Tessuti, Sarah Malone, Katie Almond, Trisha Needham, Maxine Sutton, Tone Von Krogh.

Here’s the final post featuring my selection of designers from the weekend’s

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Manchester.

Tessuti is the work of Fiona McIntosh who studied at the Scottish College of Textiles.

In 1985 she set up her printed textile studio Tessuti in Scotland’s capital Edinburgh.

From here she hand dyes and silk screen prints a range of unique fashion accessories

primarily using natural fabrics – knitted wool, lambswool and cashmere. The technique

she uses produces vibrant colours and retains the soft handle of the fabrics.

Fiona’s current inspiration is taken from motifs reminiscent of the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Fiona is also half of the business partnership who runs Concrete Wardrobe, a great shop

in Broughton Street, Edinburgh, that stocks all manner of local designer makers wares.

Sarah Malone graduated from Manchester Metropolitan in 2007 with a

Three Dimensional Design Degree. Since then she has set up a studio in Bankley Studios

in Levenshulme and has exhibited her work across the UK and is teaching ceramics in an

arts centre in Salford.  Sarah says ‘ I use slip-casting, throwing and hand-building techniques

to make small bottles, cups and bowls. Once bisque fired I sandblast the work to create detail,

intricate patterns and delicate fragile edges. I want to encourage the user to engage with the pieces

and in so doing, discover the hidden layers and meaning.

Sarah has more info and images on her blog here.

Katie Almond took a B.A.Hons Degree at De Montford University in Leicester before

setting up her ceramics business. She was encouraged during her childhood summer

holidays by her grandmother to draw and be creative and she’s never looked back.

In fact, the decoration on her porcelain ceramics are influenced by 1950s’ items that her

grandmother used to keep such as labels, old tickets etc. There is a good sense of humour

in Katies’ work such as a little label saying ‘ Thirsty? ‘ hidden inside her mugs. Strong vibrant

colours and old recipes are thrown together with vintage stamps and hand drawn patterns.

Trisha Needham‘s hallmark  is her passion for colour and pattern inspired

by her love of gardening and architecture.

This has led her to produce bold striking distinctive screen prints, all designed and printed

by Trisha in her South London studio with the help of two wonderful machinists who help with the

making in busy times. Her impressive client list includes Liberty and Heals in London, Barneys Japan,

Nordstrom U.S.A. the Guggenheim museum and Barneys New York. Pea pods, poppies, daisies,

Echinacea stripes, spots, dots are all featured on her new collection of scarves and cushions printed

on iridescent velvet textured silks and beautiful Irish linens.

Maxine Sutton uses Irish machine, and hand embroidery in her work. She employs a

combination of traditional techniques, such as applique, patchwork, needle-punch

and screen printing. Forms, are hand drawn, paper cut, found or photographic; layered

and collaged with abstract and semi figurative appliquéd imagery. Using organic

fabrics, Maxine hopes to celebrate and promote our connection with materials, thus

keeping traditional and domestic skills alive in todays’ marketplace.

Lastly but certainly not least, is the delicate blue ceramic range from Tone Von Krogh.

Originally from Norway, Tone was involved with a student exchange programme

and never went home ! Lucky for us because her hand thrown collection of pots,

cups and saucers, bowls and bottles are simply beautiful. Her colour palette is inspired

by winters spent in Norway and with a studio in her back garden, Tone now also

runs courses and taster sessions for those people eager to try some ceramics for themselves.

If interested you can contact her through her web address tonevonkrogh@yahoo.com

Once again, many thanks to all the busy artists and crafts people who contributed here.