Angharad - Textile Designer

I design and make woven textile products- such as cushions, scarves, lavender bags and hot water bottle covers- and also work on commission to create made-to-measure fabric for blinds, fashion collections and one-off artworks. Some are hand-woven at my studio in Glasgow, some are produced in short runs at local weaving mills.

I’m inspired by my love of traditional textiles from around the world, bright colours, travel and sports such as sailing, rock climbing and windsurfing. My designs are an exploration into the possibilities of weave and the qualities of different materials, so I mix unusual materials such as rubber, sailing ropes, sportswear yarns and sail materials alongside more traditional yarns such as wool and silk.

In an experimental design process I explore different weave structures and techniques until I get the right effect with this unusual mix of yarns and materials. Weaving intrigues me as there are so many possibilities within a logical framework of structures and limitations- I like to push these boundaries and develop new techniques to achieve the desired effect, such as using a traditional technique with modern yarns or combining hand craft techniques with industrial production.