Red Thread Studio: Slow Cloth, New Cloth, Art Cloth

Mother Nature: The Original, Inspirational Cougar

My wanderlust is unabated, but armchair surfing through gorgeous textile and fabric sites and blogs (when I should be working) is making it more tolerable. I have finally responded to all the wonderful comments left here since I started this blog last month. I was holding out for my high-speed Internet connection but after yet another debacle with Comcast that still hasn't happened, so onward we go - with a sloooow connection.

I want to highlight a few sites that were mentioned in the comment stream:

• The Art Cloth Network is a group of 25 cloth artists who are all about, well, Slow Cloth -- traditions and innovation. "Art Cloth springs from revered fine craft traditions . . ." This national group is limited to 25 members, but Texas-based artist/member Susie Monday -- look at her gorgeous work -- has written in to say that a few slots are opening up. Read the prospectus and apply here.
• Paula Hewitt's The Beauty of Life blog is just the kind of site you can get lost in - lots of thoughtful, conversational writing and great images. Her post on Inspiring Shapes and Inspiring Quilts made me think of Andy Goldsworthy's environmental art as a source of inspiration and a reminder that nature is the most phenomenal and everlasting source for artists. In 2007 pop culture, women who  are still sexy and delectable and alluring to men as they get older are now cougars; let's call Mother Nature the original, temperamental, inspiring cougar and let her be a role model for us all.
• To that end, fiber artist Susan Sorrell is teaching an online class at Joggles in the spring called Fertile Earth, using nature as a starting point for multimedia embroideries. (The whole online class schedule looks fantastic, including SharonB's Sumptuous Surfaces.) Another resource for fiber artists looking for ways to use nature as a starting point: The Art of Embroidery: Inspirational Stitches, Textures and Surfaces, by Francoise Tellier-Loumagne.
• Knitting on Impulse is a wonderful blog by Canadian artist Ruth Stewart. If you can stand the temptation, surf over to her jewelry store, Impulse of Delight. But the pink tourmaline circle necklace has my name on it, people.
• I'm not sure how I tracked over to What If and Spirit Cloth, Jude Hill's blogs on creating and embellishing textiles -- I think it may have been via Dijanne, The Textile Itinerant. I love the term Spirit Cloth, and it seems to express a very core principle of Slow Cloth - undertaking work with a sense of reverence and ritual. That doesn't mean it has to be serious or precious all the time -- not at all -- but there's a quality of magic that infuses the work on our best days, and an attention to color, symbols and methods that reflect an awareness of spirit and nature. May we all have many, many of those in 2008.
• I got a lovely comment from Rissa who mentioned belly dancing -- I think this is her site -- I had to laugh, as I've been waiting for months for a new belly dance studio to open here in Boulder so I can start taking classes. And making costumes. I will always continue my beloved yoga practice, but my friends Donna and Angela have convinced me that the art of belly dance is one to explore -- not to mention there are sparkly costumes and beaded fringe involved -- and it feels like another wonderful piece of the puzzle of life as it unfolds in 2008. Onward we go.

Since bead embroidery has shown up a lot in this post, here's a beaded mandala I did a couple of years ago:

I later changed the background to make it a little less formal:

Soulful Virtual Morocco and Paris

Clouds so swift
Rain won't lift
Gate won't close cause the railing's froze
Get your mind off wintertime
You ain't going nowhere
(bob dylan)

In France they kiss on Main Street
Amour, mama, not cheap display
(joni mitchell)

 

I had plans, big plans, for 2007 fall and winter travel that had to be canceled when I lost my job -- Paris for my birthday and St. Thomas for New Year's Day, where my dear friend Angela is marrying her handsome international beau Andre. While I have nothing to complain about, I found myself looking out at the icy, colorless Colorado landscape yesterday struggling to accept that my beautiful plans had been foiled.

