Lao Hats

www.laohats.com

Heather Daveno of  Lao Hats

I am a self taught, American born textile artist who has been making hats from recycled textiles for over 20 years.  Please visit my shop for both custom made and 'off the rack' handmade hats.

Artist's statement:  Inspired by art forms from a variety of cultures and time periods, my hats are handcrafted from recycled textiles and found objects.  Lao Hats are limited editions, unique, warm and wearable artworks for your head!

Lao, the Chinese word for Old, is a play on words and a reference to the recycled / reclaimed / repurposed nature of my work.

I am in the process of rebranding and I am looking for a new name.  Please see my Facebook page or website for details...

Location:  Seattle, Washington, USA

Membership:  Northwest Art Alliance

Social Media:

   Deviant Art

   Twitter

Languages spoken:   English with smatterings of German and Turkish

Lao Hats:  Recycled and handmade!

Tags:   Heather Daveno, Lao Hats, recycled, handcraft, handmade, wearable art, handmade hats, wool hats, art to wear

Ann Robinson, a.r.t.

annrobinsontextiles.com

After many years of teaching and advising students on campuses including the University of Wisconsin and Stanford, budget cuts left me without a classroom. Finally, I could focus full time on my inherent artistic interests dyeing and weaving yarn.

Today I design and weave one-of-a-kind textiles using traditional looms, respecting and preserving an ancient form of art. I have four looms in my home studio and use only natural fibers: cotton, silk, tencel (fiber made from wood), bamboo and soy.

My website, annrobinsontextiles.com, serves as a gallery and as a direct communication link. The interactive process between the artist and the interested party begins with a communication (personal, telephone, email) outlining what s/he has in mind, a piece on the site or a custom option.

Artist's statement:  My goal is to teach the art of weaving to as many people as possible because weaving teaches us much more than how to make cloth. Learning to weave provides focus and discipline and allows us to practice patience and endurance. These skills, I believe, are necessary to maintain one's sanity in this chaotic world.

Location:  Sacramento, California, USA

Blog:  annrobinsontextiles 

Memberships:

   Handweavers Guild of America
   Sacramento Weavers and Spinners Guild
   Sacramento Center for the Textile Arts 

Languages spoken:  English

Hand woven scarves and textiles by Ann Robinson.

Lente Julcsi

http://kovacsnejulcsi.blogspot.com

My name is Júlia Lente.I live in the heart of Europe, in Hungary with my family.

I inherited the love of sewing from my Great-grandmother: she was a seamstress. At first I made toys and blankets.  Today I mainly create jewelry, bags and other accessories.  My creations are usually made from fabric and felt and are embellished with embroidery, beads and crocheting.  I love to have a needle in my hand and a thimble on my finger and I am delighted when I can create. I like bright colours, soft lines, the shiny and smooth surface of beads and the touch of yarn and fabrics. My work is inspired by nature, colours, shapes and feelings.

I think recycling is very important therefore I often work with used but high quality materials, thus protecting the environment.

 

Location:  Maklár, Hungary, Europe

Online shop:  LenteJulcsi

Blog:  kovacsnejulcsi

Languages spoken:  Hungarian, English

Embroidered Jewelry and Accessories by Lente Julcsi, Hungary

Tags:   needlecraft, recycling, handmade, wool felt, freeform hand crocheting, free machine embroidery, home decor

Feltwerker

http://www.feltwerker.com

Fiber Artist – recycling wool sweaters into wool felt; flower pins, fingerless gloves, scarves, pincushions, etc;

Felt making maniac since 2006. Denise has been drawn to making things since she first learned to knit at 10 years of age.

With an old washing machine, simple sewing machine and crochet hook she creates a myriad of felted objects with the intention of marrying beauty to function.

Denise can be found exhibiting her work throughout Chicagoland.

Artist's statement:  To create beautiful functional everyday objects.

Upcycling sweaters into felted objects satisfies Denise's desire to help the planet and work with beautiful natural fiber.

