Wearable Art by Ariane Mariane
TAFA: The Textile and Fiber Art List was launched in February, 2010. As it has grown, now over 200 members, so have the members who have Etsy shops. About half of us use Etsy as our retail platform. We decided to organize as an Etsy Team (a program Etsy has for sellers to organize under themes or locations) and set up a blog where we can talk about what is important to us and where we can show off our shops. The blog has eight pages of shops, divided into themes and serves as our Team Catalog. Although many of us sell things that do not fit neatly into those categories, most of us do have a focus. I am introducing each of those categories here, hoping that this will encourage you to go over there and shop, shop, shop, until you drop! These eight pages have over 100 shops, filled with wonderful eye candy that will surely delight anyone who appreciates all the many techniques and traditions that are found in the needle and textile arts.
Today's focus: Apparel
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| Organza Jacket by CherScapes |
What we wear can give a message to the world about who we are in a larger sense: our religious and social ties, whether we part of a social subgroup, whether we care or not about our appearance. Every April thousands of women descend on Paducah for the yearly quilt show. They can be spotted for blocks away by their colorful quilted jackets and bags. Political movements have been defined by t-shirts with messages on them, websites are dedicated to fashion or ridicule of what is worn (like the ones making fun of what has been seen at Walmart) and all of our social subgroups identify themselves by common dress: punk, bikers, hippies, goth, hunters, and so on. Name the group and you can picture the dress. Religious people also identify themselves through clothing: Jews, Mormons, Amish and many others have strict codes of dress.
Some have provoked huge debate in our social/political circles leading to legislation, like the current ban on burkas in France. Clothing and what we wear then becomes a matter of freedom. I ask, if one group is persecuted does that not threaten the freedoms of others to choose what they want to wear? Whether or not we are offended by how people dress, it seems to me like a free society needs to protect all of our rights to make this choice.
Dyed T-Shirt by Dye Diana Dye
Rest assured that our Team will not provoke much controversial discussion with their clothing. You will find beautiful pieces which have been lovingly constructed or manipulated by dye, embroidery, felting or sewing. Some are practical and can be worn anywhere, while others are pieces of wearable art which must be saved for that special occasion where you will want to stand out in the crowd.
And, we even have a growing representation for the wee artist. A couple of our members specialize in clothing for babies and little ones.
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| Knit wear for children by JWrobel |
Click here to visit our Apparel Page in our TAFA Team Catalog of Shops.
And, while you are there, click on the other tabs to see our other Team member shops. We aim to be the best in textiles and fiber art on Etsy!
All TAFA Team members are also members of TAFA: The Textile and Fiber Art List.
Interested in membership? Click here for more information.
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(Both by the master, Mark Twain)
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