The Creature Show
Must end January 13 2007
The Creature Show promotes new talent alongside works by some of the UK’s finest established textile makers and designers. International award winning Tait & Style, working in the Orkney Islands, have created a range of small knitted animals proudly displaying their heritage through brightly coloured knitted fairisle bodies. Multi UK award-winning Donna Wilson shows her knitted Creatures, each with their own name and personality. Olive Owl, for example, a 14cm-high pink and orange bird with a long tail, is “very small but has a loud voice, loves keeping an eye on things, and dislikes flashing lights”; whilst the two-headed Terry and Tina doll struggles with its split personality, “Terry is a worrier, Tina is sly. Terry like thinking, Tina likes playing tricks on Terry. Terry dislikes loud noises, Tina dislikes bad breath”.
Manchester Craft & Design Centre is also proud to showcase emerging regional talent. SamLeonard completed her Bachelor of Design course this summer at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her lightly stuffed and delicately adorned Skini-Bears, with their printed fabric tummies and smiley button eyes, are designed to travel in jiffy bags, making them the perfect postal present. Accrington based Lucy Griffiths makes rag-doll figures on horseback. With striped, spotted and floral printed fabrics, long flowing plaits and sturdy felt horses, these tiny figures would fit well in some imaginary modern day Nordic fairy tale.
The lop-sided munkis and bunnies of Claire Montgomerie; Judy Dwyer’s Dangerous Dolls and Dogs; and Pure Chemistry’s Londinium Dolls are also included, and a range of Sparrowkids Kits will be available to buy. These kits aim to teach children about design, through a simple pack of felt, thread and instructions to make owl rucksacks, chicken cushions, and sparrow bags and egg cosies.
All Creatures will be on sale, making ideal Christmas gifts for grown-ups, children and contemporary craft collectors. Free make-it-yourself information sheets and patterns will be also available to help visitors create their own quirky creatures.