Searching for textile arts visionary, guest speaker

We are looking for suggestions for our 2012 Tennessee Presents Textiles guest speaker. We need someone who can produce a runway show and and fill the room with great energy for the morning program. We are looking for people who have had a vision in the textile world and want to share it with us. Suggestions so far have been Alabama Chanin and Mondo (from Bravo TV's Project Runway). Keep the ideas coming. I promise you we will research all recommendations.

Fun, Fun, Fun....

We did it! 150+ women, Rachel Clark and a regional runway show. Good eats, shopping and a great time had by all.

Now we catch our breaths before beginning to get organized for 2012! Already we have a theme for TPT 2012 and it is "The Spirit of the Circus." So look forward to bright colors and a lively spirited event. Thanks to all who participated in our event this year. We appreciate your support and enthusiasm. We are learning and growing. Our vision for this event is ever developing. So watch out world (or East Tennessee), here we come.

Thailand Fashion School presents at TPT

Fourth year fashion design students from Thailand's premier design school will be showing their show-stopping garments in the Tennessee Presents Textiles show.

It is a great privilege for us to see their high fashion designs and a wonderful opportunity for them to present in America. Their designs are innovative, rich with texture, fabric manipulations, and imagination.

The fashion school has a long standing relationship with the regional textile show and we are so excited and proud to exhibit their work again this year.

Almost Show Time

It's down to the wire and last weekend Geri's weaving studio was turned into a photography studio as we took photos of some of the work that is going to be featured in the runway show! It was a fun day and we are really excited about what we have to present this Saturday...
Photos were taken by Robert Burleson at www.BurlPhotoArt.com

Fabulous artwear from the Crayon Box

The countdown is on! Make sure you have your tickets to attend a fabulous day of fiber art with our guest speaker, Rachel Clark, and 25 textile artists from the southeast. Call (423) 442-3210 for tickets today! Advanced purchase is required.

Rachel's presentation will include 25 of her artwear coats such as pieces from her "Out of the Crayon Box" series (shown here). For those who have not had the pleasure of attending one of her workshops or presentations, Rachel is witty, inspiring, and down-to-earth. Her colorful wearable art pieces tell a story and express her unique point of view. She is a talented and highly respected textile artist, so don't miss this opportunity to spend a day with her.

Save the date: November 13
See you there!

Preview of Challenge garments: textures

The "Power of the Pocket" Challenge garments have arrived and show garments are also coming in! We're giving you a sampling of textures here to whet your fiber art appetite for the upcoming runway show, sale and Challenge exhibit on November 13.

Rachel's Coming!

Rachel Clark just posted on her website that she will be bringing 25 of her coats to share with us at 'Tennessee Presents Textiles'. Can't wait to see them!

Riverbend Fiber Artists meet Pocket Challenge

Our friends from the Riverbend Fiber Arts Guild in Chattanooga have been working on our Pocket challenge all year. The winners were announced at their September meeting, yesterday. Here are some of them.

TPT gives them a big thumbs up! You can see more of the meeting at www.riverbendfiberarts.com, and www.fiberanticsbyveronica.com.

Getting Ready!

We are getting ready for the opening of our exhibit at the Athen's Living Heritage Museum in Athens, TN opening September 4. The manikin ladies are getting their hats and hairdos and ribbon shoes so they will be ready for your viewing pleasure. We have a great array of textile artists. This exhibit features weavers, crocheters, quilters, felters, dyers, and inventors of heirloom fabrics. We have it all. All these regional artists will be on hand at the runway event in November, paired with nationally known 'wearable art' artist Rachel Clark. This exhibit will tantalize your taste buds and give you a sense of the upcoming runway show, November 13. Tickets are on sale through MACA and at the museum.

And while you are viewing the preview of our upcoming show, don't miss the museum's quilt show "Once Upon A Time". It is running September 4-October 29.

One of the pieces we set up yesterday is by new to TPT artist Nancy Green. The committee had a real “omg” moment when she brought this dress by the MACA office. All her garments are hand sewn onto vintage slips. This picture just can’t do the luscious laces justice. You’ll just have to come see it for yourself in Athens. You’ll also get to see how we resolved the bald mannequin issue. Check out “Once Upon a Time” at the textile link on http://livingheritage.comcastbiz.net/

These pictures are of our committee hard at work to bring you a great show.
Diana, Ivy, and Mary are at the MACA office getting posters ready to hang.








