Ruth Clifford is a researcher, writer and educator in the fields of textiles, craft and fashion. She originally trained as a textile designer after which she undertook design roles in the UK and India. In 2012 she completed a Masters by Research focussing on the development of designs in the ajrakh block printing of Gujarat for contemporary markets. Ruth then went onto complete a PhD which analysed the effectiveness of design education for handloom weavers in India in creating sustainable craft livelihoods and dissolving hierarchies between ‘designers’ and ‘artisans’ whilst also considering the roots of these hierarchies and separation of such categories. The research involved extensive ethnographic and case study fieldwork across India, but particularly in the Kachchh region of Gujarat and Maheshwar, Madhya Pradhesh (where the case study institutes are based). It drew upon different disciplinary perspectives such as anthropological perspectives of craft learning, sociological discourse on social mobility, capability and cultural capital, material culture and the agency of objects, decolonial fashion discourse and education, design studies and craft development. See some of my research papers here.
Ruth is now a lecturer on the Contextual Studies module of Fashion Design and Communication at Liverpool John Moores University
Threads Unpicked (formerly known as Travels in Textiles) began as a blog documenting early travels in India including encounters with craft communities, artisans and NGOs, textile collections, exhibition and museum visits. It evolved to cover reviews of one-off trips, exhibitions and conferences across the UK, Europe and North Africa, as well as interviews with individuals involved in traditional craft textiles and has included guest posts from authors studying textiles in Vietnam.
The name of the site was changed from Travels in Textiles to Threads Unpicked because the latter name was considered more appropriate in reflecting the nature of the content and aims of the blog. The title suggests an unravelling of the stories that thread through textiles. The writings, films and photographs on this blog aim to tell these stories, make known the makers who created, handled and manipulated these threads and follow the processes, purpose, use and journeys of these threads. It also engages with current debates and themes relevant to particular textiles and textile practices. In this way, it is hoped the reader can engage with, and build an understanding of the wider contexts that the textiles are situated within, as well as appreciate them for their aesthetic, creative, functional and meaning-making qualities.
Themes:
- Textiles processes and techniques
- Textiles and heritage branding and narratives
- Hand-crafted textiles for luxury fashion
- Orientalism and cultural appropriation
- Race, representation, decolonisation
- Social and environmental sustainability
- Co-design practices
- Craft knowledge and making
- Design and craft education
- Culture, heritage and identity
- Technology / Digital evolution and craft skills
- Object and artisan biographies
Ruth is always seeking new contributions, so if you have an interest or knowledge of craft textiles or any of the themes we cover, and are interested in contributing a post to the site, please see this link: https://threads-unpicked.com/contribute/ and email a short proposal to Ruth@travelsintextiles.com.
The aims of Threads Unpicked are as follows:
- To discover, document, highlight and celebrate textile craft traditions and textiles artisan groups across the world.
- Tell stories of particular artisans or artisan groups.
- To focus on the challenges of traditional textile crafts against growing technological advances, capitalist endeavours and globalisation and the political, economical and social challenges the artisans face.
- To connect designers, writers, travellers, collectors, researchers and artisans with artisans in need of a market or outlet for their work.
- To provide an educational resource for all of the above, as well as a platform for all of the above to promote their work
- To achieve the above through documentary articles, photo-journalistic articles, academic critical writing, practical how-to guides, exhibition reviews, interviews with prominent figures in the field of craft textiles, travel journals and book reviews.
To receive updates from Threads Unpicked, please sign up to our newsletter:
32 Comments
sylvie michel bilger
Fabulous post that you made…thank you you sharing !!
Thank you too to textile blog too for finding you 🙂
I paint walls for many years but love textiles very much
great source of inspiration for colors and patterns
All the Best
Sylvie
Catherine Mortensen
Super posts. Thank you.
Amod jain
i have manufacture wooden printing blocks
Greg Roberts
Good Morning,
I have just discovered your blog and am greatly enjoying your approach to exploring textiles. I am a passionate enthusiast and collector of batik from the north coast of Java hence my interest in your blog. Javanese batik was so very much influenced by the cloths from Gujarat, as the Pasisir became the meeting place and home of traders from all parts of the world.
I would like to invite you to my blog: and share with you the wonderful batik cloths from this region.
Thank you sincerely, Greg.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, and cloths from Gujarat found their way to Java too. There was such a rich trade along the Indian Ocean. I love discovering the origins of patterns and motifs and finding similarities in designs from one country to another. You’re blog is great, and really informative. I’d love to know more about Javanese batik so will definitely have a good read. I’ve shared your blog on my Travels in Textiles Facebook page too.
Greg Roberts
Ruth, I am about to put together a recommendations page on my blog and will be sure to include your outstanding blog.
My best always, Greg.
Manjeet Randhawa
Hi Ruth:
What a delightful site. I’d like to read more about your research. I am planning to visit India later this year and I’d like to visit local centers of Gujarati and Rajasthani textiles (block printed in particular). I am planning to visit Anokhi in Jaipur and the villages they use for their textiles. Can you recommend places in Gujarat that may be similar?
