fabric – KDD & Co

using the Twisted Stitch Sourcebook

By: Kate Davies Designs November 11, 2021November 11, 2021

creativity, design, knitting, twisted stitchesdesign, fabric, hand-knit, hand-knitting, knitting, Norah Gaughan, texture, twisted stitch sourcebook, twisted stitches, twists20 Comments

how to get the most out of this generous, accessible, and inspiring book

Here’s a moment of reflection, for these quiet, early days of the new year, with a guest post from my good friend Anne Whitehead. Anne found herself beginning a new experimental creative project in the early spring of 2020, and like many makers, discovered that this project came to tell its own story of a…

GlobalYell / Shetland Tweed Company

Shetland abounds with wonderful creative spaces, but surely one of the most inspiring has to be the charity that Andy Ross has established, nurtured, and developed in Yell. From its beginnings as an organisation focused on music and music teaching, GlobalYell expanded its focus a decade ago to textiles, and to weaving in particular. Over…

Sonia Delaunay: the dress of the future

Sonia Delaunay Rythme (1938) I don’t know about you, but I am extremely excited about Tate Modern’s Sonia Delaunay retrospective, which opens in a couple of months. I’ve long had a thing for Delaunay’s work, but have never had the opportunity to see much of her work in person, particularly her textiles. I wrote an…

Fun in Frome

By: Kate Davies Designs January 25, 2013January 25, 2013

England, Somerset, yarnCatherine Hill, England, fabric, Frome, Jen Arnall Culliford, Marmalade Yarns, Millie Moon, Somerset, yarn85 Comments

Did I mention that I really love my work? This week work took me to Frome — a beautiful small town in a part of Somerset which I have never visited. I was there to see Jen . . . . . . and also got to hang out with Jim (the inimitable Veuf Tricot)…

Cabbages & Roses

(Peerie Flooers hat and mittens, Caller Herrin‘ Sheepheid, and Funchal Moebius, all styled with Cabbages and Roses garments from 2007 to 2011. I receive a lot of queries about the clothes I am wearing in the photographs you see here, and I generally receive the most queries whenever I am wearing clothes from Cabbages and…

of dogs . . . and sheep

It has been an interesting week. On the downside, there have been a couple of days of evil, all-consuming fatigue to contend with. This meant that I was unable to go across to Glasgow, and hence unable to meet up with some folk I’ve been looking forward to seeing for ages, to chat about lace.…

just a couple of things

I’ve been meaning to mention: After writing about station bars a few weeks ago, I felt compelled to visit the one at Manchester Victoria for old times sake. The view above eye level was just how I remembered it. Below, though, I encountered the evil Pumpkin. When I asked the barman if he had any…

out with the old

You may remember that a year ago I decided to stop buying clothes for the duration of 2008. My decision to do this was sparked by a couple of things. I had been reading a bit about darning and mending and wanted to think about what repairing and caring for one’s clothes meant. Also, since…

instructional

By: Kate Davies Designs October 13, 2008

craft, fabric, textilesDryad Handicrafts, engraving, fabric, fabric printing, linocut, printing, stencil, woodcut4 Comments

Thanks very much, everyone, for all your printing tips and suggestions! I’ve ordered the books Kirsty recommended, as a sort of modern supplement to my Dryad Handicrafts Leaflets, which I immersed myself in again last night. Any of you who have encountered the Dryad leaflets will know that there is a particular joy in reading…

indigo

By: Kate Davies Designs October 12, 2008

craft, design, fabric, textilescalico, fabric, fabric printing, indigo, printing19 Comments

I have really enjoyed seeing the wonderful printed fabrics Jesse exchanged and received in her swatch swap (flickr group here), and I really wanted to participate. But I’ve never printed fabric before, let alone cut out a lino block (eek), so I thought I’d approach things from a rather basic level first, using a rubber…

all change

Today I put away my summer clothes, and removed the winter ones from storage. I always find it a bit depressing having to encounter the berloody tights again . . . but it is nice to see warm winter dresses, sweaters, and coats. Anyway, before I pack the summer stuff away, I thought I’d show…

tourist

By: Kate Davies Designs September 24, 2008

beasties, fabric, landscape, textiles, walkingcolonialism, custard tarts, drink, fabric, food, landscape, Madeira, pasteis de nata, sardines, Tourism, travel15 Comments

“. . .as this place differs so vastly from anything thou hast ever seen, I make no doubt thou will be agreeably entertained with the many romantic prospects, whimsical houses, pleasant cool gardens, and amazing precipices. . .” (Deborah Hill to her son Richard, Funchal, Madeira, May 1st, 1743) My only previous experience of Madeira…

thanks

By: Kate Davies Designs August 17, 2008

beasties, design, textilescushions, design, fabric, food, pillows, soft furnishing, spoonflower, supermarkets, tea, textiles11 Comments

THANKS so much, everyone, for your good wishes. Seriously, it really does make a difference to know you are thinking of us. Tom felt a veritable wave of good karma when he sat down and read through your comments. We were both very cheered by them. Thanks! I want to say thanks for something else…