Articles

Speaker Wanted

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:02:43 +1100

Merle Thompson is currently organising a seminar on behalf of the Blue Mountains Group of the Australian Plants Society on the depiction of native plants in art and design. This will be their 13th seminar. Two years ago the theme was native plants from an Aboriginal perspective and last year was from the perspective of white settlers and visitors to late 19th Century.

Soft Sculpture, NGA

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:58:32 +1100

To celebrate the final week of Soft Sculpture, the National Gallery of Australia will hold the Knitta Please festival.

Founded in 2005 in Austin, Texas, Knitta Please is a tag crew of knitters who turned their frustration with their half-finished knitting projects into a phenomenon sweeping the world.

From 7 to 12 July the Gallery be transformed with knitting. Magda Sayeg, founder of Knitta Please and Sydney artist Denise Litchfield will transform the front entrance and foyer of the Gallery. Knitters are invited to help create squares of knitting for the coverings.

For information on how to become involved, go to nga.gov.au/whatson/highlights.

Where: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
When: Sunday, 5-12 July

2009 Morpeth Tea Cosy Challenge

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:57:08 +1100

To enter: Send or drop tea cosies into Morpeth Gallery any time from now until 10 August. Include your name, address and phone. A story about you and your tea cosy would be helpful.

Entries will be judged during August. $500 cash prize for the "Tea Cosy of the Year".

The cosies will be exhibited with the Novelty Teapot Exhibition with almost 4,000 teapots from all over Australia and the tea drinking world.

Where: Morpeth Gallery, 5 Green Street, Morpeth
When: August 20-30, 10am-5pm
Information: 02 4933 1407, www.morpethgallery.com/TeapotHome.htm Or join Liz and Joanne's tour ("We only do delicious tours") on 22 August from Macarthur House, Parramatta for $69 including lunch: 02 9683 4711, delicious2@bigpond.com

7th World Congress on Coloured Sheep

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:54:36 +1100

This congress will be held in Canela, in the south of Brazil on 4-9 September 2009. There is a fabulous program of papers, woolcraft workshops and competitions plus the possibility of visiting the biggest agricultural show in southern Brazil.

The Laje de Pedra Resort in Canela in the beautiful state of Rio Grande do Sul will be the Congress centre. Post congress tours offer visits to different sheep properties as well as vineyards, wool cooperative's and the agricultural research enterprise with other tours to Rio De Janeiro, Iguacu Falls or Buenos Aires.

Information: www.arcoovinos.com.br/worldcongress

Weaved or Wove?

Wed, 13 May 2009 10:21:23 +1100

There is a very interesting explanation about the origin of the words weaved and wove on Michael Quinion's excellent WorldWideWords web site

Weaved or Wove? — WorldWideWords

April Guest Speaker: Gillian Green

Wed, 13 May 2009 10:19:57 +1100

Gillian Green visited Cambodia (after studying as a beginner weaver at the Guild in the 80s) and fell in love with the country and its weaving tradition. Apart from the textiles themselves, she collected the components of antique looms which are highly decorated with animal motifs and are nowadays very sought after as collectibles.

Weavolution

Wed, 13 May 2009 10:18:27 +1100

Eight short months ago, in August 2008, an idea began with three weavers who wanted to launch a website to offer hand weavers an inclusive environment where they could catalogue projects, share drafts, discuss ideas and share resources. Claudia Segal, Tien Chiu and Alison Giachetti, along with a host of dedicated volunteers have worked tirelessly to bring this idea alive, and in late May or early June we are launching the first version of Weavolution.com! You will be able to join and participate in the user-created, moderated groups and forums, and post your current projects (drafts and pictures), looms, yarns, books, accessories, and whatnot to share with others. If you prefer, you will be able to peruse the entire site without joining or logging in.

Traceability Technology in Carpets

Wed, 13 May 2009 10:18:17 +1100

Elders Primary Wool have introduced technology that will identify the source of wool in their carpets. New Zealand claims to grow the best strong wool in the world. Most of this wool is used in carpets. They want to be able to certify that their carpets contain NZ wool so have "knitted" a tracer fibre, invisible to the eye, into the wool fibre. This tracer can be doused with a signature marker and detected with a hand held scanner. The technology has been developed by AgRearch in New Zealand in conjunction with scientists from CSIRO.