Better luck next year. For now, I take refuge in the magic carpet ride of the Internet, where I can find textile eye candy from all over the world. One of my favorite sites to visit is My Marrakesh, where Maryam, a human rights and democracy specialist, writer, and editor, captures the amazing beauty and character of North Africa. This post about her visit to Bamako is rich with photographs of beautiful textiles and beads in the marketplace. Her site also gave me an idea for Angela and Andre's wedding gift -- I'll be ordering fabric this week and I'm very excited about it.

Along with Morocco, I have yet to visit Paris -- I don't exactly know how that has happened, but there you have it. When I get there, I will most certainly visit the famous flea markets for vintage textiles. Rosanne Cash, one of my favorite singers and maybe an even better writer than singer, writes so beautifully about visiting Paris. And Croque-Choux is a great blog by an American living in Paris who sews and crafts beautiful things.

Whenever I think of Paris, I think of a revelatory moment I had a few years back when I went with a friend on his mission to one of those container and organization stores. While he shopped, I wandered through this enormous box store full of shiny plastic organizing tools, closet systems surely designed by NASA engineers, endless bright neatness without a shadow or a speck of dust. I was miserable, jumping out of my skin, and couldn't figure out why.

Then I wandered across the street to a store that was designed to echo a French flea market -- filled with fabrics, funky vintage objects, nooks and crannies, color, shades of light and dark, things that evoked mystery and beauty. I was instantly a thousand times happier. Both stores appear to be gone now, so I can't link to them. But the lesson was loud and clear. I appreciate order, really I do -- but order without soul is just, well, incredibly restrictive.

So for 2008, wherever you find yourself, may your life be just organized enough to make plenty of room for creative, soulful sensuality. And may you get wherever you need to be, easily and gracefully. That's what I'm aiming for.

Oh Lord, Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

This is a long, talky post, but here we go. Remember that song by The Animals? "I'm just a soul whose intentions are good . . ." The online discussion about Slow Cloth has taken on a remarkable life of its own. A lot of the comments refer back to this blog, and I'm experiencing the full power of the Internet to take an idea and expand it -- and also to alter it. I think it's wonderful that this idea intrigues people. But how on earth did anyone get the idea that the spirit of Slow Cloth is hand-stitching vs. machine-stitching?

• In my own particular version of Slow Cloth, it has absolutely nothing to do with hand vs. machine stitching, how long it takes to complete a project, or any other kind of my-way-is-better-than-yours hierarchy of creativity. It's about celebrating, respecting, protecting and supporting culturally expressive textile traditions in communities all over the world, and allowing those traditions to inform the work of today, whether as artists, artisans, designers, clothing or textile manufacturers, collectors, travelers or hobbyists.
• It's also, for me, about environmentally appropriate and sustainable principles and right use of resources, including human resources.
• It's about art, beauty, design, vision, creativity and authenticity.
• As to the question about whether it's a movement or whether there is some formal structure to this, why the heck not? Anything is possible. I'm  a writer and editor as well as an artist, and I have all kinds of ideas about a magazine. For those of you who can go this far back with me, the original version of Threads magazine by Taunton Press comes to mind as a model. I have the premiere issue from 1983 and it has articles about improvisational embroidery, spinning, tapestry, natural dyes, shisha mirrors, knitting -- it explored every possible idea about fiber and was a cornucopia of inspirational riches. Selvedge, as mentioned, is another fabulous magazine in the Slow Cloth spirit, though less technique-focused than original-recipe Threads.
• And yes, I can certainly envision a membership organization that has all kinds of possibilities, and I may very well start one!

So for those of you who interpreted the phrase "slow cloth" as going back to hand-piecing by the fire or darning socks or embroidering samplers, that's certainly not what I have in mind for this blog, at least, or whatever I develop to go with it. More links that I think exemplify the spirit of Slow Cloth:

• read this story about the textile designs of  the masterful Jack Lenor Larsen.
• Look at the vision of companies like ABC Home and Odegard Rugs.
• Read the new blog at Peruvian Connection -- they're working to support traditional textile artists in Peru.
• There are so many amazing art quilters and surface designers as well as indigenous quilters like the women of Gee's Bend.
• Horizons, the company that organizes tantalizing tours everywhere from Mexico to Viet Nam to explore art, textiles and crafts.
• Harmony Art's organic cotton fabrics.
• Tierra Wools' cooperative model a
• Sonya Clark's Beaded Prayers Project.
• All the other bloggers and artists and companies I've already mentioned.

