We are delighted to present embroiderer Tom Lundberg from the United States at all three Knitting and Stitching Shows. Tom creates small-scale fibre works with a keen sense of craftsmanship and humour. Many of his works are 'pockets'; small embroideries measuring about 12cm x 10.5cm, created in the shape of a shirt pocket. Each pocket describes its own world of events and dynamics.
In a statement to the Hibberd McGrath Gallery Tom says "In my embroidered pictures, glimpses of everyday life merge with fragments of memory. Needle and thread offer a way of working that is simple and direct. This process is slow and deliberate, in contrast to the fleeting moments that trigger each piece. Dyed threads provide colors that are lustrous and clear. Stitch by stitch, the fluidity of thread is transformed into something layered and dense. I have been inspired by the intimacy and symbolic intensity of badges and stitched emblems, and by the storytelling traditions found in historic textiles".

Clay And Thread contains two exhibitions showing collaborations in stitch and ceramics.
Talking Matters shows the work of renowned ceramicist Alex McErlain with embroiderer Alice Kettle. All the pieces whether ceramic or textile have been shared in the making, passed from one artist to the other in an ongoing conversation. The result are thrown slipware bowls and jugs by Alex McErlain, drawn and scratched into by Alice Kettle, and similarly complimentary textile works. The partnership has taken them to previously untried areas in their practices.  'Place Settings' exhibits works by Helen Felcey, a ceramicist known for delicate and distinctive unglazed bone china tablewares, and Alice Kettle, a textile artist familiar for her expressive machine stitched works.  The collaboration is a table setting, porcelain pieces conversing with a stitched landscape cloth. The work brings together two distinct areas of practice and two distinct characters.
Both exchanges and collaborations have been fruitful and revealing in exposing a commonality of purpose and process. The juxtaposition of materials, those of clay and thread, cast light on the particular nature of each and the manner of making of each maker.

This installation takes the viewer back to previously unseen, early work from renowned artist Rozanne Hawksley, some of it never completed. Including insightful sketches of herself and others, the artist has revisited these pieces to create a new work that is a commentary on modern life, its stresses and joys. Click here to buy a copy of Rozanne's new book 'Rozanne Hawksley by Mary Schoeser'.

Works in With Thread in Needle and Tongue in Cheek... will have a bit of a 'twist' - not a knock -'em-down-dead sort of humor but a gentle twinkle-in-the-eye sort.  Inspiration for the works, which are framed, freely-machine stitched machine embroideries, come from twisting one's interpretation of an event or attitude and providing a new direction for seeing.  
 The exhibition will include a number of parodies on well-loved paintings, as I frequently take a figure from a piece of art and reinvent its meaning, albeit tongue-in-cheek.  Also included will be lessons from life, sometimes misconstrued, along with personal interpretations from my own world.

...It gets more complicated. Not with big issues, just with simple domestic life or work combinations and it is this interest in how we balance the many layers and roles that we have in our lives that has become the energy behind my current textile work. The work in this exhibition is a combination of collaged mundane domestic packaging, layers of stitched imagery, doorknobs, handles and childhood crafts like patchwork and pom-poms.  There is a confusion of colour, incidental imagery and a clash of materials as they are brought together within a frame that excites me. I work directly with the materials, not planning before hand but responding as the work develops, building up the layers of imagery. Pieces are cut down and added to, turned upside down stitched and reorganised until they seem right.  Like life they need to have a touch of melancholy mixed in with the pleasure. I am interested in how we absorb knowledge and experiences, selecting out the bits that resonate for us, sometimes carefully, other times by accident, it's what makes us who we are.  In this work, connections are made between the most seemingly random things, cell structures and patchwork, cereal boxes and simple sums. They are like the bits of information, memories and desires that float around our brains waiting to surface. Life is strange and difficult and funny.

Susan Jarmain works in hand-dyed, hand-woven silk, making sculptural wall-hung and ceiling-suspended pieces. The work seeks, and is inspired by, a dynamic relationship with the natural world of the north shore of Lake Erie where she lives.
Represented in this gallery in the works of Jarmain, from this landscape, are, the butterfly, the lake, corn, and sticks and stones. Warp threads are painted and dyed prior to weaving and weave structures are manipulated to interpret the rhythms and patterns of nature. The sculptural shaping of the pieces creates light and shadow and amplifies the reflection of the silk.
Of recent fascination have been the small stones found while walking on the beach. The glyphic traces of ancient creatures embedded in the stones seem like mysterious communications from the past. By Nick Johnson, brother of Susan Jarmain, interspersed here and there in the same gallery, are small sculptures made of actual stones picked up off this same beach and woven through with feather spines, as well as, on paper, ink and water colour drawings of cornfields, the lake, birds and butterflies.

