5 mins long - great insight into how the online indie craft shop, Cut+Paste, is run.

Ulrika, a Swedish artist, performs random acts of “public embroidery” - small images or short words that she cross-stitches on seats in public transport. What a great way to make a long journey just a little bit brighter. Embroidery kits can be sent for free, or download patterns at the website. Send photos of your own public embroidery for the public embroidery blog. [via wooster]

Denyse Schmidt’s solo exhibition opens tomorrow (3/16/2007) at the P Design Gallery in Denver, Colorado USA. If you’re lucky enough to be in town, you can meet her in person at the opening. The five new quilts are made from wool and vintage cottons. The show runs through May 19.

Image: Renee So, The Merchant and The Villain, 2005, knitted lambswool, in Echoes of Home: Memory and Mobility in recent Austral-Asian art.

Currently at the Fremantle Arts Centre, WA until 15 April then will be at Geraldton Regional Art Gallery.

Presents the work of 14 Australian artists, craftspeople and designers who have an Asian background, and reveals these artists’ contribution to contemporary understandings of cross-cultural experience, and includes historical and experimental approaches to media.

Asian cultures have always played a role in Australia’s cultural history and in recent years these cultures have been an important influence on Australian visual culture – particularly in contemporary craft. … Many of these contemporary works utilise traditional techniques to tell their stories. … the exhibition reveals a diverse range of work across various media, with ceramics, textiles, fibre works, fashion, work on paper, jewellery, sculpture and painting.

[extract from state of the arts]

read a review of this travelling exhbition at ::Artlink and read more about ::Renee So.

Musee du Luxembourg, Paris

Having just returned home from a week in Paris - I thought I would share with you all a wonderful exhibition I saw whilst there…’René Lalique - Bijoux d’exception’ on show at the Musee du Luxembourg until the end of July this year.
I went on the first day and it was just stunning! René Lalique is perhaps best known now for his glass but his jewellery is every bit as beautiful and striking…and to me {as a jeweller}, much more interesting ;)

Haircomb - Bone, Gold, Diamonds - paint-up

What was most fascinating for me was to see such a great number of Laliques’ own sketches, designs and paint-ups [a traditional technique for depicting jewellery where you paint the item to scale in perfect detail, so it looks like you could pick it up...mostly executed in ink, watercolour and gouache]…when in the modern world, jewellers and designers are increasingly using the crude and personality-less method of computer rendering rather than drawing by hand and keeping this tradition alive. Seeing this work - which looks as fresh and invigorating as the day it was painted, really is a breath of fresh air.

Haircomb - Bone, Gold, Diamonds

Paint-up … watercolour, ink, crayon

What I couldn’t get over was the stunning and absolute level of extreme skill involved in creating these pieces - and also the scale. Many of the pieces are tiny, and often in catalogues or books, you never really can appreciate how intricate and amazing the pieces are. It is hands down one of the best ‘historical’ exhibitions I have ever seen - and as I write this I am wishing I could nip back for another look!! I would urge anyone who could possibly see this to do so - the collection of work has been brought together from all over the world {many of the pieces being in private collections} and really does make for the most splendid group!

10 Euros to enter, and the exhibition runs from the 7th of March - 29th July 2007. Catalogue, available only in French, is 39 Euros.

Gooseflesh - fabulous sea creatures from used plastic bags. A tutorial for making the plastic bag ‘yarn’. And some wonderful sea plants such as this coral.

Arbol de Vida (Tree of Life) children’s home, which houses 62 children in Lomas de Poleo, in the northwestern corner of Juárez, needs 60 rag rugs to put by their beds and to take them with them when they leave the home, to give the children’s home a comfortable feeling rather than institutional environment. Jenn at enthusiastically human is organising the making of some of the rugs and needs helpers.

so many wonderful, strange and cute entries in the softie awards. Entries are now closed - can’t wait to see the winners. [::flickr pool ::softie central check more images and story at treehugger]

Image: Mr Fishy

Image: Naomi

Image: Shane cushion

Have some of those cute Moo Cards made from your Flickr photos, but don’t know where to put them? Then why not make a MOOPocket! splatgirl has a great tutorial that will show you how it’s done.

