Thank you to....

Sian Smith
Vicky Sowerby
Katy Woollatt
C.J Exley
Lisa Watson
Jane Dennerly
Patricia Bown
Robina Akhter
Ruqqia Badran
Rubbia Ullah

Ruqqia Badran - an artists response to ethical practices in textiles

Perspectives in Textiles – Stories from South Asia to Manchester

Stories have often been told through textiles as they carry so many personal memories, and such rich cultural heritage. As part of my research I am investigating the stories of migration from South Asian laborers to Manchester through textiles and connecting these to stories from textile craft artists across Manchester.

Realisation that my research is beginning to travel into new directions...

After having reviewed the research undertaken on this blog so far, I have realised that the craft of clothes production is really what I am interested in and how this operates both with people who have migrate to Manchester from South Asia and inhabitants of Manchester. I came to this conclusion shortly after the workshop where we constructed pieces out of recycled sari fabrics.

The idea that a lot of the work produced by craft artists has been created out of recycled clothing an this whole revival of sewing your own garments and customising old clothes to give them a modern twist really made a lot of sense to me and the project. It was staring at me in the face all the time. My grandfather’s textile factory which produced items of clothing is where my research began and I suppose this was always an underlying theme of my inerest in textiles.

South Asian textiles are an intrinsic part of Mancunian cultural identity – just look at the changing landscape...

This is an exert from a piece of research I conducted about the roles clothing plays in South Asian communities in Manchester...

4 Clothing and Plurality of Personal Relationships

Clothing plays important roles in expressing custom and conflict. There is much literature on clothing, gender and ethnicity relationships with widespread assumptions that these are determined by measures of modernity.  In a number of Islamic societies modest dress is used to enhance the reputation of a woman’s father, brothers or husband because it can be seen that she is under the control of the men folk of her household and as part of a male strategy for achieving upward social mobility,  Chapkis (1988) suggests that women’s bodies are often repository for ‘tradition’, when women wear traditional dress; it can be seen as an attempt to preserve or re-create a real or imagined past. In both Rusholme and Longsight, British Pakistani women adopt different types of traditional dress in order to display their cultural affiliation and the level to which their family is considered as ‘modern.’ The more western the attire the more ‘modern’ a family is considered, and the level of modesty an outfit displays, the more ‘religious’ a family is considered. In both these areas, the clothing worn by British Pakistani Muslim women is a conscious process and viewed as a marker of her family values and ideologies.

Ballard and Ballard (1977) and Saifullah Khan (1976) wrote that Sikh and Pakistani men who migrated to Britain in the 1950’s usually adopted western dress, but women who travelled to join their husbands in the 1990’s wore the same costume as in their homeland, making only minor modifications to allow for differences in climate. Wilson (1985) believes that women who adhere to re-adopt ‘traditional’ dress can symbolise authenticity in the face of imperialism, but at the price of being excluded from modernity which is negotiated by men. Crawford (1984) believes that women who adopt western styles are attempting to find a definition of themselves in terms of the modern western world.

When reading the literature on dress in context of British Pakistani Muslim women, one sometimes gets the impression that they cannot win. If they wear concealing outfits or are veiled they are seen as views of tradition, if on the other hand they adopt western dress, they are described as trapped in an image of powerlessness. It is important to look not only at dress, but also at the meanings surrounding it and the environment in which it is worn.

The Pakistani National dress worn by women is Shalwar Kameez. This consists of a long tunic (Kameez) teamed with a wide legged trouser (Shalwar) that skims in at the bottom accompanied by a duppata, which is a less stringent alternative to the burqa. Modern versions of this National dress have evolved into less modest versions. Shalwar have become more low cut so that the hips are visible and are worn with a shorter length of Kameez which has high splits and may have a low-cut neckline and backline as well as being sleeveless or having cropped sleeves. British Pakistani Muslim women have adopted a more modern version of the Shalwar Kameez, but some prefer the more modest traditional version.

