Lilou

 

www.liloultd.com

I have always been fascinated by colours and I am often surprised by how little colour there is in the world of every day fashion.

On the other hand, I am all too aware of the disposable mass consumption the world indulges in, along with all it's vices.

So at 36, I decided it was time for a change:

I am determined to create a fashion company that  focuses on creating colourful fashion accessories that are 100% hand-made, timeless designs and made to last. No more cheap throwaways!

The other big part of the equation is the social impact: Why just run a business for profit, when you can do so much more?

The driving force behind my creativity is the knowledge that I can provide employment and fair wages to rural artisans, re-invest in their communities and educate them about business.

I am very passionate about what I do. I enjoy sharing ideas and meeting other social entrepreneurs, the more the merrier! 

-Ingrid Vercruyssen

Mission:  Lilou is all about Slow Fashion.

We are devoted to making colourful, long-lasting accessories that will brighten your world. We are passionate about every piece that we create.

We believe in craftsmanship and the value of handmade. We believe in style over fashion. Every piece must be beautiful, elegant and functional.

We live for making beautiful things, but we are careful to ensure they are beautiful all-around.

We work closely with our artisan communities, providing training, ensuring fair wages and fair work rules. We share our profits with our artisans, who take enormous pride in their work and help us be who we are.

Location:  United Kingdom and Cambodia

Online Shops:  

   Lilou Ltd.

   LilouColours
   LilouInteriors

Blog:  liloultd
Other social media:  Twitter 

Languages spoken:  English and French

Fair trade handmade accessories from Cambodia.
By Lilou.

Tags:  handwoven, hand dyed, colorful, fair wages, scarves, handbags, Cambodia, merino, silk, accessories

Linda Robertus

 

www.lindarobertus.com

My name is Linda Robertus. I am Dutch, but I have been living in Brisbane, Australia with my family since March 2007.

I started quilting in 2006, when I was expecting our third son. After a year of making quilts for my children I slowly moved into the 'art quilt scene'. An online screen printing class in 2009 (with Lyric Kinard at Quilt University) has heavily influenced my work, as has the fact that my oldest son joined a gymnastics club around the same time. My series of gymnastics quilts is still not finished! Recently, I have started using cyclists in my quilts. I am currently working on a second cycling quilt.

I like to try other techniques and materials from time to time, such as lutradur, lino printing, making a quilt based on a photo (photography is another passion, and I keep a daily photo blog)... And I love optical illusions and will try from time to time to capure them in a quilt!

In 2008 I founded Art Quilts Around the World; an international group where each member makes a quilt to a designated theme four times a year.

My online shops are Blue Jacaranda, on MadeIt (the Australian Etsy)  and on Etsy where I sell small handmade items. I also design and sell fabric on Spoonflower.

Location:  Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Online shops:

   Blue Jacaranda on Made It
   Blue Jacaranda on Etsy
   Blue Jacaranda on Spoonflower

Blogs:

   Quilt blog: lindarobertus
   Online art quilt group: aroundtheworldin20quilts

Memberships:

   SAQA
   QuiltArt
Languages spoken:  Dutch, English, German, French and a little Italian

Gymnastic Quilt Series by Linda Robertus

Tags:  art quilts, surface design, printing, thermofax, gymnastics, sports

Inkyspider - Morgen Bardati

www.inkyspider.etsy.com

My name is Morgen Bardati and I am a textile artist and designer living in the mountainous Kootenay region of British Columbia in Canada. My home is in a tiny village nestled next to the Slocan Lake across from the beautiful pristine wilderness of Valhalla Park.

I enjoy working with a mixed media of traditional and innovative textile design techniques on natural fibers including cotton, linen, hemp, silk and wool. I use dye, shibori, screen printing, painting, sewing and piecing to transform cloth into garments, accessories, housewares and bags.  My passion for the environment inspires me to make use of repurposed fabric as much as possible in my clothing and accessories.

Artist's Statement:  My early inspiration comes from first memories: the red dirt, bold patterns and vibrancy of Africa where I was born and raised.  I am  inspired by nature, culture, pattern and geometry.

My designs have a universal, personal and tribal resonance. I like to design garments and textiles that celebrate our cultural diversity and our connection to nature. I express this through vibrant and earthy colour, pattern, movement and texture. Many of the techniques and materials used in my textiles have roots in cultural traditions used worldwide. It is important to me that we preserve these traditions from cultural extinction so that we may continue to expand on them with new innovations and personal expression.