March is nearly over - sorry for the delay in announcing the March whiplash …

Post up a tutorial. Show off your skills in explaining your designs and ideas.
Photography is important as is explanation. And of course the finished product should be desirable.

The tutorial can be for a new design, or a fresh perspective an established technique.

No prizes, but we will feature a few of the entrants on whip up.

Go to the whiplash page - link in the sidebar - for how to enter.

The February contest was to make something that utilises pre-used/pre-loved/trash/junk/waste items in two categories.

1. Creative use of normal/household waste
2. Use of weirdest/strangest waste item for crafting purposes

Lots of prizes this month winners are:

the winner of the subscription to CRAFT Magazine for 1 lucky entry

5 projects form miss america blog :: 5 projects from one second hand bedsheet

These three people have each won a CRAFT T-shirt and a copy of the latest CRAFT Magazine Vol.2.

stick a cork in it by wannabeindie :: cork earings

Egg Carton and Magazine Flowers with Rolled Magazine Vase from warm fuzzies

sock hat by chickeny

the following 5 people have each won a craft book

sunshine creations with her jeans rug

dem dry bones by completely cactus

ihanne recycled book covers

felting dog by mamaquilla

woven hat from tape from twisted textiles

the following 2 people have each won a fabulous bundle of fabric from Patchwork On Central Park

nice twice with a side of rice :: recycled rice bag by bitter betty

sustainable bowling by nauglevision :: papier mache bowls

the following lucky person has been given the opportunity to sell their product through Reform School store in LA.

Recycled Stationery by thinkingamericn

Interesting new blog, Sew Green (great name!) by some kick-ass ladies living more environmentally responsible lives.

Sew Green is made up of eleven women who met through the crafting blogging community.

One day last November, on my regular blog, I mentioned wanting to start a blog about consumption. It turned out, some dear crafting blogger friends were also interested in this idea. I think most people in the world want to live more environmentally responsibly, but there are so many obstacles to doing this. Hopefully this blog will be a way for us to remove some of those obstacles for ourselves and each other, by sharing what we’re learning and figuring out who to try to influence {industry people, institutions, politicians} on a grander scale, to affect change.

The first month or so, we’ll be introducing ourselves and sharing some topics we’re interested in. Topics we’re interested in will undoubtedly range from simple (tips on how to stop receiving junk mail), to more complex (how global economics affect environmental issues).

After our initial month, we plan to all research the same one environment/consumption-related topic per month and to share our findings/art/stories/thoughts/ideas around that subject. We’re going to figure this blog out as we go. We hope you’ll join us on our Sew Green journey!

Denim ball gown by Ingrid Steinmetz

Meroogal is a Victorian home in the south coast town of Nowra, NSW, Australia (south of Sydney). It’s now a museum - particularly interesting because it was inhabited over many decades by women of one family, and so you can see a fascinating variety of domestic detail and learn about the minutiae of their lives.

The Meroogal women’s arts prize is a regional non-acquisitive competition and exhibition across the fields of visual arts, crafts and design. Diverse and original use of media is a signature of the exhibition, which encourages the practise of traditional women’s arts and crafts in a contemporary context. The theme of the prize, which varies each year, establishes a direct connection to Meroogal and the women who lived there, as well as acting as a springboard for artistic imagination. The theme for 2006 is Reduce, recycle & renew at Meroogal (Quote from here).

Entry is limited to surrounding districts, but the galleries of entries from several years provide plenty of inspiration and imagination, whether Meroogal is hours or half a world away from where you live. If you click on a particular entry you will find information from the artist about the work.

Red Blankets are Warmer by Lisa Johnson

Fun little tutorial for button flowers over at One More Moore.

Greenwich House Pottery’s annual benefit sale, Made in Clay, March 29th-April 28th. 16 Jones Street New York, NY 10014-4132

Work for sale includes pieces by renowned studio potters from across the country. All sales benefit Greenwich House Pottery’s educational and outreach programs.

