T’is the season... Wishing our readers a warm and happy holiday...

The Selvedge Team

Cover Image: Carl Bengtsson

Selvedge Magazine Editorial Office 162 Archway Road, London N6 5BB editor@selvedge.org www.selvedge.org T: +44 (0)20 8341 9721

Publisher: Selvedge Ltd Editor in Chief: Polly Leonard editor@selvedge.org Editor: Elizabeth Smith editorial@selvedge.org Advertising and Events Manager: Clare Bungey advertising@selvedge.org Brand and Product Manager: Felicity Shum drygoods@selvedge.org Circulation Manager: Gráinne McKenna subscriptions@selvedge.org Listings Editor: Primrose Tricker listings@selvedge.org Editorial Intern: Harriet Hobday intern@selvedge.org Copy Editor: Peter Shaw selvedge

TM

(ISSN: 1742-254X) is published bi-monthly six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November by Selvedge Ltd. Registered Office 14 Milton Park, Highgate, London, N6 5QA. Copyright © Selvedge Ltd 2011. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The editor reserves the right to edit, shorten or modify any material submitted. The editor’s decision on all printed material is final. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Selve dge magazine, Selvedge Ltd or the editor. Unsolicited material will be considered but cannot be returned. Printing: W estdale Press Ltd UK. Colour Origination: PH Media. Web Design: datadial. Distribution: DHL Global Mail, Periodicals Postage Paid at Rahway NJ. Postmaster send address corrections to Selvedge Magazine, DHL Global Mail (UK) Ltd, Mills Road, Quarry W ood, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7WZ. Subscription rates for one year (6 issues): Paper Magazine, UK £50.00; Europe €75.00; USA $75.00; Canada C$135.00; Australia AU$100.00; Japan ¥10,500; Rest of W orld £75.00

We hope you enjoy our seasonal animation by Lesley Barnes visit the Selvedge website during December www.selvedge.org selvedge selvedge selvedge Bias

Contributors

As the year draws to a close it is a good time to reflect on what has been achieved and what is still to do. This year has seen the loss of one of my favourite magazines: its departure brought home to me the special place it held in my heart. When I received my letter saying publication was to cease it was a sad day. Although new ventures will be born, nothing will fill the space exactly .

Change can be difficult to deal with and in this issue we look at individuals who worked to document disappearing ways of life. Joaquín Sorolla’ s paintings, The Glory of Spanish Dress, pg 48, captured regional costumes in his beautiful watercolour paintings and through them conveyed the essence of Spain. In Sweden Artur Hazelius was determined to preserve rural traditions and founded the Nordiska Museet, in Stockholm, pg 21. The objects, many of them textiles, that he collected for future generations were documented on exquisite, handpainted 19th century catalogue cards. These men grasped the past and held on to it so it wouldn’t be forgotten and for that they have our gratitude. Other things adapt to survive: closer to home we head to Nottingham and explore the history of machine made lace, pg 40 . Today lace, both machine produced and its handmade equivalent, continue to inspire designers. Furne One at Amato Haute Couture celebrates its strength and delicacy in his ‘I am the Queen’ collection, pg 44 and Carl Bengtsson, pg 26 shoots divine wedding dresses in a snow-covered Swedish landscape.

And there are those who embrace change. In Birmingham Lost in Lace curated by Lesley Miller, pg 36, demonstrates how techniques of the past can provide a springboard to new ways of working. While curator and artist Lucy Orta looks at pattern cutting from a similar perspective in Block Party, pg 66.

As Christmas draws closer and things become more frantic it’ s worth pausing and trying to find a moment’s peace. Readers often tell us that is what Selvedge offers – the chance to take half an hour out of a busy day to read an article or just enjoy some beautiful images. I want to take this opportunity to thank our loyal readers. However you support Selvedge – in the form of a subscription, attending our events, shopping from our drygoods range or simply by following us through social media you help us publish the magazine and do all we can to promote textiles. This year , as a small token of our appreciation, we have commissioned artist Lesley Barnes to produce an animated Christmas greeting which will be live on our website during Advent. I do hope you enjoy the work of this talented artist. Enjoy a peaceful holiday...

How do you keep the peace at Christmas?

GRAINNE MCKENNA pg 96

As a child with appalling wrapping skills, my Mother devised a ‘clever’ way to keep my gifts away from her tastefully decorated family tree. Each year I would be ‘encouraged’ to construct a twig tree from sticks found in the garden and place my gifts under that instead...

NICOLA DONOVAN pg 40

A peaceful Christmas for me is one that involves curling up by the fire with a stack of novels, foodie treats and a glass of something delicious. I love to be with family and luckily they know me well so allow for my seasonal indulgence in recreational reading marathons.

I have a no gift exchange policy for Christmas. Instead I try to encourage people to make something, write a story of memories or family history, cook a meal or make a donation on someone's behalf so that my family still know they are giving a token to loved ones.

Polly Leonard Editor in Chief

STEPHANIE HOUSLEY, pg 76

3

in f o r m s e l v e d g e . o r g