World Fair Workshops
We're thrilled to announce that booking is now available for the first five virtual workshops in Selvedge World Fair 2021 programme.
Taking place virtually from 31 August – 5 September, the Selvedge World Fair will present the work of 150 master artisans from 78 countries (100 of which are new this year), bringing together varied — and in some cases endangered — textile traditions from around the world.
Booking for all workshops must close on 31 July so that the workshop tutors can send out the materials packs in good time. Find out more about our workshops below and watch this space to be the first to hear about new workshop announcements.
Block printing
Suryabhan Singh and Jairaj Kumari, owners of Toy & Joy Singh began their journey of hand block printing in Jaipur in the desert state of Rajasthan in India with one printing table in their home 26 years ago. Now they are a small business that produces limited quantities of the finest quality hand block printed products.
The workshop is a perfect starter class to learn the basics of pattern design and traditional woodblock printing, including how to properly transfer crisp, perfect prints onto fabric and create seamless prints.
White on White back strap weaving
Concepción is a Q’eqchi’ Mayan woman from the village of Samac near Cobán, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Taught by her mother and sister to weave at age eight, she has mastered her local style, an intricate gauze-like weave called pikb’il.
Traditional back-strap weaving is one of the few sources of income for the women of her village, though each blouse takes a month to weave. By selling her textiles, Concepción was able to fund her education. With other women in her village she founded and was selected as the first president of the village’s first women’s weaver cooperative. As such she helped start an association of artists and artisans of all kinds from her area.
During this workshop, Concepcion will guide you through weaving on a traditional Mayan back-strap loom in the white-on-white style of pikb’il, specific to her area in Guatemala.
Canvas Embroidery
Karen Fullalove embroiders stories. Inspired by her grandmother’s needlework as a child, she studied at the London College of Fashion and now uses local materials to create embroidered cloths that express the identity of her family, homestead, region and country.
In this workshop, aimed at all levels of experience, participants will create a sacred icon in canvas embroidery, learning about symbols and the meanings they embodied to the women who embroidered them. Your finished piece will be imbued with personal power as you stitch your feelings and stories into the work.
Weaving on card
Sarah Ward first conceived the idea of ‘off-loom’ weaving during the first lockdown in 2020, when Covid-19 restrictions cut her off from her loom and studio. Desperate to weave, she started using leftover yarn and a needle and thread to make small studies of her favourite woven structures. Despite now having access to both, she has continued to work on these intricate offerings, whilst pondering why woven structure isn’t more celebrated.
Learn to weave off-loom using industry waste yarn, a piece of wood and a needle and thread. In this workshop we'll put functionality and fashion aside for a moment to celebrate woven cloth, and the structures used to create it.
Quiltmaking
Jennifer Raish is an artist and designer who gravitates to the modern improv style of quilting and makes mostly art quilts and blankets and other home goods. She draws from her diverse experience in fine art, fashion sewing, crochet, and fabric sculpture.
In this workshop participants will make quilted coasters (or small textile art) entirely by hand - no sewing machine needed! A small project like this offers a great, low-pressure way to give something new a try. You will learn the basics of quilting and experienced quilters could use this workshop as a way to test new artistic ideas, for example, fabric or colour combinations or stitching motifs.
Find out more about our Selvedge World Fair workshops here: Selvedge Workshops
Book tickets to the Selvedge World Fair 2021