Image: Cantaloupe, Porcelain, 2006, Stacy Cushman

Image: Vine Cups, 2006, Josephine Burr

Each ‘leftover’ spoon is unique designed by Mara Skujeniece via bloesem.

short little slow-mo film of the lego knitting machine in action

Who of us crafters doesn’t love a basket full of fun from our favorite artisans?? Well, the team behind Felt Club, one of Southern Californias most fun and diverse craft fairs, has launched a few auctions to help offset the unforeseen fines that have been levied against the crew for posting flyers where they shouldn’t have. (That wont be happening again, we swear!!) Many of Felt Clubs vendors and friends have donated items to help comprise 3 AMAZING gift baskets. Each one is overflowing with items that you can share with a bud, or keep for yourself leaving everyone around you extremely envious! Dont pass on this great opportunity to help a very cool lady keep her beloved craft fair afloat, while scoring lots and lots of goodies! The auctions can be seen here. Hurry, they all end March 18th!

The response to my post You Show Me Your Heart And I’ll Show You Mine was astonishing. I received so many requests from worthy charitable projects from around the world. With the help of a wonderful student who is also a retired social worker, we sent out 7 large envelopes of fabrics to addresses around the world and have a few more that are awaiting addresses.

Now it’s your turn. If you have crafts supplies that you would like to donate to a worthy charity, consult the list on dotdigital. Feel free to post here the email addresses or website of other charitable organizations needing craft supplies and contact them directly.

Thanks for all of your inspiring work.

Exhibition: Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting at the Museum of Arts and Design, 40 West 53rd Street, New York, NY. (::madmuseum)

Review writer: Stacey Hirvela

The exhibition Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting blurs the line between art and craft, causing the viewer to seriously question which is which, and if it matters at all. The emphasis of the exhibit is on the “radical lace” portion of the title. Artist Hildur Bjarnadottir states in the exhibit, “Lace is never for lace’s sake. It is a way to tell a story.” Appropriately, there are examples of “lace” made from porcelain, glass, fiber optics, carpet, rubber, car parts (a stunning piece), “Filigree Car Bombing” by Cal Lane, where found automobile parts are cut into lace patterns with a blow torch and more traditional materials used in new ways, such as cotton fiber and rope. It becomes clear that these artists see lace as more than a hyper-pretty, frilly accoutrement – it is a serious way to explore artistic concepts, such as line quality, repetition, space, and figure-ground relationships.

Image: Hildur Bjarnadóttir, Untitled (skulls) (detail), 1999, Crocheted cotton yarn, wood table

Image: Cal Lane, dirt works

The knitting portion of the show stays mostly true to its “subversive” title, commenting on feminism, thrift, warmth, the war, and the craft itself. Dave Cole, relishes the use of uncommon materials for knitting (the lead-knitted teddy bear in the show begs to be touched), and there is a video playing of his giant American flag being knitted with John Deere excavators and telephone poles. Many of the pieces are machine-knit, but Althea Merback’s one-twelfth scale “microknits” (she uses stainless steel medical wire for inserting IV needles) are beautifully done by hand.

Image: Dave Cole, lead knitted teddy bear

Image: Dave Cole, giant knitting machine, film still

The curation, siting, and interpretative materials are excellent. A statement from the artist accompanies each piece in the show, shedding insight on the work and the artist’s modus operandi. The visitor is left with much to think about and much to be inspired by. There is definitely enough here to keep non-crafting family and friends interested on a visit; serious makers will probably prefer to go at their own pace or make multiple visits. In any case, no one should miss the absolutely delightful exhibit of contemporary Netsuke on the bottom floor of the museum. These are beautifully done and full of imagination, with sweetly comic examples like Masami’s Gorilla In A Turtleneck sweater, fascinating grotesques like Hiraga Tanetoshi’s Two Bats Embracing, and breathtaking, expressive examples like Kiho Takagi’s Nautilus Owl Cradle. Both “Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting” and “Contemporary Netsuke” are up at the museum through June 17, 2007.