The Intersection of Fashion and Disability: A Historical Analysis by Kate Annett-Hitchcock That human bodies come in all shapes and sizes, belonging to individuals expressing different abilities, has been recognized for centuries. The London Tradesman in 1747, for example, noted that a tailor must “…not only to cut for the Handsome and Well-shaped, but to …

Modern Papermaking, Techniques in Handmade Paper by Kelsey Pike. Artist and papermaker Kelsey Pike has made a significant contribution to the papermaking community and future papermakers with her book, Modern Papermaking. I know I’ll come back to this book time and again given its detailed information about the many aspects of fine papermaking—from paper’s history …

The winners of SDA’s Outstanding Student Awards were recently announced for the students who have demonstrated excellence in fiber arts. The work of these artists embodied inventive and innovative use of technique, materials and concepts not only in fibers and textiles, but in printmaking, sculpture, and more. It is an honor for the Education Committee …

The winners of SDA’s Outstanding Student Awards were recently announced for the students who have demonstrated excellence in fiber arts. The work of these artists embodied inventive and innovative use of technique, materials and concepts not only in fibers and textiles, but in printmaking, sculpture, and more. It is an honor for the Education Committee …

Surface Design Association is excited to announce Wrapping & Binding, our Summer 2024 edition of Surface Design Journal. “Wrapping and binding practices have been used to imbue objects or individuals with meaning by humans throughout history. Drawing inspiration from the traditions of various cultures—the handfasting or marriage binding customs of ancient Ireland, the Furoshiki or …

The winners of SDA’s Outstanding Student Awards were recently announced for the students who have demonstrated excellence in fiber arts. The work of these artists embodied inventive and innovative use of technique, materials and concepts not only in fibers and textiles, but in printmaking, sculpture, and more. It is an honor for the Education Committee …

The Dress Diary: Secrets from a Woman’s Wardrobe by Kate Strasdin Fashion historian Kate Strasdin was given a book, which appeared to be someone’s scrapbook (literally). It’s an old album of fabric swatches from the very middle of the 19th century—from 1838-1890—which the giver found at a flea market in 1960.  Historians are drawn to collections. …

I recently had the pleasure of attending the May session of the Material Grrrlz Club, a monthly gathering of fibre artists in Brixton, London. Within the conference room of Brixton’s 3Space International House, the atmosphere buzzed with creativity and camaraderie. Workshop participants eagerly reconnected with one another, sharing details about their current projects, which yarn …

The name Chimeras pays homage to the legendary fire-breathing monster from Greek mythology, known for its composite features of a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a serpent’s tail. My works explore themes of hybridization, transformation, and interconnectedness. To make these sculptural quilts, I source inspiration from the botanical chimeras—plants or plant parts that are …

Intelligent Hands: why making is a skill for life by Charlotte Abrahams & Katy Bevan This examination into numerous places where craft and hand work is alive, well and serving people of all kinds is strictly British—beginning with a discussion of tacit knowledge as well as the purpose of practice and repetition of tasks in …