Ganesh Himal Trading

www.ganeshhimaltrading.com

Denise Attwood with husband, Rick,
and son , Cameron, in Nepal.

Since 1984, we have been supplying shops and retail customers in North America with high quality, handcrafted clothing, jewelry, textiles, and paper. We import directly from small cottage industries in Nepal, including development projects working to improve the lives of Tibetan refugees and women. We have worked with many of our producer groups for over 20 years.

Our goal has always been to support work that enhances people’s lives and traditions. We work directly with the producers as a team, expanding each others’ talents and ideas. It is rewarding to work with such skilled artisans who enjoy what they do and to know that they realize a fair return for their work.

We are a member of the Fair Trade Federation, an organization dedicated to promoting respect and fair interaction, at all levels, between producers and consumers. We are also a part of the Green America Business Network with a listing in the National Green Pages. Denise is a past board member of the Fair Trade Resource Network working to educate North American’s about the benefits of fair trade. We are also co-founders, with Sita Gurung, of the Baseri Health Clinic in Baseri, Nepal.   It has been very rewarding to be involved with the growing interest in the support and promotion of fair trade and with enhancing the lives of our producer partners in Nepal.

Please see our website for retail locations that carry our products throughout the US and Canada.

Fair Trade Weaving in Nepal

Mission:  For those of you who are new to Ganesh Himal Trading we would like to give you a brief introduction to who we are and how we practice fair trade. We have worked with producer groups in Nepal since 1984. By assisting in product development, purchasing and importing these artisans’ products our goal has been to create mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships with low income, refugee and fair trade artisan groups in Nepal. The principles of fair trade are central to our philosophy and the way we do business. In 1998, four key international organizations created a widely accepted definition of Fair Trade:

“a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions, and securing the rights of disadvantaged producers and workers-especially in the South” (FINE, 1998)

As we look back over the past 25 years we are thrilled to see that the concepts of “fair trade” do work to bring economic, spiritual and cultural health to all of those involved. We have watched with humility as the producers we work with have done well and then reached out to others in need.

We have watched a country go from peace to civil war and seen the strength and resolve of our friends as they deal with even more adversity and again reach out to those who have been so tragically affected by this war. As we look to the future we hope to provide the producers we work with in Nepal with a more just and stable future, through fair trade and to educate more consumers about the need to support this movement for economic justice.

Finally, we hope to help more fair trade retailers in North America gain access to items that are practical and useful in our every day lives so that more fair trade outlets can become available to North American consumers. It is our retail customers who are the visible presence of fair trade. Without you none of this would be possible! Our dream is to work together with you in partnership toward an economically more just world.


Location:  Spokane, Washington, USA
Online shop:  Ganesh Himal Trading  (Wholesale only)
Blog:  Fair Trade News Blog
Memberships:
   Fair Trade Federation 
   Green America 
   Fair Trade Resource Network 
Languages spoken:  English, some French

Hand Knit Accessories by Ganesh Himal Trading
Fair Trade in Nepal

Tags:  Fair trade, Nepal, kitchen, potholders, placemats, tablerunners, housewares, clothing, felt

MemphisWeaver

http://memphisweaver.com

MemphisWeaver is where form meets function. My handwoven clothing and accessories will not only keep you warm and comfortable but will also mark a stylish and contemporary woman. The creative side of you will delight in writing and sketching your innermost thoughts and wildest dreams in my hand bound blank books

Yes, weaving and hand bound books go hand in hand. The rhythmic flow of the shuttle from side to side mimics the rhythmic movement of carrying the threads along the spine of a beautifully constructed book. My weaving began in 1980 when I finished my work in museum studies, and instead of heading to a curator's workbench, I headed to the weaving studio, and I have stayed there ever since! My work in book arts stemmed from a life long love of reading. In 1985 I gave myself a gift of an art retreat with one of the foremost book artists in the world. I saw how inter-related weaving and the book arts were and I have never looked back.

In both weaving and book arts, I constantly look for new materials, new forms, and new ways to express my love of both. My work continues to change and evolve, but in my handcrafted products you will always find something you will love to use for a very long time.