I began as a mixed media painter and printmaker, receiving my arts education in South Africa. I had been working with surface designed textiles for 18 years, doing mostly t-shirts for markets and fairs. In 2005 I decided to really make the switch from painting to fiber arts and attended the Kootenay School of Art in Nelson, BC where I took courses in pattern drafting, clothing design, and reconstruction techniques. I enjoy deconstructing discarded jackets and coats and redesigning them, adding new linings and usually some accents of surface design techniques. I continue to explore organic fabrics and natural source dyes.

Location: New Denver,British Columbia,Canada

Online shop:  inkyspider

Blog:  whatdoesthegoldenmean

Other social media:  Twitter

Memberships:

   Surface Design Association
   Total Art Soul

Languages spoken:  English

 Japanese Inspired Tunic designed and constructed

by Morgen Bardati

Tags: surface design, shibori, screenprinting, hand dyed, natural fiber, reconstructed, wearable art, canada, nature inspired, geometry

Alison Yule Textiles

http://alisonyuletextiles.co.uk

I'm an award winning textile designer, hand weaving fabrics for interiors and apparel.  I'm in love with weaving and have been passionate about it since I was 8 years old!

Hallmarks of my work are rich textures, unusual colour combinations and simple clean designs.  Products can include cushions, wall panels, window panels, throws, rugs and fabric lengths.  If you're looking for some home detailing that is unique to you then give me a call or email.

Artist's Statement:   I create art pieces for the wall in my hand woven fabrics, that fuse contemporary design with traditional fibres and techniques.  Each piece is richly textured, but with a simplicity of design that sits very comfortably in a contemporary setting

Passionate about using natural fibres with simple, traditional weaves, I like to give the pieces impact by incorporating areas of texture and unusual colour combinations.  At present, I am working with plain weave (the simplest weave construction), weaving with over twisted yarns to give areas of pile or using very textured yarns in areas of inlay over the plain weave, to produce my decorative wall panels. 

My inspiration can come from almost anywhere, but I'm particularly drawn to nature and my local landscapes.  Plants and flowers, whether exotic or grown locally have always excited me, and the challenges of transferring a 3 dimensional form into, what is essentially, a 2 dimensional canvas are what I thrive on!

Recently, I have been exploring the use of plain weave with linen and inlayed texture, dyeing my yarns to give very ethereal lighting effects, inspired by the light on water and through foliage, at different times of the day or night!  These will be woven into  decorative, but functional pieces to be displayed in windows or as room dividers.

Other concepts I'm exploring are the use of plain weave and texture to produce representations of portraits as simple, woven line drawings of the body or as simple comic like images of the face.

Location:  Willington, Derbyshire, United Kingdom

Online shop:  alison yule textiles

Blogs:

   alisonyuletextiles
   willingtonweaver
   puretinctoriadyer

Other social media:  

   LinkedIn, Twitter

Memberships:

   Textile Society
   EMTEX
   Design Factory
 Languages spoken:  English

Euonymus Panel 3 (wool with textured wool detail)
Weaving by Alison Yule Textiles

Tags: hand woven fabrics, contemporary woven fabrics, weave, woven art, contemporary woven art, hand weaving, wool fabrics

Floating Stone Silks

www.FloatingStoneSilks.com

Floating Stone is my impossible dream in action.  My name is Lynda Drury and I work with artisan enterprises in Cambodia to produce stunning contemporary silk accessories. The silks are unique pieces that embellish and style up a wardrobe. They come in spectacular luminous colours with the defining properties of hand woven, handcrafted works of art. They embody traditional artisan techniques that have jumped right out of the box! We strive towards highly marketable designer silks and a sustainable enterprise. Our designs are co-creations, using ancient Cambodian skills, their amazing fashion savvy and our design and market knowledge.

Floating Stone’s designer product line includes wraps, scarves, stoles, bags (hand bags, shoulder bags, knitting bags…), purses (evening, day, wallets, wristlets…), along with totes for everything and for specifics, like jewelry. We create everything silk, from wedding accessories to products made specifically to utilize silk scraps.