British Pakistani Muslim young women have also adopted the traditional styles of the Indian sub-continent ranging from saris, lenghas and ghararas. They display their heritage as not only deriving from Pakistan, but also South Asia defining themselves not only as Pakistani but South Asian British Pakistani women use dress as a marker of movement from one cultural world into the other. Second and third generation British Pakistani Muslim women split between western and traditional cultural clothing depending on the occasion, if the occasion is British they will wear British clothing and if the occasion is Pakistani or Islamic they will adopt traditional cultural clothing. Longsight and Rusholme provide occasions for British Pakistan Muslim women to wear cultural attire.

Islamic, national and South Asian dress play important roles as identity markers for British Pakistani Muslim women. Young women are trying to find a distinct identity, some are moving toward a display of Islamic identity adopting the hijaab (headscarf) and even the niqaab (face cover.) This has sparked controversy within the wider British society where it has been claimed that the wearing of Islamic dress is a move away from cultural assimilation and integration into British society which has created conflict between and within communities.

However, with the emergence of a second and third generation British Pakistani Muslim woman, cultural and traditional South Asian and Pakistani clothing have become modified as a marker of multiple identities and a way to integrate into western society. Expecting women to restrict themselves to specific ethnic dress is not realistic. Wardrobes usually contain both ‘western’ and ‘ethnic’ dress, allowing them to adapt with ease to communicate effectively with others and establish their desired image as any given situation demands. A new form of hybrid dress has been created by young women called ‘jeans-kameez.’ This is where a pair of jeans is worn with a kameez, and a more modest version of the outfit is worn with a duppata. Here is an example of a world fashion item (jeans) teamed with a form of national and cultural dress (kameez), creating a new identity that is recognizable in both western and non-western atmospheres so is able to be worn on any occasion. This style of dress was adapted as a means of creating an identity that would define women as South Asian, Muslim and western, as well as being perceived as an integrative style of dress.

Throwaway culture – looking at customising and developing your old clothes...

With fast paced fashion it is so easy to get caught up in this whole culture of taking away people’s access to a fair life by buying into cheap garments produced at the cost of exploitation. Their has been a movement of reacting against this and I have found through my research people are becoming a lot more conscious about how they choose to buy thier clothes. This has led to many people taking up sewing classes and striving to customise their existing wardrobe in order to keep up with trends and develop new styles which do not follow mainstream fashion. I want to conduct a bit of research on this further as I have recently realised that their are sewing classes in Manchester which suit and reflect different parts of Manchester’s communities through the styles of clothing they look to produce in the classes and learn how to sew.

Image above:

Zoe Fletcher

Manchester Metropolitan University.

Textile Design For Fashion  

RE:Knit:Able - How will you wear yours?...How will I wear mine?
Using the concept of ‘slow' fashion, the aim of Zoe's collection is to create a whole new clothing experience that would entice the customer into keeping their garment for a long time.
By knitting an 'adjustable' garment that can be unbuttoned at various joins to create many different variations on a cardigan/waistcoat/purse/whatever they choose it to be. She created a number of different sleeve combinations and trims that can be attached in different ways to create completely unique outfits. The customer can then add different pieces to it, instead of buying a whole new garment. Alternatively, the different pieces could be turned into a more appropriate item for the day such as a bag or purse.

Movement of industry: from Manchester to South Asia – the problematic of ethical practices?

As previously examined their has been a decline in the textile trade in Manchester due to the cheaper labour and manufacturing costs in South Asia. These competitive prices have increased practices in unjust and unethical practices being carried out within textile industries in Manchester. With big companies offering clothing and textiles at very low prices people working in textile factories are having to feel the repercussions of throwaway fashion and are being exploited for our fashion retail consumption.

Image above: Factory workers in India working in unsuitable conditions

Movement of industry: from Manchester to South Asia

During the twenty first century their has been a decline in the textile industry in Manchester. Many businesses have had to close and once flourishing textile factories and wholesalers have been shut down. A lot of the industry has moved overseas to South Asia as well as people coming from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in particular to trade in textiles in Manchester.

During my research I found out about a well known textile trading company in Manchester called D.J.R Quilters. D. J. R. Quilters Limited was established in 1967 and are textile merchants & wholesalers specialising in the supply of fabrics suitable for the garment trade covering sports wear, casual wear, functional and leisure wear. They are located on Great Ancoats street. Unfortunately in September 2010 they announced they were having to close due to the business due to the effects of cheap labour available in Asia. D.J.R Quilters is soon-to-be another empty shell of the industry that once defined the first truly industrialised city of modern Britain.

