Beauties and treasures ready for Quilt Canada 2012

Find these beauties and treasures -- and many more -- at Quilt Canada 2012 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. TAMMACHAT Natural Textiles' booth, with displays and wares changing daily, will be a show within itself. Many pieces are perfect for use in fibre art creations. Many are perfect just as they are.

All TAMMACHAT textiles are handwoven or hand-stitched, mostly coloured with natural dyes. All are fairly traded, as always, to bring income to rural women in Thailand and Laos.

Visit us in Booth 101 in the Merchant Mall, Dalplex at Dalhousie University. Map

Wed., May 30, 2012 -- 9am - 5pm
Thurs., May 31, 2012 -- 9am - 5pm
Fri., June 1, 2012 -- 9am - 8pm
Sat., June 2, 2012 -- 9am - 5pm


Detail of Hmong Flower Cloth

Detail of Hmong Flower Cloth

Detail of Hmong Flower Cloth

Hmong Flower Cloths

Hmong Flower Cloths

Hmong Story Cloth

Hmong Story Cloth

Handwoven cotton organizing pouches

Cotton scarves, handwoven on a backstrap loom
Handwoven cotton shirt

Handwoven cotton jacket

Handwoven cotton samplers for projects

Glorious, naturally dyed, organic silk fabrics

Handwoven "mudmee" designs in indigo cotton

Blossom organic silk travel jewellery pouches

Handwoven Eri silk scarves

Handwoven organic silk scarves in many designs & colours

Fair Trade Bazaar a huge success

Poster by www.forestfriend.ca
On May 12 and 13, 2012, Victoria Park in downtown Halifax was home to Nova Scotia's most unique Fair Trade Bazaar. Held in a Nova Scotian-built yurt -- a traditional nomadic home from Central Asia -- the event celebrated World Fair Trade Day and Mother's Day. Hundreds of curious visitors streamed into the yurt over the busy weekend to learn about fair trade, and to appreciate and buy the colourful and diverse wares.

The event was co-organized by TAMMACHAT co-founder Ellen Agger and Little Foot Yurt co-owner Selene Cox to bring together 5 local, Canadian fair trade businesses that practice globally conscious trade with co-operatives and other groups in Central and Southeast Asia, Africa and Central America. We were thrilled with the response and interest in fair trade and supporting local businesses with a global conscience.



Little Foot Yurts
Nova Scotian-built shelters offering rentals, sales and educational workshops

We had fun all weekend! Alleson from TAMMACHAT Natural Textiles

TAMMACHAT Natural Textiles
Eco-friendly fashion accessories and home décor from women’s weaving groups in Thailand and Laos

Fibre Fixation
Yarns and tools from communities around the globe for textile artists and artisans

Little Foot Yurts
Shyrdak (felted carpets) from a women’s co-operative in Kyrgyzstan

African Threads
Textiles and bead work from African women’s groups

Just Us!
Specialty teas, coffees, chocolates and sugar

Help plant 84,000 trees in Thailand!

Friends who care about the environment: Here's a very cool project in Thailand -- you can help plant and sustain 84,000 trees. Who do you help? The environment, the local community, youth volunteers. How can you help? Make a donation online and spread the word.



More from our friends who began this project in 2010:

We are calling for support for the Greener Tomorrow Tree Planting Project,  which our family initiated in partnership with Buddhist Monks in Chaiyaphum in 2010. Some of you have donated to the project in the past, and others have brought arts and crafts at the Family Tree Store in Hua Hin, which is also contributing to the project.

The aim of the Greener Tomorrow project is to buy 84,000 rai (around 33,000 acres) of land and plant 84,000 trees, which will be donated to Asom Wiwek Buddhist Meditation Center.

So far, more than 700 people have planted more then 33,000 trees. Over 90% of the trees have survived, well looked after by local community members.

Please see www.greener-tomorrow.org for more info and to see how you can help these efforts in 2012.

This year on World Environment Day (June 5, 2012), we are raising funds for a water pump to pump water up the hill, and help the trees while they are young, during dry months. Any additional funds raised will help buy land for more tree planting. If this is to happen, we need your help.