Knittingceleste

knittingceleste.com

Celeste Nossiter

I've always loved color and was trained as an abstract painter. But once I discovered Fair Isle and stranding techniques in knitting, a whole new world of creativity opened up to me.  

My love of world travel has led me to study ethnic knitting motifs and their inter-connectedness through historic trade routes. After my first visit to Turkey I fell in love with both Ottoman and tribal textiles as well as the open-heartedness of the people. I love translating ethnic textile motifs into knitted patterns and experimenting with color. My other love is teaching knitting and encouraging the artist in each of us to come out and play.

Artist's statement:  My goals are:  to inspire other knitters to experiment with color and pattern to create their own unique designs; to translate traditional ethnic motifs into knitted patterns and publish them in a variety of media.

I am available to travel to teach workshops on Intro to Stranded Knitting, Designing your Own Vest, Interpreting Ethnic Motifs into Knitting Designs and Knitting a Turkish-inspired Stranded Hat. I can also work with your yarn to design sale-able knitting patterns.

Location:  Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Memberships:  Dropped Stitch Knitting Guild

Social Media:  Ravelry

Languages spoken:  English, French, some Spanish, learning Turkish

Knitting classes and designs by Knittingceleste.

Tags:  Turkish textiles; stranded knitting; Fair Isle; Central Asian textiles; suzanis; kilim rugs; Ottoman embroidery; Islamic art

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

knitonefelttwo

www.knitonefelttwo.etsy.com

I am a keen knitter, felter and a real fibre enthusiast based near Geelong on the Bellarine Peninsular in Victoria, Australia. I'm a working mum, and have a wonderful daughter and husband.

I love fibre and creating wonderful things in knit and felt.   I started knitting when I was around 12 and then started to knit again around 5 years ago. I like to knit and felt scarves, hats and bags.  I was introduced to the wonderful process of felting in 2010 and love it.   Every felt item in my shop is made using Australian merino wool and is handmade by me. I am a member of the Victorian Feltmakers. 

-Jo

Artist Statement:  I enjoy using a broad spectrum of colour in fresh and bold designs which you can see in my items. In my felted range of items, I use good quality Australian Merino wool which is very soft (15 - 19 micron) and source my supplies from local farms where possible.

All items made are one of a kind. No one piece is ever the same.

Knitonefelttwo, handcrafted knit & felt for you. :)

Location:   Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Online shop:  knitonefelttwo

Memberships:

   vicfelt
  dustteam (Etsy)

Languages spoken:  English

Knit Noro Silk Garden Blanket by knitoneflettwo

Tags:  knitting, felting, fibre art, colour, australian made, local produce, unique, merino wool, creating

colettecolor

ludvignicolette.hu

My name is Nicolette Ludvig. I live in Győr, Hungary, in the heart of Europe, halfway between Budapest and Vienna. It is 20 years now that I’ve been exploring the secret of colours. I do sewing, knitting, crocheting… and I’m passionately interested in whatever is made of yarn and textile. Lately, I’ve been enthralled by crocheting circles and varying the colours of the yarn. Then I make these circles into small artifacts: key-rings, brooches, purses, pouches, bags and so on. I use threads not only for knitting and crocheting. I like to twist them into spirals and sew them on to a woolen felt base. Exciting things are born this way right between my hands. Click here to read a nice blog article with a story about how my day goes.

Artist statement:  Welcome to the world of colours... COLETTECOLOR expresses that me and the colours are inseparable companions.  All inspired by that which is color and round. I’m exploring the secret of colours while my imagination is captured by round forms and spirals. Creation makes me overjoyed -- and all this to make You happy, too! 

Location:  Győr, Hungary

Online shop:  colettecolor 

Blog:  ludvignicolette.hu

Languages spoken:  English, Hungarian 

Circular pouch by colletecolor from Hungary

 

Tags:  textile art, fiber art, free style machine embroidery, handmade, circle, colorful, felted, crocheted, nature, recycling,

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

pedestrian

 

http://www.pedestrian.etsy.com

The Nomad Cowl by Pedestrian
The Nomad Collection is based on the idea of how clothing would be made after the apocalypse.  This cowl is knitted together from random bits of torn cloth and fiber remnants, complete with fallen tree branch buttons.

