My main interest is in combining texture and colour in hand-knitted garments. My inspiration is the coastal scenery in the area to the north of Sydney. My garments reflect the forms of the flora, the rock formations, the rich blues in the ocean views and the myriad of vibrant greens in the surrounding National Park. I am interested in spinning and creating exciting soft yarns in alpaca, blends of silk, and delicate angora. I also enjoy blends of wool and mohair with their wonderful sheen and tactile qualities. All my garments (jumpers, cardigans, jackets, hats, wraps and ensembles) are individually designed. These creations are the result of many years of experience in producing handspun yarn, designed for specific purposes. Some garments are knitted from commercial yarn, combining cotton with silk

My main interest at present, is in designing coordinated pieces. I am also interested in developing garments based on the concept of versatility

Helen Smith Images

Jude Skeers is a self taught Textile Artist who works exclusively with hand knitting. He has been knitting since his youth and has had several major exhibitions of his knitted webs, trees and other sculptures.

He has exhibited his work over a 20-year period in galleries all over Australia. He has also worked as an Installation Artist and teaches workshops.In the last few years, he has developed a range of wearable pieces using his specially designed circular needles known as the 'Broome Beanie Needle'. In more recent times he has designed a number of garments for which he has written the patterns. These garments have included Moebius knitting.

Jude's hand knitted, one-off garments have evolved from his artistic knitting. All garments are knitted on his specially made circular needles. He enjoys incorporating a variety of yarns and stitches into his designs.

Jude Skeers Images

As my family matured and my free time increased, I was introduced to spinning and weaving by my local craft group. Spinning and weaving soon became a consuming passion. Living on the fringe of The Royal National Park, and surrounded by the colour and texture of the native flora, I am inspired to create and design unusual and delightful garments. I love using natural fibres such as merino wool, alpaca, mohair, camel and silk and experimenting with vegetable and commercial dyes to produce unusual and exciting colours for my garments. I am still happily spinning, weaving and felting but am also currently interested in patchwork and quilting and making heirloom quilts for my family

I have been spinning since 1973. I have completed a handweaving course at Gymea TAFE college with Audrey Miller. I have attended courses on Nuno felting with Jenny Hopper, Ikat Dyeing and Weaving with Liz Calnan, Theo Morman Weaving technique with Wendy Cartwright, and Weaving and Colour with Liz Calnan. I have also attending many workshops over the years in various aspects of spinning, weaving, dyeing, felting a patchwork.

Helen Thomas Images

Handknitting allows me to make a fabric and use all the colour I want. I've explored traditional knitting techniques to allow me the flexibility of multicolour use. I use mainly commercial yarns and preferably natural fibres

My current direction is to make large lightweight coats, shawls and jackets.

I have a Diploma in Art Education 1979 and am self taught in handknitting.

Liz Gemmell Images

I enjoy spinning and knitting as a challenging hobby. I learned to spin at the Society of Arts and Crafts in Harrington Street and leaned knitting at my mother's knee. I am always working on new styles, such as longer lines in jackets and sweaters.

Grace Whitehouse Images

As a textile enthusiast with an extensive background in Textiles Education, I love working with natural fibres to create yarns and cloth by spinning, weaving, knitting and felting. The use of colour through dyeing is an exciting aspect of my work.

My current work in felting is an adaption of traditional felting techniques to suit the warmer temperatures and short winters of the coastal area where I reside. Known as Nuno Felting, this method incorporates the use of a background fabric onto which fibres, (mostly wool and sometimes alpaca) are felted. These felted areas are then dyed using colour schemes and effects that are suggestive of the coastal and country environment from around the area where I live. My production techniques incorporate environmentally friendly methods and the use of Australian fibres and other materials.

Advanced Weaving Certificate, TAFE, NSW Advanced Spinning Certificate, TAFE, NSW Teachers Certificate in Textile Education, BA B. LITT. (NE) Various workshops with Australian and International tutors

Jenny Hopper Images

Since childhood, encouraged and taught by my mother, I have had an interested in all fibrecraft, expecially knitting. I experimented with designing when my children were small and much later took this further with two books, Oddball and Knitting and Entrelac Knitting. As a member of the Knitters Guild of NSW, I have learned many aspects of knitting and crochet from other tutors as well as giving workshops myself. I also spin some of the yarns I use as well as dyeing them. I am currently combining Oddball and Entrelac techniques into distinctive but practical garments. Having a Welsh background, I have been influenced by Celtric designs and found that I could successfully incorporate them in knitted garments. I am still experimenting with these.