She strives to minimize waste and packaging in her business and uses recycled paper whenever possible.

Location:  Chicago, Illinois, USA

Online shops:

   feltwerker  (Etsy)
   feltwerker  (Artfire)

Blog:  feltwerker
Social media:  Twitter

Languages spoken:  English, Spanish

Recycled sweaters into accessories by Feltwerker.

Tags:  recycled, fiber, wool, felt, accessories, flower pins, brooches, felted wool, fingerless gloves, flower pin kit

Galería Octágono

www.GaleriaOctagono.com

I am a textile creator who believes in the power of community involvement.  My gallery (www.galeriaoctagono.com) is a community-based collective atop the northern mountains in Costa Rica, where I work with seven women and their families.  I provide materials, design, and educational opportunities as well as an equitable distribution of proceeds.  All our work is handmade, free-style, and original.  My husband, Rich, and I enjoy practicing alternative tourism as a B&B, and our log cabin is available to travelers wishing a personalized experience in Costa Rica.

Artist's statement:  There is no limit to the versatility of textiles. Learning and experimentation allow me to be aware and keep myself open to change. To be creative I must lose fear of being wrong. To be correct I must make sure that my art has social projection.

-Silvia Piza-Tandlich

Location:  San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica

Online shop:  galeria octagono

Blogs:

   metamorfosishabitat
   sdalatin
Social media:  LinkedIn

Memberships:

   SDA (Surface Design Association)   

   (WCCR) Women’s Club of Costa Rica    
   Costa Rica Green Pages 

Languages spoken:  Spanish, English   

Quilt with Argentine theme, by Silvia Piza-Tandlich, 2010, Costa Rica

"Tuki" quilt, by Silvia Piza-Tandlich, 2009, Costa Rica

Design Talented One

http://www.etsy.com/shop/designtalentedone

I love colors and whatever possible colors can go into a creation.  I sell supplies on Etsy and started out with yarns, then moved into silk sari ribbon, silk cocoons, silk sari ribbon yarns, cording and rope.  I will recycle saris and rip them into a ribbon and then create by knitting or crocheting it into something wonderful.  If I can't find a color I need I will dye it using environmentally safe dyes. 

I found a fair trade supplier in India who is now working on ribbons and silk thrum yarns for me.  I decided that it would be nice to share this love and supply that I have on Etsy and it has really taken off, leading me to meet other wonderful artists.  Sitting at the table, I think back, never in my dreams imagining that I could share this with others and have it grow into a live business as it has.  

I make purses, accessories and clothing that are out of the ordinary.  When you work with fibers and silk sari ribbon you step outside of the box!

Artist statement:  I hope to provide a creative vision, guidance, knowledge, motivation and inspiration to all ages.  While heightening passion for fiber art I hope to push the boundaries of silk sari ribbon use and fibers in all applications.  I aim to provide joy to those who embrace color and love wearable art.   I love recycling, bringing the old into a new creation.  Through all of this, I hope to understand what the other person sees and feels through my work. 

Location:   Illinois, United States

Online shop:  Design Talented One

Social Media: Ravelry, Facebook 

Languages spoken:  English

Silk Ribbon Supplies by Design Talented One

Tags:   silk sari ribbon, handspun yarns, silk hankies, cocoons, silk, felted items, flowers, jewelry, recycled items, scarves

UpCycleArt

http://www.etsy.com/shop/UpCycleArt

I learned how to do locker hooking from a book.  Most of the projects were fabric based, but one used plastic bags.  I tried it out with shopping bags.  Then I started thinking how I could use the plastic newspaper sleeves that we got every day.  Friends, co-workers and family started giving me theirs. 

Normal back and forth on the grid got boring and I began planning designs I could create.  The bags have a wide degree of variation in density, color and hue so I sorted them accordingly.  The ink printed on some of them distracted from my design, so I cut that part out and saved them in case I could use them in another way. 

