Textile Study Group

My second book was published in June 2009 and is now available to order from my web site www.lizard-dance.com .

This book introduces original African sources using as starting points:

   ·        Material

   ·        Construction

   ·        Recycling

   ·        Decoration

   ·        Embroidery

These topics are the starting points for developing ideas. The focus is on innovation and imaginative use of materials. There are clear instructions with samples to explore:

·        Dyeing with woad

·        Print and text on fabric

·        Piecing & patching African style

·        Recycling found objects

·        Metal & patinating fluid

·        Bonding paper and fabric

·        Surface stitch

·        Edges and embellishments

There are over 120 new photographs which illustrate the text.

African Inspirations in Embroidery
Mary Sleigh
published by Batsford
ISBN 0-7134-8921-9
£17.99

This lavishly illustrated book contains over 90 colour images of the African people and landscape encountered in my travels and research expeditions in southern Africa. These images together with textiles, beadwork and artefacts from my personal collection are used as inspiration to explore the journey from source material through the design process to completed textiles.

• A wide variety of media, materials and techniques are included to explore colour, pattern and surface texture.
• A range of textile techniques and working samples provide ideas for experimentation.
• The work of leading textile artists is featured showing their responses to an African theme.

African Inspirations in Embroidery
was re-printed in  April 2009 as a paper back with a new cover.

This is available from Amazon and from my web site  www.lizard-dance.com as well.