Hi there!  My name is Christine and I am the hands behind Pedestrian Designs!  I specialize in whimsical designs for children and grown-ups who like to dress up as part of their everyday attire.

I have been designing crochet/knitwear for nearly 15 years.  After making numerous hats, scarves, sweaters, and blankets for myself, I dove into consigning my line at B+M stores and craft shows.  This gave me the experience to open my own Etsy shop.  Now I have 'quit my day job', focused on Pedestrian via Etsy and have my designs in boutiques throughout the United States.  I still participate in fall craft shows and, most recently, am prominently featured at an indie shop in my local mall.

My work is available at Roadies in the Platte River Mall of North Platte, Nebraska, Wholly Craft in Columbus, Ohio, and Lemonade Couture in Austin, Texas.

In 2010, Pedestrian's Dragon Hats were included in the Parenting.com costume guide for Halloween.

This has been such an excited time for me!  With over 500 hats sold in the last year, I can't wait for the weather to get cold every year!  My customers are amazingly sweet with a zest for life that is contagious.  I really do have the BEST job on Earth!!!! 

Artist's statement:  I am inspired by the classic fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, Grimm, and Louis Carroll as well as apocalyptic science fiction novels. 

What would Little Red Riding Hood wear if she walked her dog down my street?  What would Rapunzel wear if she had to shovel snow in a Nebraska winter?  What if Dragons worked at the post office?  How would a Nomad make a scarf after all modern technology broke down?  These are the questions I answer with Pedestrian Designs.

Location:  North Platte, Nebraska, USA

Online shop:  pedestrian

Blog:  pedestrianchristine

Other social media:

   Twitter

   Facebook (personal page) 

Memberships:

   Etsy FAST Fiber Artists Street Team

Languages spoken:  English, Latin, and Pirate

Dragon Hat by Pedestrian Designs
 Dragon Hats ferociously keep the chill off children and grown-ups.  Rawr!

Tags:   costume, halloween, cosplay, dress-up, pretend, fairy tale, imagination, children, colorful, nebraska

DreamWoven

http://dreamwoven.com

DreamWoven provides an uncommon space for your head.

I am a designer with a penchant for hats. My items have been sold to every type of person imaginable. From Divas to Drag Queens, Fashionistas to Home Grown Dread Wearers, to women of Pristine Condition and men of Worldly Charm. Runways to Festivals, from next door to 7000 miles away.

We all need a special place for our head.

My work can be found at Fine Craft Studio, Paso Robles, California.

Location:  Paso Robles, California, USA

Online shops:

   DreamWoven.com
   DreamWoven on Etsy
   DreamWoven on Facebook

Blog:  DreamWoven

Other Social Media:  LinkedIn

Memberships:   

   Studios on the Park
   Paso Robles Art Assocation
Languages spoken:  English

Art For Your Head by DreamWoven

Tags: hat, hats, headwear, couture, accessories, dreads, wool, felt, handmade, milliner, hat designer, dreadlocks, hand dyed wool,

ColourSpun, Dana Biddle

www.colourspun.com

I'm a fibreholic - slightly off beat, dancing to my own tune, a whizz at multi-tasking - I juggle being a wife; mother; fibre artist; consulting editor - textiles for Stitches magazine; indie dyer and owner of “ColourSpun – Natural Designer Yarns”; creative workshop presenter; speaker; author of ""A Knitting Adventure with South African Yarn""... and anything else that takes my fancy.

My days are spent in my studio - dyeing, knitting, spinning, stitching, dreaming up projects for Stitches, making fibre art.... just generally having fun. I have my perfect life!

All my ColourSpun yarn is coloured by hand, so each skein is imbued with my creative energy and will have its own unique characteristics.  I only use the finest quality, locally grown merino wool roving and yarn, kid mohair and pure cotton: the dyes are the most earth friendly available and have excellent wash fast and light fast properties. My studio is a smoke free and pet free environment and I use methods that use the minimum amount of water and sun stoves to dye the yarn.