There is an awesomely creative worldwide textile community to be celebrated. We can all learn from each other and make beautiful things and keep all these masterful methods of design and expression and cultural individuation alive and well in the 21st century. "Slow" has come to suggest an alternative to a system that prioritizes efficiency, cheapness, sameness and speed at the expense of quality and  authenticity. Maybe there's a better phrase or label for this concept than Slow Cloth, or maybe not.

And who am I to do this? Just a human who's passionate about textiles and the ways we make and use them. I've been sewing and knitting for more than four decades, as well as making quilts, beadwork, embroidery, you name it. I have a degree in painting, printmaking and fine arts. I've edited books on knitting and embroidery and written about textile artists. I have made my living for quite some time as a writer, editor and expert in the organic foods world, and some of the dynamics I've learned in and of that movement inform what I'm saying here. I've worked in an art museum, assisted a commercial silk painter, dyed and embellished costumes for a regional theater company, made things -- art, crafts, and utilitarian objects -- all my life.

I can't imagine my life without this creative facility, and yet fewer and fewer people are introduced to this kind of creation; instead they are educated from a very early age to be passive consumers. Our world is richer for the textile arts, and my idea of Slow Cloth and my Red Thread Studio blog here is a way of participating in that richness. (By the way, there is apparently a wonderful gallery called Red Thread Studio in Virginia; we are not affiliated, but you can find them here.)

Comments are welcome and wanted; have at it. And just to prove that I'm not above a little machine-stitched craft whimsy myself, here's a scissors caddy I made for a friend from a McCalls pattern -- the kind of lofty art that many of us find ourselves working on at Christmastime:

Have a LOVELY, PEACEFUL AND SAFE holiday.

And The Winner Is . . . Blue Iris

The color gurus at Pantone have declared Blue Iris (Pantone 18-3943)  the color of the year for 2008 (though the color of the day, at their site , is Caribbean Blue, Pantone 18-4525). This deep violet-blue is a radical departure from 2007's chili pepper red. The site says:

Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple, Blue Iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement.

If you love color, as I do, also bookmark the Colour Lover's blog for a constant source of inspiration and revelation. Some of the color palettes are as showy and dramatic as expected, like those for tropical fish or birds; but the subtle shadings in a bowl of jasmine rice can be a surprise. I liked this recent post on color wheels.

Many textile artists respond to color above all; the world of dyeing and especially natural dyes is something I'll explore here. Through the ages, textile trends have been partly of function of available dyes and dyestuffs, and rare colors have been prized and sought after. Today we have more colors available to us in fiber and fabric than ever before. In the world of sustainable textiles, one measure of sustainability is finding ways to color fiber, and make the color fast, without toxic chemicals or heavy metals as mordants.

Slow Fashion and FairWear

No, Slow Fashion is not taking a long time to get dressed in the morning, though we've all been there. I should have mentioned in yesterday's post that a HUGE part of Slow Fashion -- and Slow Cloth where applicable -- is fair trade and social justice. Some people use the term FairWear. No sweatshops, no child labor. Again, it comes down to respecting the craft and opting for a less industrialized model.

I learned from my friend Betsy Gill, a spectacular painter and fabric and design mentor, that her friend Janet Hethorn, who teaches at the University of Delaware, will have a textbook published early next year called Sustainable Fashion: Why Now? So we'll add that title to the Slow Cloth library (and bibliography page to come) and I will see if I can track her down for an interview to share with you after the holidays.

The Slowly Evolving Idea of Slow Cloth

There have been some terrific comments and thoughts generated by the idea of Slow Cloth and Sharon B.'s always-inspiring dialogue on In A Minute Ago. I will pull together a blogroll soon with links to everyone who has commented here, as well.

