After reading Ruth Woods’ new book, Finding Form With Fibre, which profiles the work of 14 talented Australian artists and offers different techniques for working with plant fibers, I immediately headed outside to gather plant materials that I could transform into an artistic piece. The Gardenista editors provide a curated selection of product recommendations for your consideration. As a registered member you get 10 free posts from our archive (posts more than a year old) every 30 days.

Above: Sustainability is a core feature of her works; Ruth often uses foraged, recycled, or upcycled materials. I also like Kniphofia which has a long leaf and soft fibres to work with—it’s really nice on your hands. Ivy, Kudzu, grapevine, Jasmine, Virginia Creeper, Clematis and so many more,” Ruth wrote in an Instagram post.Every effort has been made to accurately portray the colours used in this product, however individual monitor settings and other factors may cause discrepancies. Ruth Woods has done a wonderful job of sharing the world of natural fiber weaving from multiple angles, creating a book that is both inspirational and instructional. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others.

Daylilies are great because you can pick their long leaves when they are dying back from the new leaves; this means that they are already dry and ready to use. I live in the UK and I keep finding Australian artists and designers with styles I'm loving, not sure why that is but I hope the discoveries continue! Many long leafy plants such as daylilies, Watsonia, NZ Flax, Red Hot Poker and even daffodils are ideal. By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions.Above: For these “practice projects,” “I used bark and fine twigs that I found on the ground in a park.

At the moment I’m experimenting with different types of rush, the ones that like to grow in boggy areas. Moving from artists to materials to techniques in an apt way but still being eye-catching enough to flick through: the structure is meticulously considered in approach. I use the phrase “practice projects” to encourage people to make lots of little tryout pieces to experiment with and see how different plant fibers react, what shapes can be made, and to develop ideas. The one-stop sourcebook for the considered home, guiding readers artfully through the remodeling and design process. The book also encourages sustainable art practices by working with recycled materials and plant fibres.I have many plants that I like to work with, so it all depends on what’s available, usually in my garden or my neighbors’. Ask the Expert: 5 Questions for Ruth Woods, Author of 'Finding Form with Fibre' - Gardenista Icon - Arrow Left An icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Once the leaves have dried, you can rehydrate them just enough so they are pliable, but you don’t want to over soak them as they will swell up again then shrink. If you are a weaver of ANY material or method, I would strongly suggest you add this book to your library.