Year: 2017

How to commission an Angie Parker handwoven rug or textile artwork.

Every commission, by its very nature, is going to be different. And lets face it, that’s part of the reason you’re looking at commissioning and not buying ‘off the peg’ isn’t it? Luckily, it’s just an arrangement between myself and my clients, so we can keep it pretty simple.

Angie Parker Textiles Workshop
Angie Parker  Photo: Alice Hendy Photography

Let me run though things to show you just how simple it can be.

The first step comes from you.

Whether you discover my passion for eye-popping handwoven colour in a contemporary Craft gallery or through the power of the internet, a short enquiry email from you starts the ball rolling. I’ll get back to you to arrange a phone conversation (or more email if you prefer) to establish your thoughts on design, size, colour and budget. I’m easy to chat to and enjoy having these conversations and at this stage, I’m very happy to send you yarn samples, a quote, a time frame and a simple sketch, with absolutely no obligation.

I’ve a huge selection of wool and yarns for furnishings in stock, but if I haven’t got the exact shade you require then I can ask my supplier to custom dye the wool to match an existing colour scheme.

Typical initial conversations have included these questions:

  • “Can you weave ‘that one’ but use orange instead of yellow?” Yes I can.
  • “Can you do one ‘like that’ but longer” Yes, I weave up to 1m width but length can be what ever you wish. I can also join 2 or more rugs to create wider one, but this does impact the price.
  • “Can you do me a round one?” Afraid not (at the moment), sorry )-: (but I can recommend someone who can!)
  • “Can I weave part of it?” Yeah sure. We can arrange this.

Sometimes, I’m able to visit clients in their homes with example rugs & samples to help work through the design options, though I can’t promise that this will always be possible. Photographs are the next best thing so I’ll probably ask you to send over a few shots of your home if you’d like guidance about colours and designs, and together we’ll go through my portfolio to find the styles that you’re drawn to.

Photo: Yeshen Venema

When you’re ready to proceed, I’ll then draw you up a more detailed sketch and give you a clear time frame in return for 50% of the total price.

I can even weave a sample (30x30cm) for a small additional fee.

I then set about weaving your bespoke piece of floor art in my Bristol studio.

I can email photo’s to you if you’d like to see your rugs progress, or you might just choose to have a surprise when it’s complete.

Once off the loom I then finish the piece by hand and stitch on a discreet label before carefully packing.

Delivery is then arranged, usually with my favourite specialist art handlers, upon final payment.

FRYKTLOS (FEARLESS).
PHOTOGRAPHER: YESHEN VENEMA

If, for any reason you’re not entirely over the moon with your rug let me know right away. I always build up a good relationships with my clients, so they know they can contact me with any concerns, safe in the knowledge that I will do my utmost to rectify. (Disclaimer-I’ve not actually had an unhappy client yet, so I’m thinking on my feet with this one).

Finally, each commission is a special to me as I’ve been assured my rugs are to my customers. This really is a mutually beneficial way of doing things.

You get a bespoke, quality handcrafted piece of floor art which brings a burst of uplifting colour (or monochrome design) to your home. An expertly woven heirloom that lifts your spirits and brightens your day in the way that only handmade items do.

And me? Well, your investment means that I can continue to grow my business, fulfilling the dream I had at college over 20 years ago, and much more.

And you thought you were ‘just’ commissioning a rug!

If you like what you’ve read but aren’t ready to commission a piece, why not follow me on Instagram or Twitter so that you’d don’t have to worry about remembering my name in five years when you’re leaving work and your collegues want to get something special for you? Better still, sign up to my mailing list  here.

*I’m working on a more comprehensive FAQ’s page which will be coming to my website soon.

Wool Fusion- Craft and Commercial Design.

In 2017 I collaborated with Brintons Carpets to create an Axminster Stair carpet for Wool Fusion; the project by Campaign for Wool for Wool Week.

If you prefer to watch rather than read, there’s a video about this collaboration here,  from the fab team at Cube Video.

The stair carpet was commissioned for Wool Fusion, a showcase of UK products which best represents the beauty and versatility of British wool. This is the second year I’ve been involved in this Campaign for Wool initiative, spearheaded by HRH The Prince of Wales’ and this year curated by Arabella McNie.

A unanimous decision to use design elements from my handwoven Fryklos rug came out of a productive initial meeting with the Brintons team.

Fryklos Handwoven Krokbargd Rug. Photo by Yeshen Venema
The original Fryktlos rug was hand woven by myself,  in my Bristol studio. The traditional Scandinavian rug weaving technique, Krokbragd, was used for it’s versatility and scope for playing with colour.

In initial meetings I gleaned as much information as I could from the Brintons team. The processes, potential and limitations of using custom Axeminster QuickWeave were explored and I’m thankful to Jodie Hatton for generously importing so much of her experience and knowledge in a carpet masterclass. We didn’t have long to turn this project around, so the Quickweave option was fantastic as we could meet the deadline and adapt the design to fit the process accordingly.

There were certain restrictions as a result of working to such a tight schedule, especially with the colour palette available. However, it didn’t do me any harm to reign in my typical gaudy colour clashes and am quite proud that I’ve designed something without a burst of acid yellow.

It was also a refreshing experience for me to be more disciplined when drawing up the designs, as I usually prefer to design at the loom rather than a desk.

Initial sketches on graph paper were quickly converted onto the software by Jodie with a small selection of the designs then sent off for sampling on the Quickweave looms.

I wanted to ensure that the carpet design retained the niche qualities of my handwoven rugs, and by using a pattern that made each step of the staircase slightly different, I think we succeeded in this.

A selection of sketches were woven into samples which helped to inform the final decision.

The finished carpet was installed at Wool Fusion by Arabella McNie and the team and the event was open to the public for Wool Week from the 7th-14th October.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Bridgette Kelly and Campaign for Wool for facilitating this collaborative opportunity, and especially all the Brintons team for making the whole process a joy.

To see more images of the Frytklos Stair Carpet check out my Instagram 

Links:

Brintons Carpets

Campaign for Wool

Cube Video

Yeshen Venema Photography

Inspiration. Part 1 UPFEST

The Bristol neighbourhood I’m lucky enough to live in provides an ever-changing blast of colour inspiration.

Each summer, Upfest, Europes largest street art and graffiti festival brings 35,000 visitors to our streets to watch live painting on 30,000sqft of walls, shutters and boarding.

 

Doubt I’ll ever tire of these bold statements in colour which feed into my designs. My walk to and from the studio is enriched by them on a daily basis.

Thank you Upfest.

Links: Upfest

Brand new Craft TV series

On Channel 4, and featuring Angie Parker in Ep. 4.

Starting on Tuesday 25 July at 8pm this new show looks set to inspire wanna be Crafters and gives a selection of UK Craft makers a platform to show the passion and skill needed to run a Craft practice.