The idea of Slow Cloth is something I've been tinkering with for quite some time, and in many ways my thoughts are inspired by the Slow Food movement, which has grown as an alternative to industrialized "fast" food. If you're not familiar with their organization, it might be fun to visit their site. They have chapter, or what they call conviviums, all over the world.

Slow Cloth, as I imagine it, is indeed a movement (and possibly even an organization) and isn't about hand vs. machine, or even the time it takes to complete a project or a piece of art. It has more to do with identifying, protecting, and sharing/teaching about the world's incredibly rich textile heritage, whether techniques are executed traditionally or by contemporary artists in new ways.

The idea of craftsmanship and artisanship is absolutely part of this. A Slow Food chef uses ingredients that have a story and a heritage, but can use them to make a new dish. Similarly, for me, a Slow Cloth artist has a knowledge and skill base that respects traditional craft techniques, whether it's shibori dyeing or quilting or embroidery. But the results can be traditional or new. So in my mind, both a traditional quilt and an art quilt and even a fabric postcard can all be Slow Cloth. It's more about intention, approach, quality, and a sense of connection.

People who are only interested in kits or quickie projects are on a different path, I think, and it's valid for them -- there really isn't ever anything wrong with making something yourself, and it can lead to more.

There is also a Slow Fashion concept arising in the fashion industry; as I understand it, it takes a design approach that is less dependent on rapidly changing trends and colors and styles intended to make everything in your closet obsolete every season, and is also more about quality, sustainability, and thoughtfulness in design and materials.

These are just my ideas, of course, and they are most certainly changing and evolving. Thank you to everyone who thinks this is an interesting and worthwhile dialogue.  Keep the comments coming and stay tuned!

Does everyone out there know about Selvedge magazine? I am in love, love, love with this magazine. It is textile and visual heaven. Subscriptions are expensive from the U.K. but I think it's worth it. And I've just learned about Linda and Laura Kemshall's Thr3Fold Journal, and am ordering their book, The Painted Quilt.

Another amazing book for your Slow Cloth library is Quilt Artistry: Inspired Designs From The East, by Yoshiko Jinzenji. Yoshiko also has a line of fabrics that you can read about and order via Purl Bee, the wonderful blog from Purl Soho.

New York Times on Etsy

Hot on the heels of our discussion of Slow Cloth, the New York Times Magazine offers Handmade 2.0, by author Rob Walker, deconstructing Etsy.com and the craft resurgence.

At 50, I admit I don't always identify with the new generation of crafters, but neither do I necessarily identify with older women who have a more traditional take on knitting, sewing or embroidering. Maybe there is a middle way of making that embraces craft and beauty, skill and spirit. As Eric Maisel says, artists have to make their meaning. I think that sweet center of the Venn diagram -- where individual and cultural expression, social relevance, contemplative discipline, the joy of process, and sensual pleasure all meet -- is what I'm always looking for. And I think it's what a lot of us find, whether we describe it that way or not, in the world of textiles. Though Walker sounds a bit unconvinced in his article, it is revolutionary to make things, and if the whole world is built on buying things made anonymously far away, it may indeed be subversive.

Hyperbolic Blogging

I was pretty darn excited this morning to see all the viewers of this new blog, and to read Sharon B.'s thoughts on her site and the ensuing dialogue. I also woke up to realize it's December 15 and I have hardly given Christmas a thought, and of course I want to sloooowly make everything I give, so I'm in a slight panic.

I've been seeking out wonderful textile sites on the Internet for years (and even wrote a column on Web sites for the Surface Design Association newsletter for a couple of years) so I have a lot of resources to recommend and ideas to develop, many ideas and ambitions for this site -- but I am also a bit technologically unprepared. I am trying to upgrade my Internet service so I can easily add lots of images, and also figuring out things like (a) adding PDF files to the sidebar list so I can add the articles I've written for Surface Design Journal; (b) setting up a subscription service; and (c) creating a custom banner that reflects the way I want this site to look. I also want to share some of my own work with you; I'm something of a recovering artist right now,  having been more focused on writing and day jobs, and don't have much recent work, but there is some.

