More Awards

I am delighted to have won a number of awards at this year’s Bradford Textile Society Design Competition.

British Wool Winning Fabric

1st Prize - The British Wool Marketing Board Award -  for my tightly woven durable fabric intended for use in schools, corporate environments or transport where a fabric needs to work well under pressure.

1st Prize - The Clothworkers' Foundation Award - awarded by The Clothworkers' Foundation, the awarding body of the ancient Clothworkers' Company, (one of the Great Twelve livery companies in the UK). This award is given to the best woven fabrics.  

The Cloth of Kings Award - an engraved medal, this award is selected from all the entries to the national Bradford Textile Society Design Competition using 'noble' yarns such as cashmere, wool and silk.

The Woolmark Company Award - Commendation - for my jacquard-woven Merino fabric. This award is given to textiles with not less than 60% Merino yarn.

The Association of Fashion and Textile Courses Award - Commendation - this was for one of my fabrics with a small repeat. It was jacquard-woven in silk and my entry included illustrations of how this fabric might be used within a collection.

I feel most fortunate to have my work selected for awards again this year. More to follow after the presentation ceremony and exhibition.

Fabrics find a ready market at Interiors UK

Last week my fabrics received a great deal of attention at Interiors UK. They were praised for their modern bold aesthetic and striking colours. The designs were based on my research drawings of ancient artefacts, buildings and ceramics but have been translated into soft geometrics and clean graphics. 

My new fabrics on the stand at Interiors UK

All of the fabrics have been woven here in the UK and I'm delighted to report that all the silks are now in commercial production with the prestigious David Walters Fabrics of Sudbury (contact Richard Norris 01787 466677 for more info) who have included my designs and colours in their new collection.  

Silks and Lace

Wool and Cotton 

I am now in conversation with a British mill, hoping to produce my heavier- weight fabrics and make them available to purchase. These large samples pieces were woven at the University of Derby on the Jacquard loom and are fine wool on a cotton warp. They would be ideal for upholstery and created quite a buzz with prospective buyers - they were definitely favourites at the show. These will of course need to be tested for durability prior to becoming available for sale, in line with furnishing industry normal requirements and I can't wait to see them in production .

One of four fabulous Scottish Madras Lace panels 

The lace, above, woven for me by MYB Textiles in Ayryshire, was also widely admired. This unique voile fabric has a fine base (in this case cotton) into which the pattern is gradually woven. Once complete, all the non-woven threads are snipped away leaving the pattern as if floating in the gauze. My striking designs and this age-old technique are united to create a contemporary translucent fabric which would work well in both modern and traditional spaces. I would love to experiment further with this beautiful fabric.

In addition to working with the companies above I also had invaluable help and advice from DHJ Weisters of Darwen. They worked with me on a number of other designs, one of which was on show with my small samples. I am still working with Weisters, so hopefully there will be more to show here soon.

Bradford Textiles Design Competition Success

CLOTHWORKERS' FOUNDATION AWARD  'A Woven Fabric for Mens or Womenswear'

I am delighted to have won a commendation for one of my fabrics in this prestigious competition. The Society's annual competition attracts almost 1,000 entries from students throughout the UK. 

The commendation was awarded for my Meandering Checks fabric (right) which is 97% wool, 3% polyamide and was woven on a Bonus jacquard loom. This fabric marks the beginning of my 'Black & White' range and was a development from previous work on the handloom.

The sample below shows my original trial piece, which was woven on an 8 shaft Harris table loom using British wools.