Textile Tours at Home: William Morris, Kaffe Fassett & More
Hello, Voyagers!
As we embark on another month of staying home, I want to share with you some great avenues to explore the world of textiles. Below, find links to online lectures, articles on textile artists, recommendations for shows to watch, podcasts to listen to, and more.
Learn: William Morris Lecture and Classes
A previous Grand Textile Tour traveler sent this fabulous selection of lectures from the Textile Arts Council. They offer a variety of lectures, including a series on William Morris. Check out their lecture and class series.
Explore: Discover artist Billie Zangewa
I recently discovered the textile artist Billie Zangewa who makes incredible hand-stitched embroidered and appliquéd art. This article from The Cut features work from her recent exhibit in Paris entitled “Soldier of Love”.
Watch: An American Aristocrat’s Guide to Great Estates
We’ve visited Sudeley Castle on the last two Grand British Textile Tours, so I was delighted to watch an episode of the Smithsonian’s An American Aristocrat’s Guide to Great Estates on the Smithsonian Channel. The show features American-born Julie Montagu, Viscountess Hinchingbrooke as she visits grand estates in England. The Smithsonian Channel is available on Hulu.
Listen: Desert Island Discs with Kaffe Fassett
Textile designer Kaffe Fassett is a marvelous story teller. I discovered this fantastic Desert Island Discs interview from 1992. Listen as he talks about how he found his metier in fabric design. In fact, I’ve become a fan of Desert Island Discs, in general. The show has been broadcast since the 1940s, and it’s worth a look through their archives. P.S. the header image to this page is a photo of an embroidery collection at Kaffe’s house that I snapped when I visited him in 2017 to record an episode of my podcast, Hello Atelier.
Virtual Visit: The Kyoto Costume Institute
Museum visits may be few and far between, but did you know that Google Arts and Culture has collections from museums all around the world? This week I spent some time exploring the Kyoto Costume Institute’s collection online.
Make: Wattle and Loop Kits
With all our extra time at home, I’ve been looking for more sewing projects. I discovered these slow stitching kits from Wattle and Loop that include vintage and Liberty of London fabric. I love this fig kit, it’s so textured and beautiful.
I hope this roundup of textile links keeps you entertained this month. If you know of a fabulous online lecture, podcast or show, share it with us at Tours@HelloVoyager.org. Until next month, stay well and keep traveling from home.