I am a member of Fibreworks and my work has been exhibited at home in South Africa, in the U.K., Brazil, Europe, U.S.A., Japan and New Zealand. I have work published in a number of books including Innovative Threads - A Decade of South African Fibre Art by Liza Gillespie and 1000 Artisan Textiles by Sandra Salamony and Gina M Brown.

Artist's statement:  I am not one of those artists who use their work to make profound statements. I don’t plan my work to express deep feelings or beliefs. Mostly, I am inspired by the beauty in things, sometimes in people, sometimes in nature and often in the materials I love to work with. The pieces I make often seem to create themselves as they develop and evolve into something completely different to what I have in mind at the start. I don’t follow rules but do believe that if something is worth doing it is worth doing well and stop if you’re not having fun.

ColourSpun's mission is to produce the best quality, natural, earth friendly fibre and yarn - filled with creative energy to give joy and pleasure to everyone who works with it.

Location:  Heidelberg, Gauteng, South Africa

Online shops:  ColourSpun, ColourSpun on Etsy

Blogs:  ColourSpun, The News Thread

Other social media: Linkedin, In 2 crafts, Ravelry, Twitter 

Memberships:  Fibreworks

Languages spoken:  English, Afrikaans

Hand-dyed eco yarns by ColourSpun of South Africa

Tags:   hand crafted, textiles, hand spun, fibre art, jewellery, soft sculpture, yarn, felt, knitting, hand dyed

DyeVerse

www.dyeverse.co.uk

Shani is a handspinning, dyer and weaver, who produces textiles with a "twist".

DyeVerse, her company, runs courses in colour, writing and textile construction, beginner through to experience, located in Wales and the South West.

Artist's statement:  I am an established writer and practicing crafts person with a passion for exploring/challenging the possibilities of textiles. I specialise in combining arts and crafts with contemporary design to produce textiles and objects that are both practical and desirable.  

I don't use complicated looms, techniques or equipment to produce my garments and installations, preferring to create work with simple constructions.  This way I enjoy and engage fully with the process, rather than drowning in technicalities, and the finished item is something which has come into being "through" a slow and deliberate production journey not "because" of it. 

Simplicity of construction along with quality of materials will ensure a welcome addition to your wardrobe or wall, or a bespoke present for a treasured friend or that special occasion.

My work has been featured in the Yarn Forward Magazine and various other periodicals and exhibitions throughout the UK, and I was involved with the creation of the SpinDyeWeavers, a textile workshop project in 2009.  

Location:  Bristol, United Kingdom

Online shop:  DyeVerse

Blog:  DyeVerse
Other social media:  
   Bristol Creatives
   Ravelry
   Spinning Daily

Memberships:

   Heritage Crafts Association
   Textile Forum South West
   Bristol Creatives

Languages spoken: English

DyeVerse: Dyeing, Spinning and Weaving in Bristol, UK

Tags: handcrafted, textiles, artistic, handspun, historic, traditional, contemporary, sharing, slowcloth

Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance

 

http://www.fiberartsalliance.org

"In Living Color" class by Rebecca Ewing

The Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance, a non-profit, provides seminars, classes, and workshops in a wide variety of fiber art disciplines.

In July 2011, when we open our fiber arts center, we will also host exhibitions, provide low-cost studio space, and provide low-cost rental space for meetings, classes, workshops, and events.  We are open to everyone with an interest in fiber and we aim to engage, educate and inspire!

Membership Info 

Workshops and Classes

Mission:  We celebrate, support, promote and perpetuate all fiber art forms and connect the fiber arts community.  We do this by addressing the following goals:

• Connect the fiber arts community; 
• Promote and support fiber artists, teachers, organizations, and businesses;
• Support the display and appreciation of fiber arts and artists;
• Provide fiber art education;
• Preserve fiber art skills and traditions; and
• Develop a purpose-built fiber arts center. 

Location:  Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Blog:  fiberartsalliance 
Social Media:  Twitter, Crowdrise 

Memberships:   

   Atlanta Knitting Guild 

   Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild 

Languages spoken:  English 

Schematic of Proposed Space for the Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance

SEFAA Promo Video from SEFiberArtsAlliance on Vimeo.

