All a little bit Raw

I'm not a natural sewer, a straight line is the most I can really do competently so this year I have decided to try and do more machine sewing where possible.

At the weekend I recovered my old Futon in the most gorgeous green pure wool, a little bit of effort and the job was done and the material only cost me £21.00.  Yes "chapeau" me. No sweat shop labour half way across the world stitching for me, low carbon foot print, the feeling of being just that little bit more worthy than I was yesterday, indeed "chapeau".
But as I sat down (very comfortable) and started to think about my next sewing masterpiece I began to question where exactly had the fabric I used come from for it to be sold for £3.00 per metre? In my tapestry business (Tina Francis Tapestry) I am meticulous in finding out the provenance of all the raw materials and components I use, my trays are made in Coventry, mugs in Stoke, cards in Kent, wool from the UK, canvases printed in Devon.  So why had it not occurred to me to ask about the provenance of the fabric? Now as any lover of fabric will know when you see a pattern or colour you really like you go a bit "fabric blind" and just have to have it, the ideas about what you can do with it sends you into a bit of a fuzz. But really is this any excuse?
There's a big push at the moment to make your own clothes, learn how to mend, knit your own garments, upholster your home and so the provenance of the raw materials seems to be more important than ever.  It's fine basking in the glow of having made it yourself, those skills will see you through a lifetime, but if you have no idea where the fabric or wool is from how is it any better than buying a garment from a shop on the High Street? Maybe I am being a little hard on myself here as even though my fabric may have been woven in a factory without much care to working conditions at least it wasn't made there too?  No doesn't sound too good does it?
I know many people make their own garments and home interiors because they want something different, well fitting or they just plain enjoy the process.  Making your own is not always cheaper (except for my futon covers - need to get over this!)but it does mean you get what you want. My next sewing project is a skirt using a pattern from MIY Collection (Patterns are designed and printed here in the UK) and I will definitely be asking where the fabric is made before purchasing from my usual supplier.
If we really are interested in a sustainable fairly traded low carbon world then I think its about time we started looking at "where is it from" from the raw materials up.  
It's difficult to question everything but as the year progresses I hope to start doing it a little more. 

Tina 
(P.S. I know where the fabric came from now so can sit on my Futon happily!)

Digital World

Charley, Tina Francis, Printed cushion covers and original. Photo Martin Christie

These are exciting times in the textile world, the advent of easier access to digital printing has meant a new slant on where textiles can go.

My first experience of this was a few years ago when I discovered Fabpad who are part of The University of East London.  Their friendly service enabled me to test my ideas for printing original tapestry needlepoints onto fabric.  I stitch tapestry needlepoint art using second hand wool and as such each piece is unique, I wanted to be able to dilute and recoup the cost of producing one off pieces of art much the same as a fine artist agreeing to print editions of their work. 

The results were fantastic and led me to get a range of cushion covers printed by HTS in Manchester. Whilst I am a stitcher I am no sewer so their making up service was a great bonus for me. Whilst I was very pleased with the cushion covers I felt that it lacked the maker appeal of my original work.  For me Craft is about the hand, from the the physical to the thought behind it and so the covers definitely lacked this.  The process of getting to this stage had involved my Craft as stitcher, that of the photographer (Martin Christie), the printers and finally the manufacture of the cushions, the piece of stitching and idea behind it seemed a long way back.

I now stitch into the cushion covers in small panels which I think brings the process full circle from craft to manufacture back to craft and means that whoever buys the covers has part of the maker still there.

Section Printed cushion cover with stitching (Green) Martin Christie

Printing needlepoint gives it a different appeal, for some the original will always be best but for others it is a way to own a piece without the large expense, for others they are just allergic to wool! Seeing what is a very textured piece printed flat is very exciting, sometimes it just does not work. I have a range of cards and stationary and just because it worked on fabric does not mean it will work on paper and I suppose that is what I am finding most fascinating about using my art in this way, I am not stitching to create the best printed result but maybe this will be how my practice evolves.  I am very exciting about 3d printing and would love to see a needlepoint printed in this way and maybe creating a vessel from the result or of course printing it as a vessel in the first place (I am still getting my head around 3d as you can see!).

There is a very interesting event being run by the Crafts Council called Make:Shift which runs alongside Make:Shift:Do from 20th to 22 November, the aim of Make:Shift is to explore current and future thinking on the role of craft in 21st century production whilst Make:Shift:Do will provide workshops in maker spaces highlighting the use of new techniques and technologies such as 3d printing and other forms of digital fabrication. Unfortunately I can not be involved this year due to a prior commitment but I am already looking ahead to next year and how I can participate.  Whilst many of the Make:Shift:Do events are taking place in London (one not to miss is Peoples Print at Sommerset House) there are many spaces around the country that are also participating. If I was attending I suppose my main question would be once the hand has been removed is it still Craft? I will be exploring this question in 2015 and blogging about it on this page.

There are so many ways the new processes can go I'm looking forward to a building wrapped in needlepoint smart enough to provide insulation but flat enough to repel the rain!

Good luck to the Crafts Council and hope that this event grows and grows.