There are intrinsic differences in all of us; we're the same yet different.  We have our own quirks and novelties; we see the world in different ways. This body of work celebrates the variations within our environment and it helps me deal with them!
I've imprinted pleated and structured cloth with collographic images (collographic printing uses textured collage type printing plates).  Repetition in the form of pleats and squared sections show the delicate modifications required to exist side by side - each one beautiful in its own right and magnificent when combined with a multitude of others. This work is huge departure from the devor? work I'm usually recognised for.  I am incredibly grateful to the Arts Council for their support in the redevelopment of my work.

MaP (Makers and Practitioners) was formed in 2001 when a group of staff working on the Contemporary Textile Practice BA Hons. at Cardiff School of Art & Design realized that they had been preaching without practicing for far too long. All felt the desire and need to be creating and making more, but needed a push, whilst having the security of something supportive to land on. A creative, supportive and innovative group of artists and designers was founded. Since then the membership has widened to include others outside the school. All members have a strong academic and professional background, with a wealth of experience in an amazing variety of fields; weave, print, knit, constructed textiles, digital textiles, illustration, metalwork, woodwork, video, photography, ceramics etc.  
Some already have national and international reputations. All are passionate about their own work and about expanding the audience of Contemporary art/craft; raising its profile; increasing links within the sector and outside; researching new  techniques, and encouraging others to become involved.  
The group's members have already established links with Japan, Europe, Australia, Canada and USA through their individual professional practice.  Members include: Anne Gibbs, Catherine Lewis, Mandy Nash, Claire Cawte, Jane McCann, Sally Grant, Susan Smith, Alison Taylor, Elspeth Thomas.   

 The Textile/Fashion Design Course at the Limerick College of Further Education (www.info@lcfe.ie) provides the students with a comprehensive knowledge in this complex industry and in the many faces of Craft. A strong focus is put on practical skills and experimentation using traditional and contemporary techniques.
The course covers Textile, Design, Knitwear, Pattern Drafting and Garment Construction.
Come to The Knitting and Stitching Show to see a selection of work from the students of 2009.

The Embroiderers' Guild is pleased to announce that Jill Flower (over 30's category) and Lee Mattock (18 to 30 category) have been selected to be the Embroiderers Guild Scholars for 2009. Two Embroiderers' Guild Scholarships of £1000 each are awarded annually to embroiderers to develop the practice of embroidery.  
Both scholars will have their work displayed at The Knitting and Stitching Shows.

Swishing - the free exchange of quality clothes between friends is fast becoming the most fun and ethical way to keep up with the fashion seasons.
We invite you to The Knitting and Stitching Shows very own Swishing Salon at the London and Harrogate shows and ask you to bring along your good quality unwanted clothing and accessories to exchange with other creative people!
Alongside the swishing there will be a strong ‘make do and mend’ theme with experts to inspire you with techniques for embellishing your own clothing. Plus Sissy Rooney's Street Style Surgery will be with us on the Thursday and Friday with great ideas for customizing your very own garment!

How to swish…

·    Clothing and accessories can be shop bought or homemade but must be good quality and laundered
·    Suitable swishing items include clothes, shoes, bags, scarves, belts and hats
·    We will take in items in the morning between 10am and 12pm
·    Swishing exchange will begin at 1pm and those wanting to buy can do so from 3pm
·    Bring up to 5 items to exchange for the same number
·    Swishing costs £5 and all proceeds will be donated to Bliss, the special care baby charity that support premature and sick babies and their families
·    Under 18s can swish for free!
·    If you don't have anything to swap, you can still take part, but you will have to pay £15 and can select up to 2 items to take home

As a mature textile student at Bradford College from 2002 - 2006, with the support and encouragement of my tutor Diane Bates, I developed my own technique combining hand knit and machine embroidery.  I used the technique to create abstract wall hangings based on close observation of natural objects.  After graduating I re-discovered a love of drawing figuratively, particularly faces. I love to draw faces.  I now use the technique I developed at college to recreate my drawings seeking to retain the spontaneity of the original sketch. In 2008 I was lucky to secure a place on an advanced textile course mentored by Hilary Bower whose guidance enabled me to focus on the themes and concepts that underpin and inform my work. age, beauty, transience, and the celebration of life.  
My ultimate aim is to create work that is both pleasing on the eye and thought provoking. The body of work I will be showing at The Knitting and Stitching Shows is a culmination of all the above and represents the current stage in my ongoing progress as a textile artist.

