Resilient Stitch: Wellbeing and Connection in Textile Art

Claire Wellesley-Smith explores the importance of connection and ideas around wellbeing when using textiles for individuals and communities, featuring contemporary textile artists and personal work. The book recommends resilient fabrics, techniques such as layering, patching, reinforcing, re-stitching, and mending, and ideas for the inclusion of everyday materials in your work. It also explores ways to link your emotional health with your textile practice and suggests ways to make connections with others in your regular textile work. Finally, it has a moving account of one textile community's creative response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

Format: Hardback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 15 April 2021
Publisher: Pavilion Books

Following on from her textile hit Slow Stitch, author Claire Wellesley-Smith delves into the profound significance of connection and ideas surrounding well-being when utilizing textiles for individuals and communities. In this captivating book, she offers practical insights into 'thinking-through-making,' utilizing 'resonant materials,' and extending the lifespan of pieces through traditional and non-traditional methods. Contemporary textile artists who embrace these themes in their work are showcased alongside personal pieces from Claire and examples from community-based textile projects. The book features some of the most esteemed textile artists in the world, including esteemed American fiber artists and the legendary Alice Kettle.

Throughout the book, Wellesley-Smith advocates for resilient fabrics that can be manipulated, stressed, withstand tension, and be made anew. She presents techniques such as layering, patching, reinforcing, re-stitching, and mending, along with ideas for incorporating everyday materials into your textile practice. There is an exploration of ways to link your emotional health with your textile practice, and Community offers practical suggestions for making connections with others within your regular textile work. Landscape provides a range of ideas and examples for immersing your work in the local landscape, offering a terrific way to find meaning in your work and a sense of place. Finally, the book offers a moving account of one textile community's creative response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, highlighting the power of textiles to bring people together and provide solace during challenging times.

The connection between well-being and the creation of textiles has never been stronger, and Claire Wellesley-Smith, as a leading exponent of this campaign, is the perfect author to guide you on a journey beyond mere textile finishes. With her expertise and passion, this book empowers you to discover the profound impact that textiles can have on your personal and community well-being. Whether you are a seasoned textile artist or a newcomer to the world of fiber, Slow Stitch and its companion volumes will inspire and empower you to create meaningful and lasting connections through the art of textile creation.

Weight: 786g
Dimension: 224 x 283 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781849946070