I thought I would just "get started" in a modest way, but there is clearly room to expand quickly with rich content and community. So please bear with me while I get my form and content aligned, and please share your thoughts in the comments about what you think Slow Cloth means. 

In the meantime, resources and inspiration:

• Does everyone know about Maiwa Handprints? Charlotte Kwon is dedicated to supporting traditional craft, and her textile symposium looks incredible. Maiwa also sells natural dyes and other supplies for textile artists.
• I just can't get over the Crochet Coral Reef project at The Institute for Figuring. This is an amazing merging of craft, art, environmental concerns and mathematics. My father was a physicist who always bemoaned my lack of focus on science and math, and I'd love to share this with him (he died in 1991). Christine and Margaret Werthelm created this project, and crocheters all over the world are invited to join in what they call hyperbolic crochet:
  • "Each model results from the application of an iterative recipe repeated over and over. Like fractals such as the Mandelbrot Set, these forms come into being only through the process of doing some “boring” step again and again and again. Though experience often serves as a guide, there is no way to know in advance what a specific algorithm will achieve and we have many times been surprised when seemingly insignificant changes in the underlying pattern have led to fundamentally new results. This is, in a very real sense, a kind of experimental mathematics and we invite crocheters everywhere to join us in exploring the myriad possibilities inherent in these techniques."

This sounds like life as well as art  -- seemingly insignificant changes in the underlying pattern can lead to fundamentally new results. Onward we go.

You've Got To Pick Up Every Stitch: December 12

For a taste of what I mean by Slow Cloth, visit Language of Cloth:

The aim of The Language of Cloth is to encourage traditional textile arts in three ways: first, by promoting the beauty and usefulness of individually-crafted textiles in the world craft market, and helping to establish fair trade relationships between the artisans and vendors; second, by assisting textile-producing communities to develop new products incorporating traditional techniques for the international apparel and home accessory market; and third, by commissioning individual artisans to create traditional textiles using the methods that have been passed down from generations.

If you're in the Bay Area, Language of Cloth founder Daniel Gundlach is having an annual holiday studio sale this weekend, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

I've begun re-reading Elizabeth Wayland Barber's fascinating Women's Work, The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth and Society in Early Times, to begin to understand anew how making and decorating cloth has been a part of cultural evolution and expression. Beyond the sheer utility of clothing for protection and comfort, there is dance, movement, fertility, art, family stories, community -- all of it tied to textiles through the ages.

On the New Cloth front, I've taken on a big research and writing project on the market for sustainable apparel, so look for lots of interesting links to come.  I've just begun to explore the companies and entrepreneurs shaping this new market. One of my favorite finds so far is Indigo Handloom, a  company working with weavers in India using traditional techniques. They also have a lovely blog called Good Karma Party with photos of their Brooklyn store.

I'm also eagerly awaiting the publication of Sustainable Fashion and Textiles, a new book by U.K. ecological design consultant Kate Fletcher.

Athena's Web

I'd like to pay homage to some of the goddesses of textile blogging who have really inspired me, the well-worn bookmarks that set a standard for the rest. I don't really know what this blog will become, but these are some I look to for their focus, knowledge and warmth, and highly recommend as a core online library for the textile community.

• Dijanne Cevaal's blog, Musings of a Textile Itinerant, is a gorgeous showcase of her work, her multicultural inspiration, her thoughtful process, and her tenacious pursuit of the artist's life.
• Serena Fenton's Layers of Meaning is not updated as frequently as some others, but every entry is a gem of inspiration and beauty.
• Kay and Ann of Mason-Dixon Knitting have justifiably earned fame in the knitting and blogging world. Their wit and geniality is unsurpassed. Whatever they're drinking, I need some.
• Sharon B's In A Minute Ago is the mother of all textile blogs; Sharon is Australian, a crazy quilter, an educator by nature and a pioneer in creating a global Internet community and using the resources of the Web.