Shielagh Tacey Handwoven

I was amazed when I saw these photographs of woven spider silk currently on display in London at the V&A.

It takes the silk from 23,000 golden orb spiders to weave just 25 grams of silk. These spiders are found in Madagascar and are borrowed from the forest to extract their silk before returning them unharmed.

Photographs: John Brown/Nicholas Godley/Simon Peers

See more photographs here.

A Christmas treat for your eyeballs, enjoy! See you all in 2012…

Animation by David Shrigley

My friend Anna Williams is a baking genius! We went to Glasgow School of Art together and I’m utterly impressed with her cake decorating skills. She is based in Sheffield and I think I may need to visit soon to taste these beauties! YUM.

She offers a large range of cakes on her website and even cake making workshops. Above is one of her classic wedding cake designs and below a fantastic children’s party cake.

Please check out her website here and also her facebook page. Get 15% OFF my etsy shop with code from HERE!

I have recently started to work as a freelance designer for Centex. Centex design and manufacture scarves for major brands worldwide. This has been a fantastic opportunity for me to experience manufacturing on a large scale and also give me an insight into the textile industry.

Centex produce woven (both dobby and jacquard), printed and embroidered textiles. This has meant that I have been able to increase my knowledge of weave but also use my background in illustration to produce print designs. Above is a close up of a design I have produced for a printed scarf and below is the design for the full scarf. This is my first finished design and I am very excited about seeing it as a finished scarf!

Yarn bombing makes me smile! Here are some of my favourite yarn bombs on another one of my favourite things, bicycles.

Photos from Yarn Bombing on Facebook.

I’m currently working on a commissioned scarf in a range of pinks,oranges and reds. I have used a technique that is new to me, blending colours whilst winding the warp. When I normally wind a warp I wind colours in set blocks or stripes, for example 1 inch of blue, then 1 inch of red, then 1 inch of green…If you look carefully at this warp you can see that I have changed from one colour to another in a much more gradual way, switching between colours whilst winding  rather than a sudden colour change.

I am really pleased with the effect this has created and think it will be an interesting effect to explore further. I have started weaving this warp using a beige weft and a diamond twill. I think this scarf is going to look wonderful when it hangs naturally and is allowed to overlap to emphasize the subtle colour blends.

We are quickly heading towards the summer, yippeeeee! So I thought I would celebrate with a spring sale on my Etsy shop.

I am offering a discount of 15% (until 1st June). To get the discount please enter this code when you check out:

STHWTSPRINGSALE

Enjoy!

Liza Brown

Congratulations! Please send me your address and I’ll get it posted to you or your Mum. Here’s a picture of your scarf all ready to go:

A massive THANK YOU to all those who entered. My new yarn finally arrived yesterday so I’m planning on spending the next few weeks designing and making new items. Keep checking my shop and my facebook page for regular updates.

I spotted my first snow drops of the year yesterday, in the middle of Glasgow city centre too! Snow drops are a favourite flower of mine because they are one of the first signs of Spring. Here’s a hoping!

With Spring approaching I am currently working on a new selection of spring inspired scarves suitable for warmer weather, I really am feeling optimistic! Also I am designing a selection of items in time for Mothering Sunday.  I will be doing a GIVEAWAY just in time to give your Mum the perfect gift (or grab yourself a cheeky treat) so do keep an eye out here.

As I’m on a flower and Mum theme here’s a photo of an Amaryllis I grew from a bulb my Mum gave me for Christmas:

Thanks to everyone who I have met this past week at craft fairs and to all of you who have bought something from me. It has made me a very happy sole and so I’m off to buy myself a birthday treat – THANK YOU!

My shop is looking a little bare so it is the perfect time to request items for me to make – even if you simply want to let me know what colours you think I should use.. Contact me here.

Just before I go here’s a photo of my stall at Merchant Square: