Free Textile Magazine

If you love textiles, papermaking, quilting, basketry and other fibre arts then you would enjoy reading the Textile Fibre Forum Magazine (TAFTA). I have been a subscriber for 5 years and am always inspired by the diversity of the artisans featured. The quarterly magazine includes news and events from around the world and advertises textile tours and suppliers of felting wool, dyes and yarns, etc.

I am helping with a much-needed subscriber drive to keep the magazine going and to attract a new generation of readers. Thanks to the generosity of editor Janet de Boer, I am very excited to offer my readers a sample issue of the magazine. To receive your free issue, please email your details to Janet: tafta[at]iinet.net.au with the subject "Free Sample Mag - Thea".

This offer is open to all readers. Australian readers are kindly requested to help with postage costs (if possible) by forwarding $1.50 of unused stamps. If you like what you see, please consider subscribing to future issues.

I have selected the following images from stories in the current issue.

Fibre shoes by Therese Flynn-Clarke. Part of a series made from materials including stitched leaves and raw Nepalese silk. Image by artist.

The INTRODUCING SPECIES shoe by Beth Hatton is based on a early convict shoe pattern. The artist believes that the convicts were responsible for spreading weeds via their shoes and so has created these from indigenous grasses and weeds. Image by Ian Hobbs.

Hand-felted jacket from New Zealand artist Raewyn Penrose. Raewyn is leading a New Zealand tour for felt makers. More information here.


FISH FILE is part of an exhibition of Hand Made Artist's books by Sandy Gerritsen and Mo Skett at the Gympie Regional Gallery recently. Materials used are driftwood, woven wax linen and relief prints. Image by David Skett.

To read more, please subscribe to TAFTA.