I have a background in interior design and custom draperies, so neatness is very important.  My designs are supported by quality work to make the best foundation and finish work on them.  The base for most of my designs is 3.5 latch hook canvas.  I hem all four sides, paint the background dictated by my design, and bind all edges with the same plastic I’m using in the piece.  The back is anchored with either silicone sealer or ModPodge.  You can use tiny nail brads in the wall and push the wall hanging onto them.  Otherwise you can use drapery rods and rings or have them framed.  

In the beginning I thought I was making rugs, but soon my admirers assured me that "No, these should be hung on the wall because they are truly an art."  So, my first designs are a bit larger and took quite a long time to make.  Sometimes the size of available canvas left from another work will inspire my design, such as the tree and leaves. 

I have been doing locker hooking since 2009.  I have created about 6 pieces each year.  Working around 2 hours a day on them, it takes between 6 weeks and 3 months to complete a piece.  To help keep from damaging my body with repetitive motion, I also like to do knitting, crocheting, embroidery punch, jewelry design.  Right now I'm growing some cotton for my adventure into spinning cotton for some project in the future.

-Mary Gerstner

Location:  Topeka, Kansas, USA

Online shop:  UpCycleArt

Languages spoken:  English

Locker Hooking with Recycled Plastic Bags by UpCycleArt

Tags:  Locker Hooking, Newspaper Sleeves, Plastic Shopping Bags, Recycle, Upcycle, Reuse, Bright Colors

Julie Kornblum

Forever Yours, detail, by Julie Kornblum

upholstery piping, waxed linen thread

plastic and metal discards

20" h x 10" w x 5" d             2007

www.juliekornblum.com

I remember always wanting to be an artist as a child, but somehow I never picked up paintbrushes or pencils. I was surrounded in my home by fabrics, needles, thread, and yarn; and I gravitated toward them. I weave, knit, crochet, and make baskets; and love the interplay between textile structures and the colors and textures in the materials. I love using fiber art techniques to create my wall pieces, sculptural baskets, and jewelry. The process is as satisfying as the final product. 

Work available at:  Studio Channel Islands Art Center, Camarillo, California; Textile Art Center, Minneapolis, MN

Artist's Statement:  My work combines the immediate and the ancient. I apply post-modern materials to the centuries-old processes of basketry weaving knitting and crochet. As a fiber artist, I follow the path of a thousand generations of artists from around the world. As a contemporary artist, I'm concerned with how our plastic trash impacts the environment.

My materials are cast off, surplus, or waste: copper wire from the recycle yard; audio cassette tapes that even the thrift store wanted to throw away. Both physically and conceptually, my materials are creations of the modern age. Physically, they are by-products of industrialization.  Conceptually, the notions of disposability and one-time-use are purely modern inventions. I hope to help raise the awareness that leads to reducing our production of trash. 

Location:  Los Angeles, California, USA

Online shops:  JulieKornblumStudio (Etsy, in construction)

   artsthatwork

Blog:  juliekornblum 

Memberships:

   Designing Weavers
   Surface Design Association
   Southern California Women's Caucus for Art

Languages spoken:  English

Copper Lace Cuff by Julie Kornblum

Tags:  weaving, basketry, jewelry, recycling, crochet, beads, copper wire, fiber art, sculpture

Las Rancheritas

 

http://www.charlottebell.com/rugs/

Las Rancheritas is a rug hooking cooperative in a rural village high in the mountains of central Mexico.  Their folk art designs are of the life around them: chickens, pigs, mountains, cactus, farming and whatever their imagination creates. The wool used to make their rugs is donated from rug hooking groups throughout the USA and Canada. Sales from the rugs are contributing to a higher standard of living in this subsistence farming community.

Las Rancheritas, a rug-hooking cooperative from Central Mexico.

Mission:  To provide funds to a financially disadvantaged community and promote self esteem through development of a craft.