Images above: D.J.R Quilters

Guerilla Craft Movements – how to earn a living without clocking in and out of a factory or mill...

I have been in touch with some local British Pakistani ladies in Manchester who prefer not to be named. They are from the areas of Longsight and Rusholme and have told me how in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s they used to bring in some extra money in order to pay their bills by sewing parts of garments in their own homes instead of through factories. It was a very positive venture to start with as the women were able to become more independent as they were able to continue to fulfil their responsibilities by running their family home as well as earn a few bob in the evenings by sewing into the early hours of the morning.  The garments they produced were mainly nightwear and ladies underwear and they would return them to the factory. They usually were paid 10p per bag of items and this really helped their families to make ends meet. Unfortunately, they were given an order of garments to sew which did not meet health and safety standards and illegal substances were used in the production of the fabrics. This caused some of the women to become seriously ill and the women collectively decided to stop sewing garments in their own homes for factories. However, these sorts of occurrences have not stopped and unfortunately people in Manchester are still being exploited to produce garments cheaply and illegally.

Conclusions of conversations with Manchester based textile crafters...

After having conversed with many textile crafters living in Manchester I have found that they all feel that we should be more conscious about ethical practices in textiles and textile production. Many of the craft makers interviewed as part of this research are already using recycled and renewable fabrics in their work and are supporting the need for more local production of textiles. A few textile craft artists have said that they feel migration has impacted their work in a positive way as they have been inspired to use different materials, colours and textures in their work.

Image above:

South Asian British Textile Shop
by Helen Scalway

This work exploits the cool, quantifying qualities of an architectural plan by using such a ‘plan’ as a structure to hold the unquantifiable desires, reconstructions of memory and presentations of identity contained in a characteristic South Asian textile shop in London.

Textile workshop at Chorlton library....

Today at Chorlton Library I held a workshop for people in Manchester interested in textiles to attend. It was a lovely afternoon of crafting and eating yummy cakes - although I must apologise as it began a bit later than originaly planned.

We made textile pieces out of recycled sari fabrics from South Asia and scraps of leftover material from Manchester. Different techniques were used including embroidery and applique.

I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everybody who participated, including Sonya, Melissa, Nadia, Sabrine and Armaan. Your lovely pieces will be included in the exhibition at the Antony Burgess foundation.

A conversation with Vicky from Sewabee

                                          (Image above: handmade corsage by Vicky)

How long have you been working as an artist?

I only opened my business in September 2010 but have been building my sewing skills up for the past couple of years through courses at my local lifelong learning centre. I run my business alongside my full time job at Connexions.

Do you work with textiles?

Yes I work with all sorts of textiles, either creating items from scratch or adapting existing items of clothing.

How would you describe your work?

Eclectic! As I’m still developing my skills I try and do a wide variety of projects. Over the past month I’ve worked on a vintage corsage for someone’s wedding cake, a fleece for my son’s friend and a dress for me.  When we’ve got a craft fair coming up I work on hair bands, lavender bags, customised cotton shoppers, napkins and peg bags.  I’m constantly adding to my repertoire so that I’m challenged and learning new skills.

What is your inspiration?

Fashion is my inspiration. I love clothes and creating individual looks, sewing enables me to have items that are unique to me. It has also led me to embark on a yearlong challenge in order to raise money for Oldham Cancer Support Centre.  I am not allowed to buy any new clothes or accessories and I aim to wear a different outfit every day. The only concession to my ban is allowing myself to make clothes.

What materials do you use when producing your work?

All different fabrics, my favourite fabric to sew is cotton.

Do you use any recycled or renewable materials in your work?

Yes, I often work with material sourced from charity shops and I use other people’s cast offs.

What are your thoughts on ethical textile production?

My challenge is already changing the way I think about clothes, I used to be always in pursuit of the next new addition to my wardrobe but at the moment I’m revelling in my existing clothes. When the year’s complete I am thinking about restricting myself to only second hand purchases. I love the idea that a garment has history and often wonder what the previous owner’s story was.

