Project Gutenberg has a new book available for free download that may be of interest to Guild members: Hand-Loom Weaving: A Manual for School and Home by Mattie Phipps Todd.

First published in 1902 by Rand, McNally & Company. Being practically agreed as to what shall be the first industrial work in the primary school, the next great question is the how. With large numbers of little children in her own schoolroom, the author of this manual has long sought a satisfactory answer. Believing that the results of her study and experience will be helpful to others in suggesting possibilities, and in stimulating thought, as well as in practical teaching and time-saving, she sends forth this little book with the earnest hope that it may in these ways be of real service.

Hand-Loom Weaving: A Manual for School and Home by Mattie Phipps Todd — Project Gutenberg

Posted by Red Wolf at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Those of you interested in herbs both culinary, medicinal and just plain useful might like to visit www.abouthyme.com which is the home of the fictional China Bayles mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert.

The books feature the eponymous China Bayles who quit her law practice to run a herbal garden and gift store and who with her flamboyant, crystal gazing and occasionally clairvoyant friend Ruby solves local murders and mysteries. Sounds a bit famous five I know but they are well written, interesting and entertaining books, each one focusing on a particular herbal theme and usually containing a few interesting herbal recipes and folklore and sometimes a few spinning and dyeing themes. However you don't have to read the books to appreciate the web site. There's a good lot of culinary and medicinal recipes, growing hints and every so often something for spinners and weavers such as the following:

Gold to Dye For

Thar's gold in that herb garden! Marigold, that is (Tagetes sp), which dyes wool and silk in shades of yellow and gold.

To dye an ounce of fabric or yarn, start by soaking it while you and your kids go out to the garden and pick an ounce of flowers. Bruise, then place in an old non-reactive pan (one that you don't use for cooking), cover with water and simmer for a half hour, replacing water that boils away. Strain and let cool. Squeeze the water out of the soaked fibre and place in the dye bath. Simmer until the colour is a little darker than you want, then let cool in the dye bath. Rinse and hang in the shade to dry. For a more permanent colour, you'll want to use a mordant, such as alum. Wild Colour, by Jenny Dean, will teach you how to do this, and lots more!"

Posted by Prue Hill at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Margaret O'Shea is a geography teacher and while she was teaching at Santa Sabina College she learned about the Kopanang project established by a Dominican Sister, Sheila Flynn.

Enabling women is very important in South Africa and in 2000 Sister Sheila and a group of people wondered what they could do to help groups of grannies who have to raise their grandchildren after their parents have died from AIDS related illnesses. Some of the children also have AIDS.

Just outside Johannesburg they found some land with an old building and were able to rent it. In 2001 the project began teaching women with little education how to sew. They set up a trust, taught some of the women to use bankcards and keep records, learning as they went.

The first skill they taught was embroidery which Sister Sheila had to learn first so she could teach the women. The reason they started with embroidery was because the materials were cheap. They meet three times each week, walking to get there (some 5 or 6 kms) and start the meetings with singing and dancing. When they gather around the tables there is a mixture of skills so the more experienced help new ones. Traditionally the work is done on black cloth with vibrant colours in the embroidery. Mostly the work is embroidery but some ladies do very intricate beadwork using traditional patterns.

60% of the profit goes to the women and 40% goes to running the trust. The trust has 49 permanent members, 20 training plus 12 Ndebele ladies who will take the skills back to their groups. In all 650 people are supported. The lives of many women have been transformed by teaching them a skill which allows them to earn money.

The second part of the project We love the children orphan care centre is a drop-in centre for kids up to 6 years who attend the centre daily and after-school care for older children. Day care children have breakfast when they arrive. After-school children line up for lunch and then play sport or learn art. Some of the children sent their art work to the Sydney Parliament House exhibition and to an exhibition at the Beijing Olympics. Because their diet is so bad an organic garden has been started and they feed 500 orphans daily.

Santa Sabina College takes a group of year 11 and 12 students there each year. They help in the kitchen and with other chores.

If you are interested in more information and photos go to www.pokanang.com.

The Trading Circle, 27 Lackey Street, Summer Hill sells their work.

