for those studying textiles, whatever the level. Claire’s writing is sensitive, intelligent and moving, so it will also appeal to the non-practitioner who has an interest in the value of slow cloth. An enjoyable read from cover to cover.

Product details Slow Stitch 2015 by Claire Wellesley-Smith

Published by Batsford – 128 page full colour illustrated hardback book.

ISBN 978-1-84994-299-7

Product Dimensions: 27.9 x 22.4 x 1.5 cm

Book review by Sue Stone

Which other textile books inspire you? Leave a comment below to let us know.

Inspiration can be found anywhere and everywhere. It’s all around us if we can just find the skill to look and to see. This book will certainly help you do that. Stitch Stories 2015 is the third book for Batsford by Cas Holmes. Her previous books are Connected Cloth 2013  co-authored with Anne Kelly and the very popular The Found Object in Textile Art 2010 which has been reprinted three times.

Cas Holmes is one of the UK’s best known textile artists. Using mostly low-tech techniques and found materials, Cas works in layers of collaged, often cast-off textiles. Her work captures fleeting moments in time and creates narratives which often respond to the human state, her travels, her environment, or her experiences.  As well as being an acclaimed textile artist Cas is renowned as an inspirational teacher. For over thirty years she has travelled, taught and exhibited around the world.

Stitch Stories

In this book Cas shows you how to record your own experiences using sketchbooks, journals and photography to arrive at a starting point for stitched textile pieces. The ‘Stitch Stories’ book itself is very tactile, having a printed fabric cover so it feels lovely to hold as you browse through it. It’s full of beautiful photographs of work by artists from the USA, Australia, Japan and Europe; some I was familiar with but there are plenty of names I had not heard of before, which is refreshing. I was very pleased to see lots of ‘close up’ details of the work, to see exactly how the pieces are made is always a treat. There’s plenty of attention to detail and the techniques are clearly explained.

What’s in the book – chapter by chapter

• The first chapter ‘Places, spaces and traces’  Cas starts by telling us about her process of ‘stitch sketching’ and explains the difference between a mark made by a pencil and a mark made on fabric. I was fascinated to read about the minimal kit she takes on her travels as I am not a person who seems to be able to travel light; Cas, on the other hand has got this sorted. There are some great examples of artist’s journals and ideas on how to make your own journal, how and what to record and suggestions about methods of working.
• The second chapter is ‘Seizing inspiration’ which looks at the different approaches for development  of your ideas, using objects that you have collected, using the shadows of objects, making collages, or working in collaboration with others. There are helpful tips on how to transfer your drawing to cloth and even how to clear your headspace.
• The next chapter on ‘The natural world’ looks at diverse ways of recording landscape by various artists and the natural resources provided by plants and gathered materials. This is interspersed with clear instruction on processes such as transfer printing and eco-dyeing.
• The chapter ‘All in the detail’ has an interesting description of creating an exhibition of work with limited resources, giving a fascinating insight into how Cas herself works, but most of all, it shows that you don’t need expensive materials or equipment to make a beautiful body of work.
• ‘Off the beaten track’ informs us of the long tradition of textiles as a device for telling stories and conveys ideas for using vintage fabrics within your own work, highlighting techniques which can be used for this.
• The last chapter ‘Telling Stories in Stitch’ continues on the theme of stitch and social narrative with an emphasis on the quality of hand stitching and has a selection of work from some of my own favourite hand stitchers.

Finally to quote Cas Holmes herself:

“Textiles and the use of stitch are powerful tools for developing narrative. Stitch brings its own ‘story’ with it, enabling us to articulate a complex process of ideas, images, material and emotion.”

Who is it for?

Combining humanity, emotion, intelligence, inspiration and instruction in equal measures, this book is suitable for both the enthusiastic beginner and those with more experience. A wonderful reference book which will inspire you to create your own unique work. I’m sure it will be dipped into and re-read over and over again.

Product details Stitch Stories 2015 by Cas Holmes

Published by Batsford – 128 page full colour illustrated hardback book.

ISBN 978-1-84994-274-4

Product Dimensions: 27.9 x 22.4 x 1.5 cm

Book review by Sue Stone

Which other textile books inspire you? Leave a comment below to let us know.

Textile is alive! is a substantial 192 page book showcasing a wide range of textile art forms. It contains 1,500 vibrant images that illustrate all aspects of textile from cute crafts right through to fine art textiles. From innovative machine embroidery textile art to abstract fiber art. The book, which is available in three languages, English, Dutch and German, has been compiled by Ellen Bakker, a Graphic Designer from the Netherlands. Submissions were made by artists to her website www.textieIlink.nl and then with the help of Dorothé Swinkels she selected the artists and makers for the book.