Most importantly, Floating Stone puts people before profits. We only work with those committed to a better way of life for Cambodians. We work business to business and share our lives, families, hopes and dreams. Currently, we are partnering with one of our producers in a sustainable agriculture project. The project is designed to create small vegetable gardens for food and income production as well as to develop capacity for advocacy for social justice within the community’s leadership. Our dream is to work up to producing our own silk supply, and to invite artists to travel to Cambodia to share creative embellishment techniques with our producer groups. They are hungry for new ideas and short on resources for explorations. 

We are proud to tell you that many of our products are available  through the  Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. We hope to add more galleries to this list. Floating Stone Silks are also available through a  variety of Unique Retail Outlets, including Fashion and Gift Shops, Hotels, Spas and Galleries on Vancouver Island, surrounding Islands and Lower Mainland. Email for outlets close to you.  For anyone in the Courtenay area, you are welcome to visit my studio. Email me for the address.

Mission:  People before Profit

Location:  Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada

Online shop:  Floating Stone Silks

Blog:  floatingstonesilks.com
Other social media:  Twitter

Memberships:

   World Fair Trade Organization
   Fair Trade Federation
   TransFair Canada

Languages spoken:  English

 Fairly Traded Cambodian Silk Accessories

from Floating Stone Silks

Tags:  Silk, Fair Trade, unusual scarves, shawls, Cambodia, fashion, handbags, accessories

Inside Outside Art

www.insideoutsideart.etsy.com

I grew up with a mother, grandmother and aunts who were skilled quilters and seamstresses willing to share their knowledge.  No matter how hard I tried, my work did not come out as perfect as theirs.  I loved fabric, fibers, color and texture. I tried many different crafts - quilting, embroidery, silk dying, knitting, crocheting  and weaving.   I finally came to the realization that all my work did not have to be perfect. In fact, I liked the idiosyncrasies of my work. I call what I do now "unconventional embroideries."   I finally feel like I have come home. This is where I belong and creating completes me.

Artist's statement:  I chose the name, Inside Outside Art because I felt it described me. I'm a little quirky and I don't always fit inside a box. My work is a little quirky. It's not your standard traditional embroidery.

-Regina Westmoreland

Location:  Benicia, California, USA

Online shop:  insideoutsideart

Memberships:

   Fiber Art/Mixed Media Art
   Stitchin Fingers
   Hand Embroidery Network

Languages spoken:  English

Embroidery by Regina Westmoreland, aka "Inside Outside Art"

Tags:  Embroidery, Etsy, Fabric Art, Textile Art, One of a Kind, Colorful, Handmade, Beaded, Embellished

FibreHeart

 http://fibreheart.weebly.com/

I am a 34 year old mother of two. 
I am a jack of all trades kind of crafter.
I started needle felting a little over 2 years ago, but put it aside until now.
I have also been crocheting and knitting for many years.

I am a Felting artist.  I make custom and original needle felt sculptures and paintings for you. 

Needle felting is an involved process that was used over 100 years ago.  It involves taking unspun wool and poking it thousands of times with a special needle to make shapes.

I love the old school feel whenever I make a sculpture.  Even though the tools and techniques are more modern you can never shake that feeling:)

I research all commissions with your pictures and pictures from Google and Yahoo.  Nothing is copied.  Pictures are used for reference only.  Every piece is carefully handmade.  It is a long process but the results are the beautiful sculptures and paintings you see here.

Artist's Statement:  All things Fibre, Made from the Heart-FibreHeart.  

Location:  Ontario, Canada

Online shop:  firbreheart

Social media:  Twitter

Languages spoken:  English

Needle Felted Pets by FibreHeart

Tags:  Needle felt, dogs, wool, pet lovers, handmade, sculptures, OOAK, cats, pets, gifts

Sturee Tribal Village

http://stureetribalvillage.blogspot.com/

Sturee Tribal Village is a retail gallery of ethnic and tribal textiles, carvings, beads, jewelry, carpets and other crafts. As the retail outlet of Afghan Tribal Arts, most of the collection comes from Afghanistan and its neighbors, but other areas of the world, especially Africa, are also represented. Located in the heart of Pendleton's historic downtown Square, it is convenient to other shops and restaurants. The gallery opened in 2008 and has quickly become a sought-after source for handmade crafts from Central Asia.

