Textielfabrique is the Rotterdam-based textile studio of Maaike Gottschal. Textielfabrique offers masterclasses for professionals and inspired textile lovers. The masterclass program is designed to teach, in a playfull and simple way, hands-on skills and knowledge on high-quality textile production. All masterclass programs offer historical background information and insight into both conceptual, technical, relational and aesthetic textile applications. You learn ’threadthinking’ and how to improvise, use your senses, intuition and write poetry with thread.
Textieflabrique specializes in the basics of Japanese, South American, and European craft techniques like processing flax and wool, spinning, plain weave (linnen binding), twill weave, Aizome (natural indigo dye), Natural Dye (grand teints), Katazome (rice print), Shibori (pattern making), Sashiko (quilting), Saori weaving (free weaving), Kasuri (ikat) weaving, Gobelin, damask, Brokate, Killim, backstraploom and velvet weaving.
The owner of Textielfabrique Maaike Gottschal:
I inherited an appreciation for textiles from my family. I grew up in a textile family and learned weaving, spinning, bobbin-making, embroidery, sewing, and many other techniques at a young age. I was born in Haarlem and raised in Lelystad. I studied design, art history, jewelry, and visual arts, and I work at the intersection of disciplines. Over the past 15 years, I have studied numerous textile techniques with seven teachers worldwide in a self-designed program called “Textile as Language.” Here you can find my homework in the different techniques that I studied.
The techniques I practice: >ICI<
My mission is to raise awareness of the enormous potential that textiles can hold in our culture. Textiles used to be an important medium for communicating and transferring value, emotions, and comfort. In our current society, there is insufficient textile knowledge to adequately appreciate it. My ambition is to expand that knowledge.
Since 2020, I have been making textiles using locally grown flax. Handweaving and spinning are important techniques for increasing the appreciation of textiles. Anyone can weave, spin, and create beautiful, valuable fabrics. The textiles I make are not technically perfect, but woven to emphasize the human nature of these handwoven textiles. There is a great deal of joy in the making process. I hope this is reflected in my work. I hope people want to live with the work.
With my work, I want to make a plea for beauty and poetry. Beauty has a transformative power of imagination that makes interacting with textiles personal and valuable.
In 2018 and 2019, I studied the Master’s program Contextual Design at the Dutch Design Academy. There, I began my research into the importance of (manual) technology and the use of the senses within the design and production process.
The basic insights of many different techniques are very important for a deep understanding of textile art and its possibilities. Textile knowledge is also connected with our digital world and the art disciplines that use notation, and language as such.
More about my research: Textiel as Language
The book I published as personal outcome of my master: Ola Linea
If you have questions. Please send them: textielfabrique@gmail.com
My teachers: Bobbin Lace making and embroidery (my grandmother), sewing (my mother), weaving (my aunt), Photography (my father), drawing (my grandfather), Philosophy (Joke Robaard), Indigo and Natural Dye by Michel Garcia (FR), Mr. Matsueda (JP), Aboubakar Fofana (A), and Takaraji Masenkou (JP), yarn spinning Andre Snoeijer, tapestry, kelim, gobelin weaving by Margaret Sabbee (NL) Ikat weaving by Mr. Matsueda (JP) and the Dutch Ikat Kring, Brokaat and Supplementary weft and backstraploom loom weaving Artist in Residency Arquetopia Oaxaca (MX) and Urubamba (P), twill patterns and 4 shaft weaving; Tanny van Dijk (NL), Damask Weaving; Corrie van Eijk (NL), Velvet; Gillian Vogelsang (NL), Brokaat (Arquetopia Oaxaca (MX), growing flax by the Linenproject 2019-2024 (NL).
