Alice Hume Pop Up in Our Showroom

Let us introduce you to Alice Hume, a textile artist based in Portsmouth who uses organic materials and traditional weave processes, combining these with complimentary colours to create sustainable one-off pieces.

Alongside her own hand-made textile art pieces ranging between homewares and fashion accessories, Alice hosts workshops bringing people closer to ancient craft techniques and find their own rhythm in slow textiles by teaching a range of slow textiles processes such as frame loom weaving and processing flax into linen.

We’re showcasing a really gorgeous selection of Alice’s pieces in our showroom from October to December. Take a look at the skill and craftsmanship behind these intricate textures for yourself. You can also purchase pieces directly from her website or get in touch via her email.

Tell us a little about the process of creating a piece?

To start a piece I select the colours and yarns I want to combine, then play around with materials, compositions and techniques. My designs are organic, I do not plan and enjoy letting the process lead my work. Sometimes I display the piece at home for a while until I get inspiration again to finish it.

Do you have any design tips that you try to stick to?

Inspiration and looking after yourself are two of the most important things. I make sure I treat myself to days out in London, visit local exhibitions, gardens, good books, attend talks and connect with other artists and creatives. These things inspire and inform my designs and keep me going.

What is your method of incorporating colour into your designs?

I really enjoy pairing unusual colours together, especially neutrals with bright colours. The vintage yarns I use have beautiful imperfections, vibrant and faded tones. Working with these materials are so precious, they are one-off and I always ensure to pair them with contrasting yarns to make them a feature.

How do you approach Sustainability within your work?

Through materials, I use second hand vintage yarns, fabrics and threads in my work and at the moment I am growing local materials of linen and natural dyes. I also work on a 50 year old dobby George Wood Loom that uses no electricity.

Have you got any projects/ exhibits coming up that you’d like us to share?

From Soil to Cloth, a slow textile movement is a project by Alice to develop urban textile gardens in the city of Portsmouth with natural dyes and flax for linen. The project has been Funded by Arts Council England and Supported by John Hansard Gallery.