Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch at the NEC March 20th - 23rd

 A girl needs a certain kind of sustenance when doing the shows . . . . .

Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch was brilliant - busy - but brilliant. I didn't get a lot of chance to see all of the show but what I did see was fantastic. 

The exhibit I liked the best was Barkcloth to Artcloth - it was remarkable. A collaboration between Textile artist Bobby Britnell and Shoe designer Janet Middleton using traditional Barkcloth material from Uganda and re-inventing this wonderful fabric and creating little shoes. The idea was for textile artists to decorate a piece of barkcloth in their own style and Janet was to make a small pair of shoes from it.



This exhibition has been created to raise awareness and funds for Hands up for Uganda. www.handsupforuganda.org A project that was started by Bobby ad her family that has just grown and grown, what everyone had achieved is quite fantastic.  

The shoes will also be exhibited at the Excel show 3rd - 5th April - Creative Stitches/Fashion and Embroidery. Do go and see them if you can - they are delightful.

 The NEC show is a great way for me to catch up with loads of friends - here are three of them . . . .


Viv from Art Van Go, Bobby Britnell and Sue Chapman. The three graces???
Steph Redfern was there with some great new work. 
 . .  and Kathleen Laurel Sage was on the stand behind me - and also delivered a workshop for me everyday in the Vilene Experimental Textiles Workshop.
Hilary and her girl Friday! 

The divine Hilary Beattie had a joint exhibition with Jenny Rolfe.
One of Hilary's quilts.

It was great to catch up with Jean and Walter from Oliver Twist. Here is the lovely Walter posing beautifully in front of their colourful wares.

 And of course there was Art Van Go - and young Kevin Mead. (Viv was on walkabout somewhere). www.artvango.co.uk
And then Bobby arrived . . . 
 . .  to share Crocs . . .
 It was fab to see Margaret Beal again - and she has a new website - do take a look. www.fusingfabric.co.uk

My dear friend Wendy Dolan was also there - Wendy (www.wendydolan.co.uk) is being a big help to me while I am in Australia and running the Vilene Experimental Textiles Workshop at the Excel show for me.


I ran a 45 minute workshop every day extolling the virtues of the S133. The heaviest iron-on interfacing from Vilene. I had the flower shapes laser cut and the students decorated them with decorated newspaper, transfer foils and sparkle.
 
 
We had a great time and the students created some fabulous work.
My Experimental Textiles group also exhibited at the show - I will post about that on Saturday.
*

Hello Jill
Hello Diana
AND
Hello Swansea!!! 
We all miss you.
x x x

Comments

  1. Anonymous27 March 2014 at 07:57

    Thank you for giving us a taste of the show! I couldn't make it because I was poorly and I have made some barkcloth shoes....sad face!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kim Thittichai27 March 2014 at 08:04

    Oh that is miserable!!!! Can you get to the show at Excel - Docklands? Have you seen the shows on the Artcloth FB page - https://www.facebook.com/barkcloth2artcloth?fref=ts x x x x

    ReplyDelete

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