Tags:  textiles, artists, nonprofit, weaving, knitting, sewing, quilting, needlework, spinning, yarn, organization, classes, workshops  

KnittyKnittyBangBang

http://knittyknittybangbang.etsy.com

Janie Bull and Ashley Ammons have known each other for nearly 25 years.  Ashley and Janie's eldest daughter, Amanda have been best friends for the span of that time as well.  This is how Ashley and Janie are ""related."" 

When Janie moved up to the Fort Worth area to be closer to her girls, she brought all of her knitting with her, naturally.  So this rekindled Ashley's love of knitting.  Janie and Ashley began their Etsy shop, KnittyKnittyBangBang, during the spring of 2008 and have been going strong ever since.

We both specialize in knitted apparel and accessories.  Janie prides herself in being an expert sock knitter while Ashley likes to crank out the hats and scarves.  Every item is knit by hand with knitting needles.  When they say ""handmade,"" boy do they mean it!

Ashley and Janie welcome custom orders and want to see their customers happy with the product they've purchased.

Ashley and Janie are typical knitters who love to buy good quality yarn.  Recently, they've become fans of spinners and yarn dyers on Etsy.  Ashley has branched off into her own ""solo career"" as a spinner and yarn dyer herself.  This couldn't have been possible without a little help from her future husband, Erik, who bought her an Ashford Traditional Spinning Wheel for Christmas (2010).  She's been spinning ever since.  You can find her Etsy shop at dye2spin.

Artist's statement:  It is the mission of KnittyKnittyBangBang to create a high-quality hand-knit product for its customers.  This mission is fulfilled using yarns and other materials that not only speak to them as knitters but also work up into a premiere product.

Location:  Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Online shops:  knittyknittybangbang, dye2spin

Blog:  knittyknittybangbangetsy

Ravelry: knittybangetsy

Memberships:

   Etsy Knitters Team

   Etsy Fiber Arts Street Team (Etsy FAST)
   Etsy Fort Worth Street Team

Languages spoken:  English

KnittyKnittyBangBang by Janie Bull and Ashley Ammons

Tags:  knitting, handmade, socks, hats, scarves, afghans, local, merino, wool, texas

 

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

Berniolie

http://berniolie.etsy.com

Hello, I'm Bernadette. As a teenager I learned to sew and was educated as a crafts teacher.  I worked for years with a collective where we sold our own designs and unique lady's clothing.  To have an outlet for my creativity my next logical step was to start working for a circus and design and make costumes.

Around 1990 I started to knit and crochet again, in my free time. I learned it at a very young age from my mother.  I found this so inspirational that I opened my Etsy shop in 2008 to have a place to share my creations.  I make shawls, shrugs and capelets. In my newest creations, I insert pearls.

While I knit or crochet, all kinds of ideas pop up in my head.  Inspired by color, yarn or a texture from my enviroment. I also convert my designs to patterns.

Artist's statement:  I love the magic when with only a hook, two needles and yarn something beautiful arises.

Location:  Groningen, The Netherlands

Online shops:

   berniolie on etsy
   bernioliesdesigns on etsy
   berniolie on artfire

Memberships:  Ravelry

Languages spoken:  Dutch, English and German 

Pearl Shawl by Berniolie

Tags:  Knitting, crochet, shawls, shrugs, patterns, gems, yarn, thread, accessories, unique

Susan Shinnick Textiles and Clothing

www.susanshinnick.com

I have been making clothing and textiles for 20 years.
I hand dye and hand print my textiles. I create my own silk screens using images of prairie plants, birds and other patterns.  I also knit, sometimes with my hand dyed yarns.

I have a studio and store in the charming little town of West Branch, Iowa, about 10 minutes from Iowa City where I live.

I am currently open limited hours so that I can keep making stuff.

Artist's statement:  I am a maker.  I like to create beautiful things to wear and use.

Location:  Iowa City, Iowa, USA

Online Shop:  susanshinnick

Brick and mortar shop:  West Branch, Iowa, about 10 minutes from Iowa City.

Languages spoken:   English

Coat:  Assembled from vintage quilt blocks, over dyed, 

printed and quilted, all by Susan Shinnick

Tags:  hand dyed, hand printed, screen printed, linen, silk, clothing, functional, variegation, pattern