My work can be found at WinterArts, a seasonal gallery of fine handcrafted items by local artists in the Memphis area. The gallery is open twice a year from Thanksgiving through Christmas, and also for two weeks before Mother's Day.  Check the website for locations, as it varies from year to year: Winter Arts Memphis.  My work can also be purchased year round at the gift shop at the Memphis Brooks Museum during museum hours:  Brooks Museum.

-Felicitas  Sloves

Artist's statement:  Drawn by the colors and textures of yarns, I began weaving on a traditional floor loom in 1980.  My early pieces included original design clothing and accessories woven from natural wool fibers.  A move from New Jersey to Memphis in 2000 inspired a new direction in weaving.  Natural cotton and silk, and more recently sustainable fibers such as bamboo and tencel became my fibers of choice.  Not only do the fibers drape beautifully and feel luxurious, they also are easily replenish-able with little need for toxins to promote growth. My belief in stewardship of our Earth extends into  my work with hand bound books as I often incorporate hand made paper from natural products.

The Judaic concept of hiddur mitzvah has always been a part of my artistic life. Literally, the Hebrew phrase can be translated as “to make a good deed beautiful”. The use of textiles with a thought toward repairing the Earth can be viewed as a good deed, and to create beautiful handwoven textiles fulfills the directive issued by hiddur mitzvah.  As an artist, I believe that this concept can be applied to all manners of not only religious worship, but also by extension into one’s personal life.


Location:  Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Online shop:  memphisweaver
Blog:  memphisweaver
Memberships:
   Tennessee Association of Craft Artists
   Memphis Association of Craft Artists
   Handweavers Guild of America
Languages spoken:  English, Dutch

Handwoven Scarf by MemphisWeaver

Handbound Books by MemphisWeaver

Tags:  Handweaving, Clothing, Accessories, Hand bound book, Journal, Sketchbook, Sustainable, Memphis, Tennessee, Scarves

Tilonia

www.tilonia.com

Tilonia is a mission-driven, social enterprise developing the entrepreneurial skills and business capacity of artisan enterprises managed and owned by rural artisans in India.

The Tilonia artisan collections feature home textiles, women’s accessories and gifts suitable for contemporary decorative styles while still reflective of Indian craft traditions. Bring the color and spice of India to your home!



Mission:  Tilonia, takes its name from Tilonia, the small village in Rajasthan that is the home of the Barefoot College. Since 1972, the College has worked to improve the quality of life of the poorest of the poor, who make less than $1 a day. The Barefoot College trains the poorest of the poor to become “Barefoot” professionals who develop their own communities. These semi-literate women and men from poor rural communities become Barefoot solar engineers, water engineers, architects, teachers, midwives and paramedics creating their own solutions to meet basic needs for water, electricity, housing, health, education and income.

Working in conjunction with the Barefoot College, Friends of Tilonia, Inc. has developed Tilonia.com for the sale of handcrafted bedding, accessories and gift items produced by nearly 800 artisans in villages where the College and its affiliates operate. We are replicating this “Barefoot” model by developing Barefoot e-commerce managers who operate the web-based platform and online store, manage and sustain the enterprise, and enjoy the economic benefit of a successful business operation.

Location:  India
Online shop:  Tilonia
Memberships:  
   Avani Kumaon
   Barefoot College
   Designing Hope
Languages spoken:  English, Hindi

Textiles from Tilonia

Tags:  Natural Dyes, Blockprint, Woven, Wild Silk, Peace Silk, Weaving, Bag, Scarf, Tablecloth, Bedding

Candy Meacham - Fiber Art

www.candymeacham.com

Stories in wool.  I create handwoven, narrative blankets drawing inspiration from my dreams, my childhood, the season, stories of my students and collaboration with the customer as well as the spirit of the project as it progresses.  I love color and handling the fibers themselves, and I use needle felting to physically apply color and design to the finished weaving.

Artist's statement:  My mission is just an extension of what I have described above.  It is to continue to create these stories and to find the audience who truly wants to listen to each one or who would like to create with me their own tall tale told in fiber.