If people, world wide, need certainty that what they buy is what retailers claim there may well be more of these tracer fibres in our food and fibres in the future.

Traceability technology in carpets — Otago Daily Times

Biofibres

Wed, 13 May 2009 10:17:17 +1100

A report on a biofibre with potential for artificial skin, heart valves, bone repair and blood vessels derived from a family of amino acid-based polymeric biomaterials called polyester amides (PEA) that have been engineered and fabricated into fibres, 3-D microporous gels, micro- and nanospheres or electrospun fabric membranes.

And a very tiny spinning wheel?

Intercampus research team develops artificial skin, heart valves and blood vessels — Cornell Chronicle

Certificate of Competence in Hand Spinning Information Day Report

Wed, 13 May 2009 10:14:45 +1100

We had a very successful day, with all present participating and communicating well. The advisory panel answered questions from the students as we went through the course booklet. The panel was also able to give helpful information about the course and what is expected of the students, eg deadlines for submission of work, that no names should appear on submitted work, fees, checks on spinning throughout the course (if requested).

East Timor Weaving Tour

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:25:15 +1100

Itinerary: The tour begins with two days in Dili visiting local projects. On day 3, participants have the choice to make a day trip to visit the Maubara basket weavers or stay in Dili for a conference about sustainable livelihoods. On day 4 head east to Com with its stunning beaches and spectacular Tais. On day 5 head inland to Los Palos, renowned for its strong traditions for the first of the weaving workshops. On day 6, go through the hills to the isolated sub-district of Iliomar for two days of workshops culminating in a celebration feast with the community in appreciation for their hospitality. Day 10 to Baucua. Day 11 return to Dili to visit local sites.

Think Outside The SOX Contest

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:56:23 +1100

The contest run by Knitters Magazine, received 292 entries from seven countries (USA, Japan, Finland, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Russia.)

The Grand Prize of $6000 was won by a pair of leopard spot socks with "NICE KITTY" knitted into the top edge.

Geraldine McCullough won the "from Sheep to Sox" category with her hand spun raspberry and cream inspired lace socks.

See them, and all the other winning entries at: Knitalk

Wool and Natural Fibre Muster

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:20:45 +1100

2009 is the International Year of Natural Fibres.

The Black & Coloured Sheep Breeders Association Central Tablelands Branch is organising the Wool and Natural Fibre Muster in Mudgee on the 30th of May.

We would like to invite you to the Muster and would like you to participate in the "Great Western Tea Cosy Challenge" to find the best tea cosy in the West. Attached is an overview of the Muster and an entry form into the Tea Cosy Challenge. We would like to see as many people to participate as possible.

Additional information and entry forms can be found on the web site: www.gulgee.com.au

See you at the Muster,

Janos & Marianne Farkas,

Gulgee Wool Shed

Tapestry Blues Exhibition

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:43:13 +1100

Tapestry weavers from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland as well as New Zealand have woven tapestries for the 'blue' challenge.
There are more than forty tapestries in the exhibition varying in subject matter and size.

In New Zealand the exhibition will be held at the Creative Fibre Festival at Timaru on 17, 18 and 19 April.

In Australia the exhibition will be held at Epping Creative Centre (Dence Park) 26 Stanley Road Epping (Sydney) NSW on Friday to Sunday 24 to 26 April, 10.00am to 4.00pm.

Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:26:53 +1100

The Wangaratta Exhibitions Gallery in Wangaratta, Victoria has established the Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award, a biennial award exhibition and is calling for submissions from professional artists/designers working in contemporary textiles. The award is acquisitive ($4,000) with the winning work becoming part of the gallery's growing contemporary textile collection, owned by the Rural City of Wangaratta.

It is pleasing to see this award being established, raising the profile of contemporary textiles. Please think about submitting an application and forward this information to others.

Submissions Due: Friday, 17 April
Exhibition: 20 June to 19 July
Enquires: d.mangan@wangaratta.vic.gov.au