Fusion started out in 2000 and has its roots firmly in the North East of England. Members work, study and enjoy living in the beautiful counties of Northern Eastern England. For The Knitting and Stitching Shows Fusion has chosen to work with the title 'Direction'. One word titles have become almost a hallmark. 'Structures' and 'Identity' proved to be interesting avenues to explore in previous exhibitions and now, 'Direction' has been interpreted in a wide variety of ways. Travelling North and emigrating South imply a positive physical movement, but time travel is also possible – looking back in the direction of the past or projecting creativity into the future.  Our lives take on directions, some predictable and some not: crossroads imply decisions, dyslexia may lead to misdirection, serious illnesses and cancer force a change of direction, and all this is in the context of the inevitable direction of the aging process.  Perhaps the most ambitious project is one on Infinity – the imagination knows no bounds!
Exhibiting at Knitting and Stitching Shows is an opportunity for Fusion to showcase the wealth of talent and passion for textile practice that has developed and continues to flourish in the North East of England.

40 older women from Newcastle upon Tyne worked with artists Fiona Rutherford and Jenny Burns over a year and told their life stories through their knitting.  They have made objects that have significance for them, everything from bikes to bags, cakes to cricket bats.  The exhibition created is beautiful, moving and funny.
"An unexpected total surprise; one of the loveliest exhibitions I've seen, it brought a real smile to my face and even my teenage boys were impressed!"
A visitor to the exhibition at Alnwick Garden earlier in the year.

Fiona Morris is offering advice surgeries for knitters; bring along the pattern you don't understand, the piece of knitting you've been stuck on or just a simple knitting question, and Fiona will help! Places are limited so book your slot at the Workshop Registration Desk in the Resource Centre when you arrive! Fiona has been teaching both hand and machine knitting since the early 1990s from beginners through to City and Guilds Diploma level. She has been giving talks and teaching knitting workshops all around the country in yarn shops (including Colinette) and for clubs and Guilds for the past 5 or 6 years. She was also a regular demonstrator at the 'Design for Knitting' days at the V&A Museum. She has been a regular contributor to Knitting magazine since it was first published and has also been published in Let's Knit and Yarn Forward.

This year six Graduate Apprentices from the RSN will be celebrating their embroidery and design skills with a showcase of their work from the last three years.   Where else will you be able to see a three dimensional Alice in Wonderland, a gold and silk Icarus from Greek mythology; a cupcake made from creative smocking and contemporary metal thread jewellery?   Make sure you make a visit to the RSN Stand in the Textile Gallery (TGR6 in London, and TG500 in Harrogate) - a must.
The RSN's education programme is expanding with courses to suit everyone, whether you are new to embroidery or have years of stitching projects under your belt.   Pick up one of their Course brochures to find out about Day Classes, Short Courses, a Certificate and Diploma and the new Foundation Degree in Hand Embroidery.  Join the RSN's mailing list and you could win a free RSN Day Class at Hampton Court and if that's not enough incentive, you can always join one of the RSN Graduate Apprentices at the Learning Curve for a taster session in Silk Shading, Goldwork and Blackwork; they'll be delighted to see you.
www.royal-needlework.org.uk

Through the 50's and 60's Neillie Mulcahy was one of Ireland's leading fashion designers, producing haute couture garments to the highest Parisian standards for her international and Irish clients.  Neillie­ was one of the first truly Irish designers, she was known for her pioneering use of Irish fabrics, and tweed in particular.  Neillie collaborated with the weavers, fabric and print designers and knitters to produce innovative fabrics in vibrant colours.  This exhibition includes garments and accessories from throughout her career. You can see newspaper cuttings and photographs which span her career, as well as numerous garments which haven't been seen by the public for many years. A wonderful trip down memory lane, with the chance to meet the woman herself, who is now in her 80's! One of the most talented needlewomen in Irish history.

Filament is a group of Textile Artists based in Ireland. The group aims to provide mutual support to its members and to promote fabric arts through exhibitions and workshops. The group was founded in 2007 and this is their second year to exhibit at the Knitting and Stitching Fair, where they will show new textile works.
Filament will also give a daily workshop "Kantha Korsage" at the Learning Curve. They would like to invite stitchers of all abilities to join them.

