Handmade in Britain: Selvedge picks
The 4th edition of Handmade Oxford: The International Contemporary Craft Festival will bring together over 150 of the most exciting UK-based designer-makers featuring a beautifully curated selection of fine arts and craft including jewellery, fashion and textiles, ceramics and glass, furniture, sculpture and more.
Handmade Oxford also offers a packed programme of craft workshops and demonstrations, keeping visitors occupied throughout the festival and there is also the option of enjoying the beautiful gardens.
Image: Harvest Trophy No. 1 Cream Multicoloured Silk Scarf 65 by Penny Maltby.
Exhibiting this year are a few textile designers and makers we recommend going to see, find out more about their work and invest in their innovative handmade textiles.
Penny Maltby
Based in Oxford, Penny Maltby is a maker with a background in textiles and a passion for materials and Heritage Crafts. She is interested in highlighting the value of craft and the transference of skills to next generations and new makers. Her main focus is on the endangered crafts of the straw world such as straw working, hat plaiting, Corn Dolly/Harvest Trophy making, rope making, straw thread embroidery and passementerie. Her work reflects how the use of this humble material has shaped us, our landscapes, our communities and our Cultural Heritage.
Find out more and follow Penny Maltby:
www.pennymaltby.co.uk
@pennymaltbymaker
Image: Floral fancy - Seed heads by studioEVIG
studioEVIG
studioEVIG was founded by two friends living in the Cotswolds who love all things floral. Claire & Stephy met some years ago working as freelance florists and formed a firm friendship. Concerned about the increase in flower waste, the pair collaborated to find a more efficient way to maximise their floral resources.
Producing beautiful textiles using only colours that nature provides, they are passionate about reducing the use and need for chemical, synthetic dyes by showcasing what our ancestors already knew - nature’s colour palette is truly varied and magical.
Image: Floral fancy - Seed heads by studioEVIG.
“Evig” (pronounced “AIR-vee”) means “everlasting” in Norwegian, and holds huge significance for this duo as Stephy is Norwegian, and the word seemed perfectly suited for their aim - to create well-made, quality, sustainable products that endure.
Find out more and follow studioEVIG:
www.studioevig.com
Image courtesy of Cotswold Knits.
Cotswold Knits
Cotswold Knit is knitwear designer Anna Wheeler’s own collection of luxury accessories and homeware, knitted in exquisite jacquard patterns, colours and textures. Anna uses the finest yarns to create distinctive scarves, belts, throws and cushions, knitted in small batches in the UK.
Having created beautiful designs for Missoni, Whistles, HIGH Everyday Couture, Top Shop, Marks and Spencer, Tait & Style, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein and Alexander McQueen, Anna understands the power of unique design and unparalleled quality.
Image courtesy of Cotswold Knits.
These two principles are now found in her own collection. Always uplifting and original, Anna’s pieces are chic and sumptuous, and designed to be in your wardrobe and home forever.
Find out more and follow Cotswold Knits:
www.cotswoldknit.co.uk
@cotswold_knit
Handmade Oxford will take place from 21 - 23 June 2024. Find out more and plan your visit:
www.handmadeinbritain.co.uk