the slow textiles blog

Your Platform for Design, Community, Dialogue, Reflection & the Dissemination of Textile Methodologies that are Sustaining as well as Sustainable - join us!

Sunday, 25 October 2009

Textile Techniques for 'Extended Life,' Workshops 10 to 16:

You just missed the amazing Celia Birtwell Illustration for Printing and Painting on Fabric workshop!

Following the success of our first nine workshops, here's the latest list.

Each workshop is about sewing, printing, learning and having fun.

All materials are supplied, however, you are encouraged to bring old fabrics for re-use and upcycling. A great source for such is http://www.chriscareyscollections.co.uk/aboutus.html. (The promotion of zero waste through social and cultural activity is one of our driving criteria).

Make sure you don't miss out! These are one-off events with top names from British textiles in attendance - never to be repeated again.

Everyone is welcome! Book here! STOP PRESS!! PROBLEM with Paypal Buttons, so send an email to emmaneuberg@mac.com to confirm your place. Thank you. 

See below for further description and west London venue. If an "Add to Cart" button is not working, just try another one and type in the workshop title you require.


Coming up,

on November 7th 2009 from 13:30 til 16:15,

WORKSHOP 10:
1960s Applique Art - Taking Inspiration from British Textile Designer Christine Risley and 1960s Illustration -
with Print, Applique & Stitch on to Upcycled Fabric.


Christine Risley, print for wallpaper, c.1962,
with thanks to the Constance Howard Archive.

An introduction to evocative story-telling through fabric, line and thread. This workshop introduces the iconic work of British textile artists working in the 1950s and 60s. It traces the origin of their influences in fine art from 1920s and 30s Paris and elucidates how these evolved into a British textile story.

Drawing, applique and naive & digital print methods will be explored, in the workshop, to build upon this heritage.

Slow design will also be discussed in view of process, reflecting back and forth and 'making conscious' timelines and the building upon design histories, ie. that which we inherit.

One of the many outcomes: story-booking in cloth, a great route to 'extended life' materialisation.

Andy Warhol shoes, c.1959.


Book now
Please confirm workshop title



The last one for this historic first year,

on December 12th 2009 from 13:30 til 16:15,

WORKSHOP 11:

1950s Modernist Surfaces - Taking Inspiration from British Textile Designer Lucienne Day and X-ray Crystallography -
with Print, Applique & Stitch on to Upcycled Fabric.

Insulin atoms translated to textile, Robert Sevant, 1951.

This workshop introduces a space in which to reflect on the visual and semantic meaning of new technologies, textiles and the notion of futurist motifs for cultural dissemination.

In support of economic growth, designers of the 1950s were encouraged to interpret scientific data for aesthetic and cultural consumption. What do these textiles mean today, with their dated 'discoveries' printed in repeat?

Relevant today, with 'textile futures' an expanding field, this workshop allows a creative dialogue on cloth with the past's 'futurist hope', its motifs, scientific imperatives, consumerism and nostalgia.

Examples will be studied and derivative prints explored - on upcycled fabric and in Illustrator.

A nostalgia for old science or an exploration of the idea of the future printed yesterday?

This promises to be a unique, intelligent and thought-provoking workshop.

Book now
Please confirm workshop title


WORKSHOP 12:

February 6th 2010 - 13:30 til 16:15
Snickeregladje or Carpenter's Happiness: Scandinavian Folkloric Patterns with a view on Flora and Fauna -
with Print, Applique & Stitch on to Upcycled Fabric.


Folkloric paper cutout patterns, (Poland).

This workshop explores meanings of happiness originating in the craft tradition of Swedish "snickeregladje" - literal translation, carpenter's happiness - or fretwork.

Looking at Scandinavian folk motifs that permeated textile and paper traditions too, participants will practise designing similar motifs on paper (in acrylics) then develop and translate these into textile designs for applique and digital print.

An exciting workshop that explores the relationship between happiness and handiwork, design and emotion, the hands-on and the digital.


Book now
Please confirm workshop title



WORKSHOP 13:
March 13th 2010 - 13:30 til 16:15
Sequin Flowers - 3D Structures Made from Hand-made Sequins 8 - 60mm Across -
with Beading & Stitch on to Upcycled Fabric.

Details soon.

Book now
Please confirm workshop title


WORKSHOP 14:
April 24th 2010 - 13:30 til 16:15
Beaded Flowers for Fashion, Textiles, Jewellery and Accessories - 3D Flower Structures Made from Upcycled Beads and Found Objects -
with Sewing, Wirework & Beading of Upcycled Materials.

Upcycled bead construction

Details soon.

Book now
Please confirm workshop title



WORKSHOP 15:
May 8th 2010 - 13:30 til 16:15
French Knot Twist - A New Approach to the Scale, Material and Application of this Traditional Stitch
with Stitch on to Upcycled Fabric

Details soon.

Book now
Please confirm workshop title



WORKSHOP 16:
June 26th 2010 - 13:30 til 16:15
"Pop Patches" - An Introduction to Needlepoint Encased in Plastic -
with Stitch on to Upcycled Fabric.

Digital vernacular stitched.

Details soon.

Book now
Please confirm workshop title


Check your bookings here:




After an introduction to the theme and its techniques, everyone tries out the techniques for themselves and, following The Slow Textiles Group template for discussion and learning (Practical, Symbolic, Sustainable and Immaterial Content), individuals are encouraged to work on projects of their own design.

To see charming grassroots venue, Gracelands Yard, just north of Portobello Docks in west London, click
Gracelands Café Homepage and for directions, click Streetmap.co.uk- search results for NW10 5HD.

To benefit from Members Discounts click
'BUY NOW' button (top right) before you select your workshops. Thank you.

Any problems? Just email emmaneuberg@mac.com.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Making the Myths Visible - Sustainable Thinking in Design & Design Education:


For a list of Dr Neuberg's long awaited 2010 Fashion & Critical Theory Talks, 
please go to Theory Talks.

Diesel ad, c.2007.



Thursday, 23 April 2009

Our publications:


Each of our workshops will have its own publication describing the content and dialogue that took place and will be FREE to members:

Wednesday, 8 April 2009

Inviting International Material Memories:


An invitation to add to this growing collection of material stories. 

All submissions welcome.

Inspired by Charles Darwin's nephew, George Darwin's 1872 paper "Development in Dress", this online collection is part of a research project to create "biographies in dress" where clothes are read as biographies of gender, social climate, biological development, geographic location, personal change and cultural evolution.

Please email images (300dpi, max 7cm x 5cm) of four cherished garments (being worn or not) with details of age at wearing, description of the garment, geographic location, year and top 3 reasons for wearing it that day/that year. 

Thank you. (Email as seen top right).

Monday, 16 February 2009

On Paul Serusier

The Nabis saw their work as a bold new interpretation of their world rather than a revolution against tradition.

Le Talisman, 1888,


Wednesday, 11 February 2009

Working in Groups:


Kuna women doing their applique, 2004.

Slow Textiles not only generate timeless artefacts but they expand time. 
Engaged in the contained, communal process, time stops and all that is timeless flows in.

Floral Thoughts



Pixellated material memories. New group work coming soon.