East Anglian Stitch Textiles (EAST) support other organisations and of course need to get in those necessary textile supplies. Here are a few links to sites we are inspired by or find useful. Please contact the EAST secretary if you find any broken or incorrect links - secretary@easttextile.co.uk (links updated/checked 15.7.11). We hope to add to the list in time:
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Shops and supplies - Art Van Go - like the name says, they have a van full of art, and will go to wherever you are! But they also have a shop. Craft Arena - an Essex based supplier of needlecraft and other craft supplies on the Barleylands Craft Village site in Billericay, Essex. Rainbow Silks - all sorts of supplies including dyes, books, etc. Winifred Cottage - threads, dispersible fabrics, suppliers to textile artists since 1994. Crafty Notions - many unusual items from a web-based shop set up by Sarah Lawrence; not only textile but many mixed media items. Fastsigns - The Chelmsford Fastsigns shop is where we went to get our banners for our EAST @ The Warner Textile Archive exhibition - very nice and helpful staff. |
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Useful organisations - Braintree District Council- Braintree in Essex is the home of Braintree District Museum and the Warner Archive - with whom we have links. EAST meets nine times a year at the museum and is currently using the Warner Archive for inspiration behind a new exhibition. The museum also holds a permanent collection of EAST work, created for the millenium and known as Threads of Time. Computer Textile Design Group - A group of textile minded computer users. Members of this group receive a regular magazine "Design-IT" and access to workshops and events. Eastern Region Textile Forum- An exciting new venture based in the east of England that has been formed to promote textile art in the region and beyond. Embroiderer's Guild - This is the main website for the Embroiderer's Guild, but members of EAST are also members of various branches of the Guild. The guild are publishes of two excellent magazines - Embroidery and Stitch. The Eastern Region of the Embroiderer's Guild now has it own website with local information. Textile Arts or HotHive Textiles - two sites that link with other textile groups, exhibitions, suppliers, etc, etc. Textiles in Focus - An annual textile event with exhibitions, workshops and traders. Held in Cottenham, Cambridge and usually held in February. |
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For inspiration - Foundling Museum - One of our members, Janette, not only uses the archives of this London based museum for her own textile work, but is also undertaking research of an historical nature on a voluntary basis. An exhibition showcaseing 18th century fabrics that illustrate the moment of parting as children were left at the London Foundling Hospital has now finished but some of the textiles are available on line at Threads of Feeling. Look out also for the accompanying exhibition catalogue available at the museum - Threads of Feeling: The London Foundling Hospital's Textile Tokens, 1740-1770 by John Styles. Ramster Gardens - These gardens on the Surrey/Sussex borders are open daily between April and June each year, but more importantly every other year they hold an exhibition of embroidery and textile art. Visit the gardens, stop at the teahouse for a light lunch and delicious cakes, and even buy smoked salmon produced at the family run smokehouse - if you get there when the embroidery/textile art exhibition on it is a bonus. The exhibition usually runs during April - but check the website for details. Victoria and Albert Museum - London based museum with a large textile and fashion collection. Ever changing programme of exhibitions (many textile linked), workshops, talks and other events. Fashion and Textile Museum - situated in Bermondsey, London, this museum is the place to go for cutting edge contemporary fashion, textiles and jewellery. Founded by Zandra Rhodes, there is a continuing programme of exhibitions, plus workshops (short courses and long) in an iconic pink and yellow building. Relax afterwards at The Cafe at FTM. Workbox magazine- a bimonthly publication, who have been great supporters of EAST. Workshop on the web - a quarterly e-magazine produced by Maggie Grey. Full of inspiration and step by step techniques workshops by the country's leading textile artists. There are some free "taster" workshops but to get the full magazine you have to subscribe. Also links to Maggie's home page and blog with information on books written by Maggie, talks she is able to do and exhibitions. Suffolk Tourist Guide - Discover what Suffolk has to offer on the Suffolk Tourist Guide for up-to-date information on Days Out, Things To Do, What’s On and Eating Out. Darwin the Geologist - Jenny, one of our newest members has previously been involved in a project with Sedgewick Museum and this link gives you more information on the story may she designed and created for general use by the Museum and specifically for their education project relating to Charles Darwin's role as a geologist during his travels in the Beagle
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Exhibitions and Exhibiting Groups Leigh Art Trail - Leigh in Essex, is a very pretty coastal town and hosts an annual art trail. One of our EAST members (Tricia) is a regular exhibitor. The trail is usually held in the summer on a yearly basis, and nearer the event they have a detailed trail map on their website. Material Girls - textile group based in Hornchurch, Essex., led by Christine Spencer. 0TT - Another local group of textile artists. EAST and 0TT have run their last two exhibitions in Braintree at the same time. In August/September 2010 we are looking forward to visiting them at a new venue - Hyde Hall RHS Gardens at Rettendon, Essex. TAGS (Textile Art Group Suffolk) - as the name suggests a Suffolk based textile group. TAGS invited the EAST artists for a visit some time ago and we were able to exchange ideas and "network". TAGS has a regular exhibition at Snape Maltings in Suffolk - check their website for details. Twisted Thread - The site of Creative Exhibitions who organise the Knitting and Stitching shows, the Festival of Quilts at the NEC and the Stitch and Craft exhibitions. EAST exhibited at their shows in London (Alexander Palace) and Harrogate in autumn 2009 with their EAST @ The Warner Textile Archive, but have exhibited with other exhibitions in previous years. too. See the Gallery for images at the 2009 show. Cambridge Open Studios- Cambridge Open Studios run an annual art festival. One of our EAST members (Jenny) is an exhibitor. |
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Textile related blog sites - http://fibre-reaction.blogspot.com http://sharnesbitsnbobs.blogspot.com/ www.chrissythreads.blogspot.com http://libertyjane.blogspot.com
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