Location:  Agustin Gonzales, Guanajuato, Mexico
Online shop:  Las Rancheritas
Blog:  http://lasrancheritas.posterous.com/
Memberships: Association of Traditional Hooking Artists
Languages spoken:  English, Spanish 

Hooked Rug by Las Rancheritas
"The Mending is Very Heavy"

Tags:  hooked rugs, primitive hooked rugs, rural Mexican craft cooperative, folk art, economic development, fair trade, recycled, eco

Pamela Penney Textile Arts

www.pamelapenney.com

Fiber, textiles, yarn and color have always been an integral part of life for Pamela Penney.  Her mother was an accomplished seamstress and quilter and had a large trunk of fabric that Pam would explore as a young girl.  She loved playing with the colors and the textures. Pam soon begged her mother to teach her to knit and sew at a very young age and both have been a passion for Pam ever since.  In high school Pam began to design and create her own garments combining sewing and knitting techniques.  Her interest in art, color, design, math and physics led Pam to study architecture and get her BA degree in Interior Design.  After several years designing corporate interiors Pam chose to develop her textile art business while at the same time raising her two children and doting on her husband, dog and cat.

Pamela Penney started her business out of her home when her children were young, designing and creating one-of-a-kind garments for women and children.  Using hand and machine knits, hand dyed and hand painted fabrics with crocheted edgings and beaded embellishments, each item became a work of art. In 2003, after several years working at home, Pam opened her studio on Harrison Street in Oak Park, Illinois.  This gave her the opportunity to expand the gallery space to show the artwork of several regional artists as well as offer more classes and improve her own studio working space.  She continues to grow and develop her business in the vibrant and funky Oak Park Arts District just outside of Chicago, Illinois.

Artist's statement:  Finding time to create is essential to my health and well being and I believe it is for everyone.  That is why I feel strongly that I must share my passion with others through teaching the textile art techniques that I find so enjoyable.  I’m interested in exploring a wide variety of techniques and looking for ways to incorporate them together in new and unique ways.  My work combines hand and machine knits, crochet, embroidery, fabric and yarn dying, wet-felting, needle-felting and salvaged woolens and cashmeres.  My credo:  Don’t box me in to one technique!  My current work combines the eco-friendly salvaged fabrics and the beauty of wet felted wools.  I love adding a dimension of hand and machine stitching and beading to give more texture and interest to my felted pieces.
 
In addition to producing her own artwork, Pam has been teaching for over 25 years to both children and adults and loves to ignite the spark of creativity in others.  She finds teaching is a path to continual learning for both her students and for herself.

Location:  Oak Park, Illinois, USA

Online shops: 

   pamelapenney on Etsy
   pamela-penney-textile-arts on smashing darling
   pamelapenney on mybisi

Brick and Mortar:

   Pamela Penney Textile Arts
   130 Harrison Street
   Oak Park, Illinois  60304
   (just outside of Chicago, Illinois)

Blog:  pamelapenney 

Memberships/Important links:

   Illinois Artisan Program
   Oak Park Arts District
   Visit Oak Park

Languages spoken:  English

Art to Wear by Pamela Penney Textile Arts

Tags: fiber art, nuno-felting, multi-media, art-to-wear, textile artist, dyeing, knitting, embellishment, teaching, chicago artist

Crossroads Trade

http://www.crossroadstrade.com

I started Crossroads Trade as an outgrowth of my love for ethnic textiles, joining it to my commitment to fair trade. After running a brick-and-mortar store in two locations for 11 years, my business is now all on-line.

As a retailer and wholesaler, I'm always looking for uncommon works by ethnic artists. Most items you will see on my websites are not available in stores or online. I showcase work from producer groups whose traditions are little known in the United States. Each year I scout new locales to identify new artisans and traditions.

I'm dedicated to ensuring fair trade. I purchase directly from artisans, cooperatives, refugee communities, economic development initiatives and a limited number of wholesalers who subscribe to fair trade principles. Artisans are paid promptly, receive a fair wage by local standards and set the price for their work. Working conditions are clean, safe and accessible. Children who are learning traditional crafts are doing so after school; many mothers are working to pay school fees for their daughters and sons. I'm an active member of the Fair Trade Federation.