Brenda Horne Images

I create ceramic jewellery and artistic textiles which capture the distinctive themes and breathtaking colours of Australia.

Born in Warsaw, Poland, I arrived in Sydney in 1990 and since then, have been developing my very own unique jewellery and wearable art. My jewellery collection includes handmade necklaces, pendants and earrings in magnificent lustres, reflecting oceanic greens and blues, sun drenched earthy reds and purples as well as glowing gold from Australian mines. My textile range features highly elaborate shawls which are made using a combination of ancient and modern techniques to fuse silks, wool, gauze and netting. Each shawl is a unique creation of colour, texture and theme. They can be worn or draped over a lounge or displayed as a wall hanging.

I am continuously researching and experimenting to ensure that my creative output is always original and inspiring.

Grace Levis Images

Colour work is of particular appeal to me and I am constantly striving for new and innovative ways of combining colour and texture. In my work I use mostly natural fibres and yarns, but I don't shy away from using contemporary materials and techniques.

I learned to crochet early in life, later becoming interested in hand knitting, spinning, designing and dyeing. These techniques have become an essential part of my work.

Recently I have become interested in other finishing methods, i.e. fulling my hand knit pieces. My bags are all individual designs so no two are alike. They are first hand knitted then felted. A very labour intensive process, but it is a wonderful way of creating something beautiful and useful at the same time. I have participated in various group exhibitions, competitions and have won numerous awards for my work. Being asked to supply a number of crocheted berets for the movie 'Australia' was a lovely surprise and interesting challenge.

Brigitte Sieber Images

I have extensive knowledge of felt making from floor rugs, freeform sculpture to structural felt and sheer drapes.

My work now is with fabric manipulation, controlling the surface structure by using wool firbes on the entire under surface of hand dyed silk fabrics, enabling me to make a light weight fabric. All my works are cut and stitched for style and drape.

I have taught felting techniques and attended many workshops in both felting and art to wear. I gained my Quality Mark Feting ticket from New Zealand in 1995.

Pat Surace Images

A life-long passion for arts and crafts has allowed me to touch on many and varied fields of expertise.

In 1989 I completed a studio ceramics course and worked as a successful studio potter for many years. After the birth of my third son I decided to move away from pottery and was drawn to the area of fibre art. I now work predominantly with wool and silk combining methods of felting, machine embroidery and dyeing to create artworks, garments and accessories. My latest works include techniques of nuno felting, shibori dyeing, felt laminating and the making of unique design and sculptural hats.

I have always been drawn to using natural and organic materials. The colours and forms of nature are a constant inspiration. In working with wool I have come to marvel at the diversity of this material. It can be soft and flimsy or hard and resilient, made flat or formed into any shape imaginable. I feel privileged to work in this field.

Pam De Groot Images

Essentially I am self taught, but my grandmother and mother handed down to me their love of craft and textiles and a lot of the skills needed to fashion clothing or homewares. Knitting in particular has been a long term passion and I enjoy playing with texture and colour

The little bags I'm making at the moment satisfy my need to explore and create. The bag is knitted to approximately double the finished size in a loose knit then doused and rubbed in hot water to shrink and felt (or full) it to its final shape. It starts out as an ugly duckling and becomes transformed into a beautiful organic shape. Felting is an ancient technique using heat and friction to make a soft, water resistant pliable fabric from natural fibres. The revival of this technique and the revival of the craft of hand knitting has led to an appreciation for handcrafted items and the development of some of the most wonderful yarns all over the world. I particularly love the beautiful, very fine silk and kid mohair yarns from Japan and the UK and a lot of the embellishments to my baskets are made from these fibres.

Rosemary Long Images

Until my 18th year, I lived with my parents on a sheep, cattle and horse property in the Upper Hunter River region of NSW. I work to use my skills in knitting and spinning to promote the good use and beauty of wool.

I studied with Jack Harrison, Woollahra Arts Centre, Bondi Junction, Weaving Spinning from 1970 - 1971.

Maude Crittendon Images

I have been spinning for seventeen years as a hobby. My garments have been sold to tourists from Alaska, China, and the United States, in fact to tourists from all around the world.

I enjoy working with the natural colours of fleece, as well as dyeing yarn.

I learned to spin with Sutherland Shire Spinners and Weavers, and have enjoyed many of their workshops. I completed a one year course at Gymea TAFE and have attended several workshops on various aspects of weaving.

Sylvia Langtree Images