Its cover is eye catching and the 192 pages within are a riot of colour and texture. Fashion accessories, embroidered clothing, and jewellery sit alongside soft furnishings, upholstery and rugs. Toys and puppets, performance and installation, textile landscapes, fabric collages, patchwork and art quilts are all represented.

There are useful objects, and not so useful objects, the purely decorative and the more meaningful.

A selection of work by Hannah Streefkerk from Ellen Baker’s ‘Textile is alive!’ book

What’s in the book?

This book profiles 250 practitioners of all kinds of textile technique including embroidery, appliqué, batik. patchwork, knitting, crochet, painting, printing, felting, fusing, tufting, knotting, lacemaking, weaving, quilting, sculpture, mixed media and much more.

Many of the artists profiled are from the Netherlands and Belgium where there is a rich textile tradition. Some, such as Tilleke Schwarz are well known internationally, but it is refreshing to also see the work of many others whose work will be new to some readers. Each profile includes a short outline about the artist alongside several images of their work and their website address making this an invaluable resource for textile students.

There are many artists I could mention and many textile art forms that deserve recognition, but here are a few of my own favourites.

Selected textile artists featured in Textile is Alive!

Jette Clover, uses collected ‘street-memories’ in the form of torn posters, faded advertisements and cryptic graffiti as the inspiration for her art quilts. See Jette’s work on page 98.

Gosia van der Heijden makes exquisite jewellery using cord and semi precious stones.
See Gosia’s work on page 135.

Nicole Ladrak paints with fabric using layers of tulle which are stitched together to create portraits and still life compositions. See Nichole’s work on page 8.

A selection of spreads from Ellen Baker’s ‘Textile is alive!’

Tilleke Schwarz uses collected images and text to create hand stitched narratives which comment on modern life. See Tilleke’s work on page 114.

Ellen Seegers & Arno Tummers who make recycled woolen blankets into lampshades.
See Ellen and Arno’s work on page 156.

Marjolein Starreveld, works with portraiture and assemblages in hand and machine stitch to produce surreal compositions. See Marjolein’s work on page 97.

Hannah Streefkerk is inspired by nature. She translates her ideas into installations, embroideries, land art and photography using traditional techniques such as sewing, embroidery and crochet. See Hannah’s work on page 124.

If you enjoy exploring the versatility of cloth then this book is for you.

Review by Sue Stone

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From its sumptuous silky cover with its golden text through its 570 pages with 1,058 full colour illustrations this book is an impressive and weighty tome. Its content covers world textiles of every conceivable kind delving into the history of textile art whilst exploring contemporary practitioners; art and artisanal, woven, printed, dyed, patched, quilted, stitched, painted, constructed, the list could go on.

The introduction gives a flavour of what to expect from the book and the author explains that the common denominator for the selection of the images was that they should either be handmade or machine-produced using a craft approach. In Mary Schoeser’s own words she concludes that; “By focusing on superb textiles from around the world, my aim is to inspire textile artists, those who are new to collecting, and those whose choices will shape the future of textile arts .”

‘Textiles: The art of mankind’ by Mary Schoeser

An overview

Impact explores Context, Language, Legacy and Learning, Colour and Global Vision.
Ingredients covers Invention, Intentions, and Alchemy.
Structure includes Non-Tensioned Techniques, Looping, Knotting, Lacing, and Twisting, and Loom-Weaving.
Surface examines Yarns, Stitch, Painting and Printing.
Added Dimensions looks into Letting the Cloth Speak, Patchwork and Quilting, and Textiles Parkour.
Imagery investigates Identity, Narrative, Of Time and Place.

This is a fantastic reference book that would make a wonderful present for anyone who loves textiles and has an interest in the history of textile art.

Sue Stone

Textiles: The Art of Mankind
Author : Mary Schoeser
Published by Thames and Hudson 2012
ISBN 978-0-500-51645-4

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11th to 14th October saw the first of this year’s Knitting & Stitching Show opens at Alexandra Palace in North London. Alongside the vast array of both knitting and stitching supplier’s stands the show features galleries of both individual artists, and groups of artists’ work and runs a series of workshops suitable for all abilities.

One of the highlights for me was Jane McKeating and Alice Kettle’s Hand Stitch Perspectives stand launching their new book of the same name, a companion to their Machine Stitch: Perspectives book. This book is a ‘must have’ for anyone who loves hand stitch. Staff members from Manchester School of Art, a centre of excellence for embroidery, MMU exhibited work on the stand alongside some of their students.

It was fascinating to see Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn demonstrating hand stitch techniques on their stand. Known jointly as ‘Double Trouble’ they were promoting their new DVD In Stitches which would be a perfect gift for anyone wanting to learn new methods of working in hand stitch. Informative and inspirational it is suitable for both beginners and the more experienced stitcher alike. Visit www.doubletrouble-ent.com for more info.