-Kate Harris

Mission:  Crossroads Trade is dedicated to ensuring the survival of indigenous craft traditions around the world. These traditions may express themselves in such timeless works as Kuna Indian molas and Palestinian cushion covers, or in new forms. Ghanaian batiks are fashioned into messenger bags. Shangaan artisans from South Africa have expanded their embroidered works from ostrich-leather bags to spectacular cushion covers and wall hangings. These artisans deserve a fair price for their labor and the opportunity to work in safe surroundings.


Location:  Arlington, Massachusetts, USA
Online shops:  crossroadstrade,  worldofgood
Blog:  crossroadstrade
Other social media:  Twitter
Memberships:  Fair Trade Federation, World Fair Trade Organization
Languages spoken:  English, French, Spanish, some Japanese and Russian

Kuna Mola from Crossroads Trade

Tags:  Inuit, Africa, Latin America, India, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Central America, Mexico, South America, human trafficking

Lotta Helleberg

www.lottahelleberg.com

I am a Swedish born textile artist with a background in graphic design and print making. I work primarily with linen utilizing a technique in which leaves and other plant material are coated with paint and pressed onto fabric. I am also exploring natural dyes and eco-printing, where the plants themselves release color pigments which bond with the fabric. The resulting impressions are incorporated into quilts, fabric collages, and a variety of functional and decorative objects, such as pillows, table linens, and purses.

The beauty of nature is a constant inspiration and a common theme in my work. I am also committed to environmentally sound production methods, including the use of water based, non-toxic inks and dyes, and natural, or reclaimed fabric. All my pieces are created by hand in my Charlottesville, Virginia, studio.  My work can also be found at The Barn Swallow in Ivy, Virginia.

Artist's Statement:  I am in awe of the natural world and the beauty it produces. I try to reflect a sense of that amazement in my art, by using and replicating imagery from nature in my dyes and prints. I also cherish the slow process involving dyeing, printing, and stitching by hand. Ultimately I believe that the objects we surround ourselves with should be both purposeful and beautiful. Something well made and delightful will bring joy into our everyday lives.

Location:  Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

Online shops:  Etsy, Big Cartel

Blog:  inleaf

Memberships:  Fiber Transformed

Languages spoken:  English, Swedish

 "fallow fields no 1" by Lotta Helleberg

leaf printed plant dyed linen, machine stitched

reclaimed oak frame, 15" x 15"

  

Tags: leaf printing, eco printing, handmade, linen, art quilt, fiber collage, botanical, natural dyes, stitching, textile

 

Botanical Colors, LLC

Botanical Colors: your source for natural dyes.

www.botanicalcolors.com

I am a textile craftswoman with 25 years experience in creating beautiful color from plants and other natural materials. I sell premium natural dyes and supplies through my online store, Botanical Colors. I have traveled to Africa, Turkey, Southeast Asia, India, Central America and Europe in search of the historic and traditional colorants of these cultures.

I love color.  I am happy every day that I have my hands in a dye pot and never tire of the magic of  indigo.  I abandoned a corporate position in Silicon Valley to relocate to Seattle and follow my dream of a life in the textile arts.  I worked for over 6 years at Earthues in Seattle and honed my skills in color, design and production dyeing in one of the most beautiful and inspirational textile arts studios and the epicenter of natural dyeing in North America.  In addition to dyeing, I spin, weave, knit and felt and am busily making sample swatch books of the hundreds of colors that I have dyed over the years.

I live in a small cottage in Seattle with a huge organic vegetable garden and share life's adventures with my heart's delight, Richard, and our sweet rough collie, Rio. We support community endeavors including the Coalition of Refugees from Burma and share our bounty by providing fresh, organic food to our local food banks.

