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Bias

LIVING IN LONDON I often feel spoilt for choice. There are so many events that it’s sometimes overwhelming. I felt this recently visiting a fabric fair: after viewing 300 fabrics in 30 colourways all from a single company I was suffering from a form of textile colour blindness. After taking the time to talk to designers, I discovered some real treasures often in quite unexpected places. Del Cerro in Colorado, pg 14 and Anta in Scotland, pg 70 are two companies that stand out from the crowd. Working on a small scale they create products with the distinct signature based on the style and vision of a talented individual and are stronger for it.

The same can be said of the shopkeepers, pg 64 featured in our Christmas shopping article. The owners of egg, hand and loop fill their shops with eclectic merchandise that makes browsing an uplifting experience – worlds apart from that encountered on the high street.

This issue is bursting with inspiring individuals, including Sheila Paine, pg 56, an intrepid traveller who takes us on a tour of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, pg 58. She’s an extraordinary individual who has enriched the world of textiles through her passion, personal courage and spirit. Her contribution in the form of an outstanding collection must be preserved and we highlight her search to find a suitable home for her treasures.

In a season of long nights and cold mornings we all find it harder and harder to leave the comfort and warmth of our beds. To help you snuggle down we examine the finest bed linen, pg 26. We look at the beauty of draped fabric in the work of Sophia Kokosalaki, pg 22 as well as in architecture. Capturing the drapes and folds of fine fabric has always been a test of an artist’s skill but architects and stonemasons created their own versions.

Here at Selvedge changes are afoot. Our Stockists page has been a victim of our success and is no longer large enough to include details of where to buy your copy of Selvedge. That information can now be found on our website and instead we’ve included a directory of Selvedge advertisers and featured companies. We would also like to introduce the Selvedge bookshop, our first selection of textile related reading material. Our first catalogue is enclosed with this issue and also available on our website which we have updated and made easier to navigate. Do let me know what you think and have a great Christmas.

Polly Leonard, Editor

The French House Contributors

This month’s contributors gave us their thoughts on a good night’s sleep.

Cia Wedin pg 78

My most refreshing sleep would be on an all-natural Hästens mattress in a sassy B&B Italia bed, with crispy white bedlinen, a Cushendale mohair throw and, most important, cats Leia and Lilly. They have truly mastered the Art of Sleeping. Dozing off, totally indifferent to the world around them! And that lovely purring…what a lullaby!

John & Allison Abdelnour pg 74

In all honesty, the fate of our night’s rest lies entirely with our cat, Tele, and where exactly it is on the bed that he decides to sleep. I’m afraid we have no advice to offer in this scenario. We do, however, highly recommend a long bath, coupled with freshly washed sheets, to greatly improve one’s chances of successfully drifting off to sleep.

Clare de Lotbinière pg 40

At the end of a long day rushing around from A to B, back to A, and then on to C with a toddler, clean bedlinen made of pure cotton is bliss. If the pillow cases have been ironed then the maker of the bed gets a bonus point and I can wish for nothing more. Well, nothing other than breakfast in bed and someone else on 6am toddler duty.

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