Location:  Bellingham, Washington, USA

Blog:  Blanket Stories

Social Media:  Facebook

Languages spoken:  English, Spanish

"Spirit Rising"  Narrative Woven Blanket by Candy Meacham

Tags:  weaving, needle felting, fiber art, blankets, handwoven, art, color, design, narrative, collaboration

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.

Karen Henderson

www.karenhendersonfiber.com

When I create my art, I try to tap into the calm center of myself and let myself respond to my environment and the materials I work with.  I love the rhythm of weaving and stitching. Creating my own cloth feels right, and the challenge of re-creating moments in nature is endlessly fascinating for me.  I take time to absorb each piece that I make in all of its stages, until it is complete. 

My work is shown in group or solo shows, and I also create special pieces on commission for individuals, businesses, or through art consultants.  My process for commissions is personal and rewarding for me both me and my clients.  I enjoy learning what it is that people respond to in my work, and what they are looking for in their home or business.  Please visit my links to see more of my artwork, process and inspiration, and feel free to contact me for Exhibit, Commission, or Lecture opportunities.

The other creative hat I wear is as a Freelance Textile / Surface Pattern Designer, working with clients in the Home Furnishings, Fashion and Stationery/Giftware industries.  With this aspect of my work, I create designs using the fiber techniques I love, and incorporate many other art techniques as well.  I also create computer generated designs in Photoshop and Illustrator, and/or my designs are a combination of both hand and computer work.  While this design work is not included on my art website currently,  I'm happy to send design samples upon request, and encourage you to contact me if you have a project in mind.

I’m also working on getting an Etsy site together for the wearable art and other smaller hand crafted items that I enjoy making.  Once I have that shop up, I'll let you know!

Artist statement:  In my work, I am interested in the connections between self, place, emotion and time.  Seasons, atmospheres and the time of day intrigue me.  I try to recreate these natural occurrences, evoking emotions that I associate with them through the use of color, line, and texture.

I use different dye techniques (batik, shibori, color removal, rust print) as well as sewing with my weavings and fabric pieces.  I draw lines by stitching with thread.  Dimension is added with tucks, layers, or other manipulations of fabric.  The lines suggest landscape or other aspects of nature.  Most of the techniques I choose to use are very contemplative, encouraging introspection; other processes are spontaneous and unpredictable.  I try to find a balance between the two approaches, trying to capture those ephemeral, fleeting moments of time.

Short Bio:
Originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Karen Henderson now resides in the beautiful Green Mountain state of Vermont.  She learned weaving and print design in the textile design program at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia, PA.   Her work has been shown in high-end craft shows and exhibits, and is found in many private and corporate collections.  Her work has been published in entitled “1000 Artisan Textiles” , ""The Guild Sourcebook of Residential Art #6"", and in Fiberarts, Surface Design Journal, and Selvedge magazines.  Recently, some of her work was used on the set of the award winning movie “Black Swan”.  

Location:  Montpelier, Vermont, USA 

Blog:  SDA Vermont

Memberships:

   InLiquid Artist Member
   I volunteer as the Vermont area Rep for Surface Design Association 
   Textile Study Group of New York

Languages spoken:  English

Hand woven textile by Karen Henderson

Tags:  fine art, landscape, stitching, tapestry wall pieces, weaving, commissions, textile, fiber,  textile design, surface pattern design

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

Linda Running Bentley

lindarunningbentley.com

My weaving practice is inspired by traditions, materials, and colors of the American Southwest.  I  weave with on two-treddle/two-harness Rio Grande-style walking looms. I've been nurtured by New Mexican master weavers.  I spin from wool from local Navajo-Churro sheep, and I dye wool with plants grown and harvested where I live in Colorado.

Artist's Statement:  I learned tapestry-weaving techniques at Ghost Ranch at Abiquiu, New Mexico and at the Tierra Wools Cooperative, in Los Ojos, New Mexico.  Master weavers Eppie Archuleta and Norma Medina have generously shared their family's weaving tradition while mentoring and encouraging me.