Afghan Tribal Arts has become known for its extensive collection of hand carved beads made of semi-precious stones found in Afghanistan: lapis lazuli, carnelian, jade, onyx, serpentine, fluorite and much more. Sturee Tribal Village gives testimony to other beautiful traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation. We invite you to come and visit! 

Location:  Pendleton, South Carolina, USA

Online Shop:  Afghan Tribal Arts

Blog:  Sturee Tribal Village

Languages spoken: English, Pashtu, Farsi, Urdu, a bit of Uzbeki 

 Sturee Tribal Village, Pendleton, SC

Sturee Tribal Village in Pendleton, SC (USA)

Tags:  gallery, tribal textiles, cultural textiles, beads, ethnographic, ethnic textiles, Central Asian, African, carpets, vintage

Stephanie Forsyth

 

http://www.thefibernation.com

I am a fiber artist with a degree in graphic design from Minneapolis Business College. I have always been attracted to the tactile nature of fabrics and fibers. As a child, I would used scraps from the clothes my mother and grandmother were making in order to make clothes and tiny quilts for my Barbies.

I began learning traditional quilting in 1995, making simple square piece flannel blankets. While I was earning my degree in graphic design in 2001-2002 I began to make art quilts rather than traditional pieced quilts. I was excited to see how I could apply the design principles I was learning, into fiber form.

The vast majority of my pieces are centered around or inspired by nature. I draw from the flora and fauna I find from trips around the country, as well as in my own backyard. I prefer dyeing my fabrics to mix with batiks in order to attain the desired colors for the most impact in my quilts. Color is the biggest factor in a piece for me, and something I spend a lot of time planning and testing in a piece, as I rely a lot on color play for contrast in my pieces.

I mix contemporary and traditional methods of quilt making, from fused applique to hand quilting in order to achieve the particular look or feel to a piece I am striving to attain. I also incorporate embellishments to give my pieces more depth; needle felted roving, angelina fibers, paint, inks, or anything that will give the visual impact I am striving for. I try to apply mindfulness (complete engagement) to the design and construction of my pieces. It is my desire that the view is left with a deeper appreciation of colors in nature, as well as with a renewed sense of hope and calmness.

I do open studios in my home studio and take part in art crawls. 

Artist's Statement:  I experiment with color and contrast, applying the knowledge I gained through graphic design into my artwork. I love pulling colors from nature to use in my work, and most of my work is representational of the natural world in some way or another.

Location:  Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA

Online shops:  

   stephanieforsyth on Etsy

   StephanieForsyth on Art Fire 

   stephanieforsyth direct sales on website

Blogs:  thefibernation, stephanieforsyth

Memberships:

   Minnesota Contemporary Quilters
   SAQA
   Textile Center Minnesota

Languages spoken:  English 

 "Eden Prairie: Wetlands and Tree 9" by Stephanie Forsyth

Tags:  hand dyed, simple, elegant, nature, colorful, zen, contrasting, playful, experimental, fun 

Wrapture by Inese

http://www.inesedesign.com/Home.html

I travel through different genres of art and design, depending on circumstances... I can easily adapt. People who know me and have seen my work recognize me through my colors and sense of whimsy. My textile design experience grew from working in fashion design. Glassblowing started as ceramics ended. A move to Europe drew me into interior design, but the economy gave me the opportunity to go back to knitwear, this time with all my years of textile design experience to back it up. I welcome new opportunities that give me a chance to use all the knowledge I have collected over the years. I love giving joy whether it is a new life to an old home or the perfect knit wrap that gives your eyes a sparkle and makes you look and feel beautiful.

I designed knitwear as a way of making a living after graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Prodded on by a friend I bought a knitting machine and developed a mohair mobius strip shawl long enough to fit comfortably wrapped twice around the neck. At a craft fair a woman pulled one of the loops of the double wrap up over her head and asked ""is this how you wear it?"" My reaction was, how did you do that, show me, yes of course that's it, that's exactly it! I sold thousands of those wraps.

I moved to San Francisco, worked for others, then five years ago I moved to Riga, Latvia, my parents' homeland, and vowed to never have a full time job again. Freelance CAD textile design work was a joy until the economy crashed. I remembered my mobius wraps of 25 years back, reinvented them, adding width to make a stole, and colorful stripes to make them unrepeatable. 

Artist's statement:  I play with colors, these are my sketches. Each wrap is as unique as the individual who wears it. Distinct and unrepeatable.  If you visit Riga, I often participate in craft fairs in Old Town. My Facebook fan page has the latest updates.

