one of my favorite classes while studying for my degree in textiles was jacquard - the behemoth of a weaving machine that truly amazed me each time i had a chance to see my patterns come to life in an instant. i think my appreciation for the complexity of these machines is what makes me so obsessed with these gorgeous woven portraits by artist joanne arnett. using vintage mugshots, (which let's be honest, are already pretty cool in and of themselves) she creates oversized portraits that blend pattern mixing, bright color, and intricate weave patterns to create something completely new. the pieces are woven with a mix of cotton and thin metallic wire which lends them a reflective, photographic quality that shifts with the viewer. consider me impressed! see more from joanne here. and thanks to erika for the tip!
when i began studying textiles back in college, the very first thing we learned about in print class was the block printing method, one of the oldest and most direct methods of creating a pattern on fabric. as long as you have a piece of wood that you can carve, some dye, and some cloth, then you're in business. the company block shop textiles, run by sisters lily and hopie stockman, is a textile company based in bagru, india that embraces and supports old school hand block printing - they work with a family of master printers who have been at it for hundreds of years. each scarf design is stamped onto a cotton-silk blend with all natural dyes and pigments, so each one is unique. while i'm bummed that everything on their site is currently sold out, i'm hoping they refresh soon so i can scoop up one of these gorgeous pieces of handiwork for myself! learn more about block shop here.
i'm loving these hand-dyed scarves by minneapolis-based scarfshop. the beautiful color combos, the seemingly random application of color, the crinkly texture of the cotton - they're the perfect item to wrap up in for fall!