Marlys and Diana are taking a break after setting up the display at the McMinn Living Heritage Museum in Athens. Hope to see you at the opening on Saturday, September 4 in Athens. You will see a great representation of the art work for the November 2010 edition of TPT.

Felting is big in the fiber world this year and we are pleased to add another new felt artist to TPT this year. Elaine Fronczek's passion and respite from the ordinary is creating clothing and home decor items from fabric and yarn. She is a semi-retired clinical pharmacist who has always been fascinated by fabric, yarn, fiber and the ability to cerate beautiful objects from them. When introduced to wet felting she discovered the ability to create her own unique fabric using these elements. Her designs are inspired by the mid-century and contemporary artists and fabric designers.

A good friend of TPT, AKA Butterfly Betty recently brought me the ultimate pocket garment. These overalls once belonged to her father and are well worn. In honor of our pocket theme, she decorated many of the pockets with her trademark butterflies. Betty has done the table decorations for the show for several years. Friends like Betty are a great motivator for doing this show.

Weaving Artist Judith Krone

This picture is just what we need in the heat wave we are having in Tennessee this summer.



Judith Krone has an MFA in textiles from Georgia State University. She recently completed a tour to Japan where she did intensive study in Shibori and Indigo dyeing. Her pieces are in collections all over the United States and in Japan, England, Ireland, Denmark, Switzerland, Poland and Hunguary. She uses a symmetrical grid on which she overlays various resist dyeing techniques and also creates intricate weave structures with depth and character using complicated patterns she designs herself.

New jewelry artist

Cynthia Patrick is a new artist to TPT this year.
Here's what she writes for her bio:

"I received a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 2001. Since then I have worked as a freelance graphic designer and a letterpress printer, but currently I enjoy exploring various forms of fiber art and creating lampwork beads and jewelry.

I am constantly inspired by nature and love to experiment with color, pattern, and texture. My goal is to capture a sense of whimsy and individual style. Like a lovingly gathered collection of tiny treasures, I want my glass beads to be beautiful and unique on their own but create an interesting conversation when grouped together."


You can see her work at: www.handmadeimpressions.com

Diana Ferguson

Diana Ferguson will be showing again at TPT. She creates new fabric out of pieces of fabrics. Then she uses multiple techniques to embellish her garments. Rich color is always evident when her creations walk down the runways.

Anna Kelly, new artist to TPT

Here's Anna's bio and pictures. She is new to our show this year. Her pictures show why we are happy to have her!





I have been playing with needle arts for fifty years. I started with garment construction and in the early 80’s experimented with quilting. Today I prefer a combination of the two and my main concentration is quilted wearables. I love learning different techniques and the wearables allow me to use a technique, finish my project, and move on to another technique. I have won awards for clothing construction and for quilting. This year I am excited to have a quilt in the AQS show in Knoxville.

I have a degree in education. When I lived in Maryland, I taught in the Montgomery County adult education program. My experience in Knoxville has been at Best Sewing where I taught a variety of classes. I also taught classes at their semi-annual quilting schools here in Knoxville and annual embroidery conferences held in Indiana.

I have taught at Stitches from the Heart, Gina’s, Joann’s, Hancock Fabrics, and A Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge.

Heirloom Style Children's Clothing

These are examples of the types of dresses that I make for little ones.
Much of the time I use antique linens to incorporate into the dresses. Sometimes, a hanky becomes a collar, or a table cloth becomes a skirt, or even linen placemats and napkins form a border or collar on a dress.
Several of my dresses and costumes have been featured in the Tennessee Presents Textiles Fashion Show.
Go to my other blog at juliassewsweetandspecial.blogspot.com to see more of my sewing, some painting, and other such things.

Bob Hardin

Just attended a memorial service for Bob Hardin who passed away about two weeks ago. He was one of the most versatile artists I’ve ever met and surely had the best stories to tell of his ad-and misadventures. He was one of a kind and will be missed by many.

These pictures were taken at one of our earlier fashion shows.

Pamela Madden is shown with her colorful and fun shirts at her booth at the Women's Expo on Sat. May 15 in Madisonville, TN

It's all set, and Rachel Clark will present a trunk show for the 'Tennessee Presents Textiles event'. If you have never heard her speak before you are in for a treat. She has a great sense of humor and of course her coats are magnificent. More to come later.

Dianne is a master weaver who is an expert at confusing people into thinking her woven structures are knitted. Attendees of TPT have been known to compete to purchase her garments.