Please check out Vicky’s exciting blog where she documents her year-long challenge to raise money for Oldham Cancer Support Centre.

A conversation with craft artist Katy Woollatt

(Image above: textile piece by Katy Woollatt)

How long have you been working as an artist?

I have been working as an artist for just over a year now. I started selling my work regularly in 2009, and since then I have set up a studio and been selling my work in shops, galleries and craft fairs.

Do you work with textiles?

Predominantly I work with glass, making glass jewellery using a technique called’ lampworking’ and I also work in blown glass, which I do less due to the rental costs of a hot glass studio. However I do work with other mediums to accompany my glass work such as hand printed cushions and tote bags, sometimes with glass beads sewn onto them, as a way to add variety to my range.

How would you describe your work?

My glass jewellery is created using a variety of colourful beads made by me in my home studio, which I then combine with silver findings and charms as well as other materials to create bespoke necklaces, bracelets, earrings, bag charms and more. The beads are coloured and patterned using a variety of techniques which can make them stripy, spotty, bright – anything that fits my current inspirations.  My textile pieces are at the moment all one off’s, and to create them I use techniques such as screen printing and appliqué.

What is your inspiration?

I find inspiration for my beads from fashion, patterns, nature – anything that catches my eye for a project. One of my current ranges is inspired by African patterns and masks which use the bold contrasts between black and white to make eye catching patterns.

What are your thoughts on ethical textile production?

Although I’m not familiar with all that ethical textile production entails, as far as working conditions are concerned I think that it’s very important that people in other countries that make our clothes are given the rights that we in the UK have. It’s a shame that in the world we live in has become usual to produce our clothes and many textile items abroad where it is much cheaper, but the clothes are often bad quality and people don’t like to think about the poor conditions the workers are living in. I think it would be great if we could go back 5o years, when you could go to a local dressmaker to have your clothes made, choose your fabrics, and have it fit to your size without it costing the earth.

(Image above: textile piece by Katy Woollatt)

Inventing in Manchester and Textiles...

Manchester has been chosen as the first city in the UK to host a Fab Lab, a community inventors' workshop where new products can be built by both businesses and individuals.

I went to investigate the embroidery machines at the lab which reflect the way traditional craft skills are at risk of being replaced by machines (even I am tempted.)

Textile Workshop on Sunday 20th February

I will be holding a textile workshop on Sunday 20th February at Chorlton Library in Manchester.

It will be a day of exploring textile techniques using recycled materials from South Asia.

All are welcome!

We will be making patchwork pieces for a wall hanging which is going to be exhibited as part of the Craftworks project. I would like as many people as possible to contribute from Manchester.

If you would like more information please contact me at threadsandjewels@live.co.uk

A trip to Manchester Craft and Design Centre...

Yesterday I went to the Northern Quarter for some textile crafty inspiration and research. I love the Northern Quarter - it has such a creative buzz.

Manchester Craft and Design Centre has a range of open studio / retail spaces where craftspeople are making and selling thier work in one space. This is so excellent as you can see them at work and get a real feel for how Manchester's current craft industry is shaped.

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A Converation with Craft Artist CJ Exley – Curious Cat Creative...

(Image above by CJ Exley – Curious Cat Creative)

How long have you been working as an artist?

I have always been creative in one form or another.  In my younger years this took the form of creative writing, drawing and water colours, although none of these have ever been in the public domain.

In 2009 I began looking for a new medium and stumbled across leather almost by accident.  In January 2010 Curious Cat Creative was set up and I run it as a part time business.

Do you work with textiles?

I work with leather.

How would you describe your work?

Different, good quality and constantly evolving.

Every item I make has been designed by me.  I hand cut all my pieces, tool them, dye and finish.  I don’t use any decorative stamps or pre cut shapes, it’s just not what I’m about.

What is your inspiration?

My main inspiration comes from wanting people to appreciate what I do.   Nothing gives me more pride than to hear someone say ‘wow’ about something I’ve designed and made.  I do take inspiration from nature, flowers for example, but I also like to just start with no real plan and see what comes out.

