Poetic Cloth: Creating Meaning in Textile Art

by Hannah Lamb

A guide to creating beautiful and meaningful textiles.

Poetic cloth is about how cloth, stitch and surface create personal meaning in textile art. It shows how a more thoughtful use of material and process can create textiles of depth and meaning.

Grounded in the key elements of the well-established author's work, the book begins with an introduction to materials, their properties and personal meanings. Subsequent chapters help the reader to explore the connection between process and material, focusing on stitch, print, surface manipulation and construction to create seductive textile surfaces. The emphasis throughout is on a sensitivity to material, a quiet attention to detail and thoughtful application of textile technique.

The chapters are: Touch (cloth and swatch); Stitch (mark, surface and space); Trace (layer and shadow play); Fragment (worn, threadbare, cobweb); Mend (patch, seam, and darn); Lustre (alchemy and radiance). Techniques include hand stitch, shadow work, patching, darning, devoré and cyanotype printing.

Written by member of the prestigious 62 Group Hannah Lamb, this is an invaluable book for textile artists who want to give more meaning to their work.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Fashion, Crafts

128 pages, Hardcover

First published August 22, 2019

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as the cover says, Hannah Lamb shows you how to create meaning in textile art. She goes through her creative process, and the procedures and techniques she uses in her practice, from how she selects material to how she processes and assembles them. She furnishes each section with examples from the work of other textile artists, and often offers activities and techniques for the reader to try.

I found much in here that is useful to me in thinking about my own practice.

[Ruth Ropper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book full of lots of ideas and examples with textiles, artist showcases and techniques. Add it to your bookshelf and dip in regularly.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of good ideas and inspiration.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing like exploring the tactile, slow stitching and imagining possibilities with fabric. Love the title, well suited indeed. A calming, practical and comfortable book.

[māris šteinbergs · Rating 5 out of 5]

iedvesmojoša, skaista un nomierinoša. tieši tas, ko vajag.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed this from the library and would like to own it...so much creative spark happening throughout!