It goes without saying the the 62 Group’s Package Tour stand looked inspirational and diverse. The group celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with the publication of their new book Radical Thread available from www.62group.org.uk.

I enjoyed seeing the work of Embroiderers’ Guild scholars Jo Smith and Kirsty Whitlock, both names to look out for in the future, and it was great to see the fresh new talent in the Embroiderers’ Guild Student Showcase.

This show is definitely the place to stock up on unusual fabrics and threads. Stand out suppliers for me were Magee of Donegal selling fantastic Irish tweeds, Merchant & Mills selling patterns and organic cotton fabrics, Raystitch a one stop sewing shop, The Silk Route selling silk fabric, and Mulberry Silks selling beautiful silk thread.

There are still two more chances to catch the Knitting & Stitching Show show next month at RDS Dublin 1st to 4th November and at Harrogate International Centre 22nd to 25th November. Don’t miss this show, it’s well worth a visit.

Visit the Twisted Thread site for tickets and more information.

Written by Sue Stone – October 2012

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11th to 14th October saw the first of this year’s Knitting & Stitching Show opens at Alexandra Palace in North London. Alongside the vast array of both knitting and stitching supplier’s stands the show features galleries of both individual artists, and groups of artists’ work and runs a series of workshops suitable for all abilities.

One of the highlights for me was Jane McKeating and Alice Kettle’s Hand Stitch Perspectives stand launching their new book of the same name, a companion to their Machine Stitch Perspectives book. This book is a ‘must have’ for anyone who loves hand stitch. Staff members from Manchester School of Art, a centre of excellence for embroidery, MMU exhibited work on the stand alongside some of their students.

It was fascinating to see Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn demonstrating hand stitch techniques on their stand. Known jointly as ‘Double Trouble’ they were promoting their new DVD In Stitches which would be a perfect gift for anyone wanting to learn new methods of working in hand stitch. Informative and inspirational it is suitable for both beginners and the more experienced stitcher alike. Visit www.doubletrouble-ent.com for more info.

It goes without saying the the 62 Group’s Package Tour stand looked inspirational and diverse. The group celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with the publication of their new book Radical Thread available from www.62group.org.uk.

I enjoyed seeing the work of Embroiderers’ Guild scholars Jo Smith and Kirsty Whitlock, both names to look out for in the future, and it was great to see the fresh new talent in the Embroiderers’ Guild Student Showcase.

This show is definitely the place to stock up on unusual fabrics and threads. Stand out suppliers for me were Magee of Donegal selling fantastic Irish tweeds, Merchant & Mills selling patterns and organic cotton fabrics, Raystitch a one stop sewing shop, The Silk Route selling silk fabric, and Mulberry Silks selling beautiful silk thread.

There are still two more chances to catch the Knitting & Stitching Show show next month at RDS Dublin 1st to 4th November and at Harrogate International Centre 22nd to 25th November. Don’t miss this show, it’s well worth a visit.

Visit the Twisted Thread site for tickets and more information.

Written by Sue Stone – October 2012

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In this new book international textile artist Tilleke Schwarz describes her work as ‘one continuing story, a personal reflection of modern life’. New Potatoes is the sequel to her earlier book Mark Making and includes work from 2007 to her most recent work ‘Scratch’ 2012 which is featured on the cover.

Starting with a perceptive interview with the artist by Hanne Hagenaars, the book, does not disappoint. Showcasing the eclectic mix of imagery and humour we have come to expect from Tilleke’s work, the 72 pages are a blaze of close up details as well as background information about the individual pieces of work.

A plethora of references

The various pieces of work contain a plethora of both humourous and more serious references including, a French presidential candidate, the G8 summit, the artist’s washing machine, maps and road signs, the poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Osama Bin Laden, the hotel toilet in Kaunas, an entire zoo of animals, including of course, the inevitable cat, without which Tilleke does not regard her work as ready.

Family tributes

Also included in the book are two rarely seen and very personal textile pieces with buttons which pay tribute to Tilleke’s father and mother. Family I is made from a pair of her father’s long johns covered all over with old buttons which evoke personal memories from the viewer. In the second of these pieces Family II a button covered woollen jacket worn by Tilleke’s mother is combined with one of Tilleke’s own sweaters on which, as Tilleke puts it ‘beats the family heart of old linen buttons’.

This book provides an insightful glimpse into what inspires textile artist Tilleke Schwarz to stitch. Well worth a read.

For further information on how to order go to: www.tillekeschwarz.com/shop/book

Tilleke Schwarz – New Potatoes published 2012
ISBN 978-90-9026606-0

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