I weave with on two-treddle/two-harness Rio Grande-style walking looms designed and hand-made for me by a New Mexico craftsman using re-worked gears and used lumber. My rugs use two types of wool. Black, white, and grey wool I hand-spin from Navajo-Churro sheep raised by a family in the "Goat Hill" neighborhood of Denver, Colorado.  The colored wool I use are woolen mill ends dyed with plants harvested in the Southwest, primarily Colorado.

The natural wool is hand-dyed with plant materials gathered and harvested in the spring and fall.  The plants, flowers, and nuts are dried, then soaked and boiled in large pots.  Clean wool is added to the dyebath, boiled, soaked, and dried in the sun. The beauty of the process is watching the plants grow, scavenging for and harvesting plants, then watching the natural wool transform into colors that are often unexpected. Bright red hibiscus flowers dye green; walnuts hulls dye dark brown to black; dahlia flowers dye bright orange; rabbit brush from the Platte River bank dye an intense gold. Combining this very down-and-dirty plant processing with the soft fiber of the clean wool is my work, my process and my expression.

Although I create textiles in the tradition of Southwest Rio-Grand-style weavers, my designs are influenced by Bauhaus textile artists, Anni Albers and Gunta Stolzl; also by contemporary and traditional Danish design and Scandinavian rug weavers. While admiring the colors and patterns created in Medieval European manuscripts and vellum musical notation,  I limit my materials, colors, and processes available to me in my urban Denver, Colorado community.

Location:  Denver, Colorado, USA

Online shops:

   lindarunningbentley.com

   artworknetwork.com

Memberships:

   Scanweave
   ChuroChat
   Tierrawools.com

Languages spoken:  English

Detail of a weaving by Linda Running Bentley

Tags:  weaving, rugs, rag, churro, wool, hand-dyed, southwest, natural dyes, vegetal, weaver, handweaver

Thistle and Rose Handweaving

www.etsy.com/shop/TandRHandweaving

 I am interested in weaving traditional heirloom quality linens for use in the home.  I weave primarily towels, table runners and table linens using traditional weaving patterns and yarns.  I opened my etsy shop in August 2010 and have been selling at a fairly steady rate in that venue.  As a new business I am interested in not only learning the ropes of small business ownership but learning how to promote my traditional craft so that handweaving skills are brought forward for the upcoming generations to learn and enjoy.

Artist's statement:  My weaving life began in 1997 when I decided that time was growing short and I really needed to get down to the business of learning how to weave on a floor loom. Without access to formal weaving programs in my area, I jumped into weaving with one book and a huge desire to weave a rag rug. From the first completed rug to the latest projects on my looms I am always learning something new and exciting. The field of weaving is so rich and varied; there are always new things to try as well as old friends to return to thus making weaving a perfect medium for my creative endeavors.

My studio is called Thistle and Rose Handweaving - an off-hand way of proclaiming my affection for the historical figures Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I. I enjoy the fact that I can in some small way combine two of my interests, renaissance history and weaving. Here at Thistle and Rose Handweaving I delight in weaving both functional and decorative table linens, clothing items and rugs. I try to use primarily natural fibers in all my work along with a dash of inspiration from the nature that surrounds my country home.

Location:  Centerville, Utah, USA
Online shop:  TandRHandweaving
Blog:  tandrhandweaving
Memberships:
   Mary Meigs Atwater Weaving Guild, Salt Lake City, Utah
   Tromp as Writ Weaving Guild, Monmouth, IL
   Mid West Weavers Guild
Languages spoken:  English

Thistle and Rose Handweaving

Tags:  Handwoven, weaving, woven, fiber artist, fiber arts, hand made, traditional crafts, heritage crafts, weaving loom,  home decor

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

The Loaded Trunk

http://theloadedtrunk.com/about/

Every piece selected for The Loaded Trunk embodies my approach to life: rich, artistic tradition, creativity and craftsmanship. I believe that both traditional techniques and new interpretations of old traditions bring immeasurable beauty and warmth into the home.

Working with a global network of artisans and designers, each item sold through The Loaded Trunk is personally selected for its ability to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Each piece is either created specifically for The Loaded Trunk, or purchased from a local market across the globe.