Every day when I go to my knitting machine I have no idea what will happen, what colors will appear, what moods will be revealed. I just go with the flow...

Enjoy!

Location:  Riga, Latvia, Europe

Online shop:  WrapturebyInese

Languages spoken:  English, Latvian and enough German to find the train station and to sell a wrap

 Multi-functional Knitted Wraps by Inese

Tags:  knitwear, textiles, CAD, fashion design, color, textures, wraps, accessories, interiors, home textiles, one of a kind, ooak, hand loomed

Jwrobel

http://jwrobel.com/

I have always been fascinated by fabrics and textiles.  Something about them just resonates.  Color and texture combine to not only create beauty, but function, as well.  While I work in and am enthralled by the exploration of numerous fiber techniques, knitting, in particular, seems magical to me.  The ability to create something from nothing is inspiring.  That I can sit with a ball of string and turn it into a piece that provides beauty, warmth, comfort, and usefulness all at once is awing.  I wait in rapt attention for each piece to descend from my needles.  Manipulating and combining my textiles with my experience in costuming, papercraft, and surface design is a never ending and enthralling pursuit. 

The pieces I create are all one of a kind or made to order pieces, created by one real person for another.  My design aesthetic is an amalgam of my bohemian and vintage sensibilities with a dose of classic design.  A retro/mod type of feel makes an appearance from time to time, too.   My inspiration is vast and varied:  sometimes it's from a textile, image, or museum artifact, sometimes a color or a texture.  Life experience is a frequent influential contributor.   I source my materials to be organic, fair trade, recycled, and/or re-purposed.   Frequently, my fabrics and yarns come from other artisans who work in small, exquisitely executed batches, who also maintain an environmentally friendly mind-set. This makes ""one of a kind"" an even truer description of some of my pieces.   Through my work and studio I seek to marry creative inspiration with mindful business practices to contribute to the strength of a meaningful community of artisans and the people we create for. In all, I aspire to make beautiful things for you.  

Thank you-
Jess

Artist's Statement:  Through my work I seek to create beautiful things for my clients in a way that is kind and respectful to our environment and communities, while fulfilling my own creative vision.  I further hope to contribute to an increasing sense of value of artisan work of all kinds by strengthening the dialog between artists and the people we create for.

Location:  Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA

Online shops:  

   Jwrobel
   broodbaby
   JwrobelStudio
Blog:  jwrobel

Languages spoken:  English

Knitted Hoodie by Jwrobel

Tags:  organic, natural, baby, clothes, accessories, bags, purses, eco-friendly, hats,  gifts

Green Baboon Designs

www.greenbaboondesigns.etsy.com

After the birth of my son, something shifted inside me.  A longing to create a home full of softness and comfort.  A safe haven for him free of harsh chemicals, toxic plastic toys, and commercialism.  A place where he could play gently, use his imagination, and engage in his surroundings and in nature.  

It was in that line of thinking, and with my husband's urging that I opened my Etsy store, Green Baboon Designs in November of 2009.   I wanted all my materials to be as natural as possible consisting of items that came from the earth, the plants, and the animals.   My hope was for all my creations to be things I would gladly place in my home, and that I would be proud to send to others' homes as well. 

I specialize in needle felted acorns, needle felted soft sculpture figures and paper star lanterns.  All items that are eco-friendly, biodegradable, safe for little ones and Big Ones who care for them.  

I draw upon my fine arts background to guide me through a new design process and gather my inspiration for new creations from my son - experiencing the world and all her mysteries through his eyes. 

-Danita Berg

Mission: At Green Baboon Designs we specialize in felted acorns, paper star lanterns, and natural and felted toys. Green Baboon Designs creates unique, eco-friendly items for your home in the Waldorf tradition using only the finest wool paper products.  All of our items are inspired by nature and made with love.

Location:  Portland, Oregon, USA

Online shop:  greenbaboondesigns

Blog:  homemadeserenity

Membership:  Crafting in Color Team on Etsy

Languages spoken:  English

 Needle felted dolls by Green Baboon Designs

Tags:  felt acorns, felted acorns, needle felted acorns, needle felted mama dolls, felted pregnant dolls, felted figures, paper lanterns, Waldorf Star Lanterns, felted toys