Casting Off... A Coat for a Boat is a community project  like nothing you'll have seen before!
It has attracted wide spread attention and captured many people's hearts and imaginations. We have worked with approximately 350 knitters, regionally, nationally and internationally, with knitted items making their way from as far a field as Australia and New York. This boat is a rather special vessel which is adorned with a unique coat so it isn't reminiscent of pre-war soggy knitted swimming costumes and the affects of what happens when you mix knitted garments with water!
Regional textile artist Ingrid Wagner was appointed to be lead artist and The North East Maritime Trust commissioned to build our beautiful 21ft Coble. See this special installation as you enter Alexandra Palace; it will be sailing in the Palm Court Foyer!

EAST was formed in 1995 by a group of experienced textile artists who were interested in establishing a working forum in East Anglia. Their aim is to offer a mutually supportive framework for members to develop their practice.
EAST is delighted to present this new exhibition - E.A.S.T at The Warner Textile Archive in recognition of the re-establishment of the Archive to its original home in Braintree, Essex. The Warner Textile Archive is of national importance and represents one of the largest textile company archives in the world.
Each EAST member has chosen a source item from the Archive on which to base their research and interpretation, resulting in a modern, creative piece of textile art.  Members have produced a workbook that accompanies the exhibit and explains the artist's processes and thoughts whilst developing her creative ideas. These workbooks are an important part of the display as they allow the visitor an opportunity to see the range of processes that go into producing a source based body of work. Within the exhibition each artist has a large freestanding screen that further explains the historical background and context of the source within the vast collection that is the Warner Textile Archive.
www.easttextile.co.uk

Contemporary textile artist Rachel John is the inventor and designer/maker behind the extraordinary Extreme Textiles and awesome Monumental Textiles events. Rachel demonstrates and teaches her unique and innovative techniques including Extreme Knitting, Extreme Crochet, Extreme Weaving, Extreme X-Stitch and Tapestry. At Alexandra Palace, Rachel's Monumental Textiles displays will focus on her multi-strand fibre innovations using waste from the textiles industry.  Experimental yet functional crafts will feature in the Palm Court Foyer, as well as outside the building.  
Raw Textiles - Survival and Bushcraft will take place between the car parks and pathways leading to the Palace. This will include interactive displays, examples and demonstrations on survival and bush-craft skills. See a knitted survival shelter, crochet fence panels, a knitted rope hammock, plus knots and knotting!
An underlying theme around Monumental Textiles© is to raise awareness about using materials that might otherwise be considered as waste. To demonstrate simple ways in which to process waste into valuable finished items, with an emphasis on home crafters being able to hand craft practical, usable and often beautiful items.  
Hand-crafted textiles used to be essential in providing practical hard-wearing clothing and household items. Today we can buy what we need cheaper than the price of making it ourselves. Finding a reason to craft nowadays has become an interesting design issue and one that Rachel embraces wholeheartedly with her Extreme Textiles.
Find Extreme Textiles in the Palm Court Foyer / Exterior of Alexandra Palace

Although I have explored many styles and techniques associated with textile art and craft, I consider myself first and foremost a quilter. This year I celebrate thirty five years as such. Quilting is the reason why I am continually experimenting and working with the tactile quality of the marks the stitches make to the surface of the layers of cloth. My work today has progressed a long way from the traditional paths I first trod in 1974, but I do not forget them, they have served me well, I use them now in different ways to convey the messages in my textile art of today.
Working the Surface is my first major exhibition since completing a three year term as President of The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles features all new work. The collection will include art quilts, works on canvas and sculptural pieces.
Inspired by the cloth itself and colours and textures inspired by the natural world, the work explores the marks made on cloth using dye, print and stitch and will include hand dyed shibori resist fabrics, some vintage Chinese and Japanese textiles, machine felting and hand and machine quilting.

Coláiste Ide College of Further Education will exhibit for the third year at The Knitting and Stitching Show. Showing a range of drawing, design, embroidery and garment construction from its Fashion and Textiles Portfolio Preparation Course. This is a one-year introductory course in fashion and textiles from which students progress to colleges all over Ireland and the UK.
This year's exhibition features the work of the class of 08/09 and focuses on the design process, drawing and notebooks for mixed media and textiles. The exhibition is co-ordinated and staffed by current students as part of their work-experience module.

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