I believe in supporting the local economy throughout my travels, and respectfully pay the artisan’s asking price. Fair trade matters. For these reasons, only limited quantities are available for most items, and exact pieces may not be restocked once they’re sold.

I consider The Loaded Trunk my global dinner party. As a fellow citizen of this world, I encourage you to join me.

-Roni Jaco

Mission:  The Loaded Trunk website launched July 2009 and invites shoppers to explore a multi-cultural world of art objects, textiles, artifacts, jewelry and rare finds for the home.  I love cooking and entertaining, and I think of my home as a place where I can really express what my parents did for my family while I was growing up.

I grew up as an Army brat and wherever we lived, my mother filled our home with the art, crafts and home furnishings that represented local culture. I developed a lifelong appreciation for the feeling you get when you’re in a room that reflects the art and passion of other cultures.

With The Loaded Trunk, I try to share that passion with others, taking them on an adventure they can enjoy without a passport – and helping them define their own personal style in a way not easily done by shopping traditional retail stores. It’s purely an online shopping experience for those unafraid to shop outside the box, so to speak.

I look for uncommonly cool items that can create a warm and uniquely beautiful atmosphere. My own home is an eclectic mix of old and new, vintage and contemporary. I shop globally not on a quest for antiques, but rather in pursuit of skilled artistry and craftsmanship, believing it’s important to keep alive the centuries-old techniques and traditions I see during my travels.

When I visit the countries I buy from, I wander off the well-worn path of tourists so I can truly immerse myself in local culture. My products are for lovers of the quirky and unusual, collectors of rare art and ethnic objects, anyone who looks at the world with a sense of wonder and curiosity.

I collaborate with a network of global artists in the U.S. and abroad to assemble an online catalog of products meant to be both admired and used – whether it’s an exquisite teapot, a piece of jewelry, an exquisite basket that doubles as an end table or a ceremonial object that can hold a candle.  Every item is special in its own way; some are rare finds while others are simply beautiful pieces that inspire me for one reason or another.

I’ve been filling my own treasure trunk my whole life, and I’m excited to open the lid and invite others to come see what the world has to offer.

Location:  Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Online shop: The Loaded Trunk

Blog:  The Loaded Trunk

Languages spoken:  English

The Loaded Trunk: Vintage Hmong fabric used in a fun, contemporary bag.

Tags:  ikat, ralli quilts, ethnic textiles, tribal textiles, umbrella, vintage, asian textiles, rugs, jewelry, home interiors

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  

Threads of Peru

www.threadsofperu.com

Ariana Svenson with a Quechua Weaver

Threads of Peru is a not-for-profit, social enterprise registered in Cusco, Peru. The founding members, Fely Callanaupa Gonzales, Ariana Svenson, Angie Hodder and Adam Collins represent the countries of Peru, Australia, and Canada respectively.

We sell fairly traded, authentic, traditional Andean Textiles. These hand-woven fabrics are made using ancient traditional methods practiced by the indigenous Quechua people of the Peruvian Andes.

Traditional Andean weaving in Peru involves the shearing of organic fiber from herds of free range alpaca and sheep; the washing and dyeing of the fiber using natural dyes (from insects, plants, and minerals of the region) and local plant-based soaps; hand-spinning of the fiber into thread using the drop spindle; and the weaving of cloth using the ancient back-strap and four post looms. Woven items feature superb iconography specific to the mountain communities in the Sacred Valley region of Peru.

Threads of Peru funds and conducts weaving workshops in three rural Andean communities, which develop a better understanding of production for an international market, and broaden the use of traditional methods. We also administer a nutrition program for the Reach Out Children's Fund, as part of our mandate is to collaborate with other organizations to improve the effectiveness of development efforts in the region.

Threads of Peru also offers a 14 day tour of Peru, which offers a panoramic view of the past, present and future of traditional Andean textiles. From the museums of Lima and the islands of Lake Titicaca, to the indigenous communities of the Sacred Valley and the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, this textile-focused tour reveals how important woven threads are to the fabric of Peruvian culture.  Click for Tour Info.

Peru, its people and their traditions are a vast and beautiful part of our world. They are connected to us - as we all are connected - through the common threads of fabric and fibre art. None of us can know it all, and we are happy to be included in this community; to learn and share in its collective strength.