Artist's statement:  I strive to provide natural dyes that are beautiful, sustainable, environmentally friendly and support farming communities and small producers.  I have personally visited a number of my major suppliers to ensure that their working environments and processing methods are humane and economically and socially responsible.  All of the dyes that I sell are personally tested for quality, light and washfastness and are the historic dyes that have been used for centuries by textile artisans all over the world.

I hope someday to create a sustainable enterprise that leverages the textile skills of my Burmese friends so that they can thrive and prosper in their new home.  I am optimistic that the success of Botanical Colors will help establish this new enterprise in the near future.

Location:  Seattle, Washington, USA

Online shop:  botanicalcolors

Blog:  botanicalcolors

Memberships:

   Natural Dyes International
   Coalition of Refugees from Burma

Languages spoken:  English, Spanish, Japanese

Naturally dyed yarns with Botanical Colors extracts.

Tags:  Color and Culture, Fair Trade, Textile arts, weaving, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, dyeing, printing, quilting

Hofmonsters

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Hofmonsters

Hi!  My name is Vanessa Orantes. I make recycled-sweater monsters, called Hofmonsters.  I have always made things with my hands. I love making and collecting  jewelry, I crochet, and sew. I love material, especially natural fibers. Hofmonsters came out of this love.

I started collecting natural fiber sweaters, going to all my local antique stores to find vintage and antique buttons, and I started sewing!

I want kids and adults to have toys that they will remember (and hopefully keep) their whole lives. Toys that are as unique and individual as they are. All Hofmonsters are made of 100% natural fiber recycled sweaters. They are stuffed with Eco fiber fill (made from corn!). All buttons are either vintage or antique .

 Mission:  To make Eco-conscious, earth friendly toys for children and adults.

Location:  Willits, California, USA

Online shop:  Hofmonsters

Language spoken:  English

Hofmonsters, All Recycled with Eco Fiber!

Tags:  recycled, natural fiber-sweaters, vintage buttons, monsters, fiber art doll, Eco fiber fill, one of a kind, handmade, GREEN

Brenda Abdullah

http://Brendaabdullah.com

I am an artist joyfully striving to live out the fullness of my creative self. After raising a large family,  I am finally at the point in life in which all of my waking time can be spent on creating or thinking about making beautiful and practical clothing from uncommon resources.

I've been a lover of arts and crafts since childhood . As a young adult, I attended various  art schools and later graduated with a B.S. in Arts and Crafts.  I honed all of my self taught sewing skills, while working  my own business as a custom dressmaker for about 25 years. Today  my two passions, art and sewing,  have been fused together.  I  now create and sell one of a kind wearable art and accessories from my Etsy shop, Brendaabdullah.etsy.com. I also  participate in several yearly art shows in the Chicago land area.

Most of my garments are the result of an organic design process in which the colors and the textures of the selected materials dictate the design. I may have a general idea of the shape or form, however the details and end results are always a pleasant surprise to me. This freedom is extremely gratifying and inspires me to do it again and again. Positive feedback from customers make the whole process even more rewarding.

For me, I find a unique advantage of using pre-owned clothing in the creation of my designs. There are endless possibilities in fabric variety and a basic practicality of reusing materials already available. That only adds to the rewarding benefits of  doing the work that I love.

Artist's statement:  I am an Eco-conscious artist/designer of high quality one-of-a-kind wearable art using re-purposed clothing. Through the use of gently used clothing and vintage textiles, I bring together fashionable silhouettes with artistic fabric collage and coloration. Each garment is a study of color and textural relationships and stands as a testament of my love for beautiful textiles no matter from where they were originally derived.

Location:  Chicago, Illinois, United States

Online shop:  brendaabdullah 

Languages spoken:  English

Sweater Coat by Chicago Clothing Designer,

Brenda Abdullah

 

Tags:  reconstructed sweaters, sweater coats, repurposed clothing,wearable art, patchwork scarves,  fingerless gloves, knit tunics, accessories