Some of my necklaces have hand painted designs.  None of these designs are really planned unless it’s a variation on something I’ve done before, generally it takes shape as I start to apply colour and it stops when it think it’s ‘right’

What materials do you use when producing your work?

I use tooling leather, which can be carved, moulded and dyed.  I then use leather dyes and finishes. Silver plate and Sterling Silver is also used for jewellery depending on the piece.

Do you use any recycled or renewable materials in your work?

I use vegetable tanned tooling leather which is a by product of the meat industry.

What are your thoughts on ethical textile production?

It’s a hard one.  As someone who hand makes items I am only too aware that not everyone will pay the extra to buy one of my products rather than a mass produced item available at a fraction of the cost on the high street. 

I suppose it’s about education.  If we don’t really understand the impact of something on the environment or the people making it then can we make an informed choice? 

(Image above by CJ Exley – Curious Cat Creative)

A conversation with Textile Craft Artist Lisa Watson...

(Image above: Textile art piece by Lisa Watson)

How long have you been working as an artist?

I graduated from MMU in 1992, and I have been creating artwork for a long time, but I still don’t make a living from my own work.

Do you work with textiles?

My degree was in embroidery. I am also a qualified art and design teacher, so I can work in lots of different creative practises.

How would you describe your work?

I call myself an arts maker and educator, so as well as making my own textile pieces, I also help people to create their own artwork for projects and workshops. At the moment I make ‘stitchpics’ which are essentially stitched pictures. Colour and pattern are important in my own work. You can see some of my examples of my work at; www.lisawatsontextiles.co.uk

What is your inspiration?

I am still inspired by my sketchbooks, but I can be inspired by lots of things and at the moment it is proverbs!

What materials do you use when producing your work?

I use vintage or retro fabrics, mostly cottons, for my work, which I then applique and stitch onto.

Do you use any recycled or renewable materials in your work?

I find old fabrics have more interesting qualities about them. At present I am making work from a selection of whitework placemats that my mother had been hoarding and last year passed onto me.

Do you find migration in the North West has affected the production of your work in any way?

I am really interested in the historical and social significance of textile production in the North-West. Last year I use ABC Wax fabrics (designed in Hyde and now printed in Ghana for the Ghananese market) in a quilt completed for International Women’s Day at The Monastery in Gorton. All the delegates brought a snippet of fabric to the day and it was stitched together in the quilt. Each fabric snippet had a story attached and all these stories were collected. The Manchester International Women’s Day quilt 2010 is going to be display at The People’s History Museum for this year’s IWD which is the 100^th anniversary of the event.

What are your thoughts on ethical textile production?

If viable and sustainable ethical textile production is an ideal model.

A conversation with Textile Craft Artist Jane Dennerly...

(Image above: clutch bag made using recycled vintage silk and button Jane Dennerly)

How long have you been working as an artist? 

I have been working as an artist since I graduated in June 2008. I am currently involved in facilitating textile workshops on a freelance basis and selling my work through galleries, shops and fairs. I have worked with both primary and secondary school children on various projects, using embroidery and fabric manipulation techniques. Such projects have included re vamping clothing, designing and making fashion accessories and creating themed wall hangings and banners.  My work with adults has included facilitating a series of workshops, in a community mental health setting.

Do you work with textiles?

Yes I work with textiles. My degree was BA HONS Textile/Surface Design.

How would you describe your work?

My work involves designing and making fashion accessories and soft home furnishings such as cushions.  I am currently working on a series of vintage inspired bags, collars and corsages using 1940’s silk, Harris Tweed and vintage buttons. Although I am aware of current trends in fashion, my style is unique and my designs are ‘one off’s.

What is your inspiration?

During my degree I studied the history of bags and created ‘pockets’, based on my family tree  and created a range of bags that were inspired by eastern European culture. I have a particular interest in vintage and antique textiles and enjoy going to exhibitions and fairs. I recently visited Bath’s Fashion Museum, where I participated in a study session on historical dress. The detail in 17^th and 18^th century clothing particularly on collars, cuffs and hems such as embroidery and fabric manipulation, has inspired me to adapt these techniques for use in my own work. 

