THE SELVEDGE WORLD FAIR – A CELEBRATION OF CLOTH, CULTURE & CREATIVITY

3rd – 5th  September 2020, Mary Ward House, London, UK

Selvedge magazine has a passion for handmade textiles at its heart and a responsibility to support the artisans who make these textiles in its conscience. Over the last 15 years, Selvedge Magazine has grown to be both a source of thoughtful inspiration and an essential voice in the global promotion and preservation of handmade textiles. With the support of the magazine, the Selvedge World Fair is in an ideal position to find long-term, innovative solutions that support artisans globally and nurture the handmade.

In September 2020, The Selvedge World Fair will launch its inaugural event, a festival celebrating textiles in Bloomsbury, London, held over 3 days. Within the historically significant Arts and Crafts building that is Mary Ward House, a curated group of the world’s master artisans will join together to share and sell their textiles and demonstrate how they are skillfully made. Expect indigo dyers from Japan, baskets makers from Swaziland, rug weavers from Uzbekistan and much more… At the event, the master artisans will take part in a programme of presentations, offering the chance for guests to hear their stories and learn of the importance of their crafts in their home countries.

The Selvedge Foundation will be working in partnership with department stores and museums to host a series of workshops in the week leading up to the Selvedge World Fair.

So if you are in the UK early September make sure you have your tickets for this amazing inaugural event!

A number of customers have requested information about our recycled silk products. We have yarn, scraps, bundles of strips, squares 22cm x 22cm approx. and fat quarter packs. Because these items vary every time an order comes in we do not have them on the website. However, we are always happy to send photos of items if you email through a colour description. Of course we always have these items at the craft events we attend.

I’m not sure this is any better! Still no red colour just this horrid apricot! Back to the drawing board!

Today we started our trials with Madder, a very different process to that of indigo! Madder requires a mordant, we used one dip of alum on yarn and fabric, and also some with just a gall dip; Jenny Dean’s recipe uses an alum, gall and alum mordant regime. We had an over abundance of red guavas so have tried them as a mordant too. You start with cold water, add the garden lime (madder responds better in hard water), madder powder and fabric/yarn. The water temperature needs to rise and hold at 80 C for 45minutes, then leave to cool overnight.  I guess we will see whether any are a success but have a feeling we may have been a little stingy with only 20grams of madder powder!

Another successful indigo dyeing class completed! Once again Auckland Anniversary weekend gave us fantastic drying weather and some amazing work was created. Can’t wait until next year so share the magical experience of indigo.