Mission:  Threads of Peru supports Quechua weavers of Peru and their ancient textile traditions. By connecting weavers to an international market for their craft, we help to preserve their ancient culture and provide communities with important economic opportunity.

Threads of Peru offers high quality clothing, accessories and home decor which fit contemporary lives and fashions. Our products are created using traditional methods of hand production, which are environmentally sustainable, and serve to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the descendants of the Inca.


Location:  Peru
Online shops:  Threads of Peru on eBay
Blog: Threads of Peru
Other Social Media:  Twitter, Squidoo
Languages spoken:  English, Spanish

Threads of Peru

Authentic Andean Textiles from Threads of Peru - Angie Hodder on Vimeo.

Tags:  Peruvian textiles, alpaca scarf, wool belt, table runner, shawl, woven handbag, native clothes, indigenous decor, andean art, handicrafts Peru 

Cameron Taylor-Brown

www.CameronTaylor-Brown.com

I am a textile artist, consultant and educator who loves weaving, yarn, color, and design - and enjoy collaborative teaching and learning. I am fortunate to be able to immerse myself in many aspects of textiles.  I maintain a weaving studio,  teach all over the country, and represent several yarn distributors in Southern CA and AZ.  In 2011, I launched ARTSgarage - a textile resource center and reference library open by appointment.

My website shows images of my work and a complete list of classes. Please contact me if you wish to purchase artwork, are interested in taking a class or would like to hire me to teach.  

Artist's statement:   My artwork reflects a passion to shape order out of chaos—to start with bits of thread and create something complex and satisfying where nothing existed before.  As I weave, I embrace and celebrate the ancient heritage and language of woven cloth. The rhythms and interplay of pattern, color and texture fascinate me, and the tactile quality of the actual fiber is extremely satisfying. I thrive on the challenges and opportunities presented to me as I move forward to explore new and interesting possibilities.  

Location:  Los Angeles, California, USA

Blog:  camerontaylor-brown

Memberships:

   California Fibers
   Designing Weavers
   Friends of Fiber Art
   The Spinning and Weaving Association
   Handweavers Guild of America  
   Weavolution

Languages spoken:  English

"Indigo Dreams #1", Weaving by Cameron Taylor-Brown

Tags: fiber artist, textile artist, handweaver, handweaving, weaving teacher, creativity, collaborative learning, colorist, color classes, textile library

Boucherouite Rag Rugs

www.boucherouite.net

Due to his love of Morocco, its culture and way of life, Jean-Yves Sevestre, with the help of the architect Denis Estienne, created Dar Syada : an exceptional place where traditional architecture meets modern design. Since his arrival in Morocco, Jean-Yves has been interested in Boucharouette tapestries, intrigued by the modernism expressed in this tribal art. The fluidity of the colours and the abstract design in these carpets called out to him and very soon he had them hung on the walls, contributing to the notion of “tapestry art”.  Within a few years, he had gathered an impressive collection and started to promote their sale with a Moroccan friend, Chafik Moujahid. 

For a couple of years, there was little interest.  The materials used were often scraps, creating the perception that these carpets seemed destined to remain domestic rugs. Following interest by private collectors, the publication of numerous books describing the fascinating and artistic qualities of Berbere carpets, sales to well-known designers and exhibitions in Europe and the USA, have all contributed, in the last few years, to a growing interest in this style of Berber tapestry.  Jean-Yves and Chafik  continue to scour the length and breadth of the villages found in the Middle and High Atlas mountains in order to buy directly from the Berbere women.  They are still moved and excited by the poetry and creativity expressed in these works.

Location:  Marrakech, Morocco

Online shops:  www.boucherouite.net  and Etsy

Brick and Mortar:  We have a permanent gallery, Darsyada, in Marrakech and an art gallery in Isle Sur La Sorgue in France (Galerie Demesure)

Languages spoken:  French, English, Arabic

Boucherouite Rag Rugs form Morocco

Tags:  Morocco, Carpets, Boucharouette, Tribal art, Berber, Tapestries