Another trip last year to Harris and Lewis in the Western Isles gave me the inspiration to work with Harris Tweed.

What materials do you use when producing your work?

I love to work using natural fibres, such as wool, silk, linen and cotton.

Do you use any recycled or renewable materials in your work? 

Some aspects of my work incorporates recycled fabrics, I like to use ‘old’ woollen blankets, dye them and re use them to make bags and cushions.  I like to re use old clasps, buckles and buttons. I have re vamped ‘old’ tray cloths and embroidered into them to give a contemporary feel. Some of the materials I use are given to me, or either bought from charity shops or antique markets. I also like to swap materials with other makers.

What are your thoughts on ethical textile production?

 I believe that there is a terrible wastage of fabric and textiles in the world. Partly due to cheap fashion and a throw away culture, the fashion industry has a lot to do with this, with producing constant new collections.  The high street subsequently keeps up and new colours, patterns, styles appear in high street shops. I think as money becomes tight, I hope people will think more about giving to charity shops or re vamping old clothes rather than throwing them away.

Also I believe dyeing methods have an impact on the planet and I like to see natural dyes used in products where possible.

(Image above: bag made from Harris Tweed bought in Harris and Lewis by Jane Dennerly.) 

A Conversation with Textile Craft Artist Patricia Bown...

(Image above: Urchin Installation by Patricia Bown)

How long have you been working as an artist?

Since I graduated with BA (HONS)Textiles in 2007

How would you describe your work?

I use the traditional techniques of crochet, felt making, hand and machine knitting to create tactile contemporary pieces for exhibition, fashion accessories and interior design.

What is your inspiration?

All aspects of nature- shape, colour, texture, weather influences, changing seasons

What materials do you use when producing your work?

That would depend on the project and the overall effect I am trying to achieve. I experiment with lots of textiles, yarns and fibres.

Do you use any recycled or renewable materials in your work?

This again would depend on the project but I do try to use them when I can.

What are your thoughts on ethical textile production?

That there are many issues to consider-working conditions, exploitation, fair trade, sustainable production and the environment.  Everyone wants to pay less for their goods etc which ultimately means something has to suffer. There needs to be more emphasis on   sustainability and responsibility in the future.

For more information on Patricia Bown check out her website!

Hello and Welcome to the Craftworks Textile Blog

My name is Alia, I am a textile artist and illustrator. I have been working as a craft artist since 2006 when I opened my studio at the Manchester Craft and Design Centre. Since then, I have developed my own crafts company www.threadsandjewels.com

I have a passion for textiles which stems from a childhood of being surrounded by beautiful textures and patterns. My grandfather, Shiekh Munawer Hussain migrated to England in the early 1950's and subsequently settled down and built a life in Manchester. He opened his first textile factory in Ancoats in the 1970's. He manufactured socks and tights to begin with and this then developed to knitwear. My Mum told me tales of how as a child she would help my Grandmother check the quality of the socks were up to standard and pack them away in packets and boxes ready to be sold. At the age of 19 my mother moved on to help at my Grandfather's knitwear factory, overlocking, pressing and buttoning.

My mother grew up around textiles and she learnt many skills which my Grandmother taught her including general sewing of clothes, crotchet, knitting and embroidery (mostly cross stitch). As a result of this my mother passed these skills down to me and I also learnt how to sew, knit and embroider. My Grandfather closed the factories in the 1980's and started developing buisnesses in other avenues. This was due to the fact that the textile industry in Manchester was declining and thier was no longer a need for local factories as cheaper labour was available overseas. I have since developed a huge interest in Manchester's textile industry and local craft makers.

My contribution to the Craftwork project aims to examine local people in the community and Craft artists experiences of textiles and thier views on migration, ethical production and sustainability.

I hope you will follow me capturing all of lovely stories people have to share!

(Image above: My mother Robina Akhter crotcheting)

(An image of the crotchet piece up close - it is growing to grow into a beautiful bag!)

(Image above: my lovely Grandmother Tayyba Khanim Hussain who passed down all of her fantastic skills to her daughters and her grandaughters)