Posted by Prue Hill at 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Guild's demonstration Kinokuniya Craft Fair was a great success. This bookshop has an excellent craft section and attracts a young clientele. It has an excellent craft section and, for the Craft Fair, was offering a 20% discount on all craft books. As a result, we found ourselves demonstrating to a young, enthusiastic audience of both craft and book lovers.

Other groups demonstrating included the Knitters Guild and the Embroiderers Guild, as well as a number of crafts people selling their wares.

We were somewhat limited in space, having only one table, but managed to set up two inkle looms, to make room for my wheel next to the table and to knit and make braids.

There were a number of families with children in the store and Diana and the other ladies from the Braids Group guided the children in making their own friendship bracelets. This was very popular as it is interactive and the children were able to take home a piece of work that they had completed.

The spinning wheel attracted a great deal of attention, from children who had heard about them in stories, to a third year university student who wanted to know where Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger and a surprising number of men, who were no doubt interested in the mechanics of the wheel.

We had some interest from people who wanted to join our Fibre Friends email list to hear more about what the Guild is doing, including a final year Industrial Design student who is keen to learn spinning and weaving, but who cannot do so this year because of the workload at uni.

A young member of the Knitters Guild (who is also a member of our Guild) told me that she started a fibre arts group at Macquarie University (where she is a student) with twenty friends, and that, after demonstrating knitting and fibre arts at Orientation Week, the numbers have grown to 57. The interest in fibre arts seems to be there in the younger generation, it seems to be a matter of finding the best forum to reach out to them.

Posted by Prue Hill at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

TAFTA and Dragon Design are seeking images from artists and designers across Australia and New Zealand for publication in late 2010 in a juried collection showcasing fibre /textile objects created since 2000. All entries will be screened by Dragon Design in the first instance, for technical quality of images, adherence to the competition rules and payment of entry fees if applicable. Images will then be sent to a panel of judges for final selection.

Fibre and textiles must be the main focus of all work, but choose work that reflects the book's concept of Fibre Design.

Categories: 3-dimensional work, basketry, needlework, paper and felt, surface design, quilting, 2-dimensional work, tapestry and wearables.

Entry form and guidelines available on www.tafta.org.auor from PO Box 38, The Gap, Qld 4061 (send SASE)

Submission deadline: 1 September 2010

Posted by Prue Hill at 4:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Expressions of interest are being sought from artists living and working in Australia for the first Tamworth Textile Triennial, to be held in September 2011. The Tamworth Textile Triennial will build on the tradition of the Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennials, showcasing the work of contemporary textile artists. There are few events in Australia that can demonstrate such a strong tradition of promoting and sustaining the unique cultural heritage associated with both the history and technology of textile practice.

The 1st Tamworth Textile Triennial will provide a forum to explore current issues and trends in textile practice in Australia. Tamworth Regional Gallery will work to develop stronger links with Asia and is committed to build the profile of the exhibition and engage with a wider audience.

Expressions of interest are encouraged from a variety of disciplines, age groups, emerging artists and established practitioners.

The selection process will be in three stages:

Stage One (February to July 2010) when artists are invited to submit an expression of interest by providing:

• A completed expression of interest cover sheet
• A one-page outline of current practice, including concepts, processes and materials and the reasons for wanting to participate in the 1st Tamworth Textile Triennial
• A curriculum vitae not more than two pages long
• A CD with a maximum of 10 jpg images (artists name on the CD and included in the title of each jpg file)

• Innovation - this can include individual and/or collaborative projects (with other individuals, industry or technology-based, educational or community organisations)
• Demonstrated skills in realising concepts - this can include drawing, visual diary and collage book of ideas
• Use of traditional and/or contemporary technologies
• Demonstrated appreciation of craft traditions - textile specific, but can include another craft discipline
• Use of materials - can include sustainable practice and processes
• Use of colour and pattern

The closing date for expressions of interest is July 30, 2010.

Stage Two, September to November 2010: Artists selected in Stage One will be invited to submit a detailed proposal in response to a theme to be determined by the curator.

Stage Three, November 2010: Artists selected for the first Tamworth Textile Triennial will be advised by the end of November 2010.

Posted by Prue Hill at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)