Thanks
Admin
I’m not sure you’ll get this, as I realise I’m sending it very late. I’ve only just seen it due to the fact I’m still learning this website management stuff, sorry! But if you do, I hope that my recent blog posts may help you to find good places to go in Gujarat. Ajrakhpur and Dhamadka are good villages to go to see the craft of block printing in practice. Bhuj is 6 hours from Ahmedbad and the best place to centre yourself to see the crafts of Kachchh. You can find lots of local textiles in the main Shroff bazaar. If you visit the Aina Mahal tourist office at the top of Shroff bazaar and say what crafts you want to see, the guy there is very helpful (I think his name his Pranod Jethi if I remember right). Its a case of getting shared jeeps, buses or rickshaws out to the villages. If you stay somewhere like the Gangaram hotel (where I always stay and is cheap but comfortable and friendly) you’re bound to meet with similar minded people. If you need any more info, please email me: ruth@travelsintextiles.com
Ali Akbar
You are doing amazing job. I loved your blogs!
I have also created a platform to connect buyers and artisan through selling their craft. Please visit my website. Thanks!
Admin
Thank you so much for your kind comment. I’m pleased you’ve enjoyed my blog.
I had a brief look at your website and it looks great too! Looks like you do some really good work. I will definitely bookmark your site and hopefully be in touch again soon.
c.sathya
Hai
I am very happy by knowing your blog .I would like to do block printing on my own for my own purpose so that I want your guidance about the same.
Admin
Great, I’m glad to hear that. I hope to post some more block printing guides soon, so keep an eye out!
nishkam
love the way u explored and documented. very detailed, contained… keep posting. As world is full of theses beautiful crafts practiced since ages …
Lizzi Walton Creative Director
Would you like to come to our festival next May and speak about your passion for textiles?
AbdulBasiR F khatri
Hi I am artist in bandhani handicrafts I make bandhani stoels sarees dupatta how can I work with you?
Hello,
Thanks for getting in touch. Do you have any pictures of your stoles and dupattas? If so please send them to me at: ruth@travelsintextiles.com. We can then chat about possible projects over email.
Ruth
Shahid Hussain Shamim
I am passionate about handloom. I want to share my Talk. please be in touch.
The excellence of traditional fabrics: Shahid Hussain Shamim at TEDxDhaka
Published on Oct 29, 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gpf45aDjn3U
[This talk is recorded on September 21st 2013 at the TEDxDhaka conference at ISD Auditorium in Dhaka, Bangladesh]
Janet Willoughby
You might be interested to know that I filmed Maneklal carving the ajrakh blocks using a bow saw in January 2000. I show him in my DVD Ajrakh along with the printing process in Dhamadkar.
At the same time I filmed the making of the mirrors used in embroidery and there use in embroidery around Bhuj. Both dvds, Mirrorwork and Ajrakh are available from me.
Hi Janet,
Good to hear from you and know that you’ve been documenting this work. It would be great to see the film you made of Maneklal’s block making. Thanks for letting me know, Ruth
Nandini Vedachalam
Hi Ruth,
I have sent you an email. Kindly take a look.
Regards
Nandini
christine
good day,
I will be travelling to India in December on a 3 month voyage of textile research for personal use and interest. I am happy to have found your site and I look forward to reading your blog.
christine
Great! Hope you find it useful, and let me know if you have any queries. Enjoy your trip!
Sadaf Fatima
Hi Ruth, I’m a student of Flame University, Pune, India and I have read and been allured by your extensive research on Ajrakh Block Printing. A group of students from our university are doing a research study known as DIP – Discover India Program and our topic of research is the evolution of Ajrakh Block Printing. We would be extremely grateful if you could give us an interview via skype as your immense knowledge about Ajrakh will help us a lot in our research work.
Thank you and awaiting your reply.
Hi,
Sure I’d be happy to. I have sent you an email too.
Best,
Ruth
Sona
Hi Ruth and every textile lover reading this,
I wish I could also say, ‘I do block printing’ or ‘I do Batik’ or ‘I can weave hand loom cloth’! I have always loved fabric and am fascinated by the different printing techniques. But despite being an Indian I could never visit any of these places such as Kuchh, Ajrakhpur, Bhuj, Jaipur etc; nor could I pursue a University degree in a related field when I was young. Now I want to learn about Indian textiles. Where can I start? Is there any online affordable and reliable course? I know the best way to learn is by meeting these artisans, but travelling alone is not an option. Are there any group travels from within India to such places? Please guide! Anyone?
Thank you Ruth.
Hi Sona,
Sorry for my slow reply. I don’t know of any such online course that teaches about Indian textiles. The best way is to travel and meet the artisans and take part in workshops. Do you have one particular craft you’re interested in? There are many guided tours, the details of which I can email to you. In the meantime keep searching the internet as there are many useful resources there, and take a look at my recommended books.
Best,
Ruth
example
Thanks for your personal marvelous posting! I truly enjoyed reading it, you could be a great author.I will remember to bookmark your blog and will often come back from now on. I want to encourage you to continue your great
work, have a nice afternoon!
Leonore Alaniz
So happy to have found your blog by chance. Everything you write echoes my own (re(search), curatorial work and textile crafting endeavor. More to share. Joy to you.
Thank you. Really pleased to know you enjoy reading and have similar interests!
Nivedita
Happy that there is a blog like this 😃 thank you for sharing your amazing work
Thank you Nivedita!
helen sill
Hi Ruth I have also traveled to Gujarat to see the textiles..truly inspirational. I am currently dong research for my Fine Art Masters on the the rhythm of stitch and hoping to include some of my findings from my India travels. I head to Rajasthan in October. I bought samples of textiles from all the artisans I visited.. I went form Ahmedabad to Bhuj and Mandiv and the surround. you blog was really helpful in furthering my understanding of the textiles of the region. I gave a talk to some of the undergrads about my work and am meeting a group of textile enthusiasts next week to show and talk about my Gujarati textiles
I’d be interested to see how you are getting on with your Phd… if indeed you haven’t already finished it
Helen