Pictures with Fabric and Thread at The Eden Workshop

Building up an image of wildflowers using fabrics, lace and stitch

Recently I ran a new workshop at The Eden Workshop called 'Pictures with Fabric and Threads.' I had five lovely participants on my course, several of whom had been on workshops with me before. It's always nice when people come back for more, it's a good confidence boost! I'm always pleased to be asked to run courses at The Eden Workshop, it's a lovely friendly and relaxed venue and my participants and I are always well looked after and fed. There is also a great supply of materials and bits and pieces to satisfy my inner magpie.

My sample: layered fabrics, trims, beads and hand stitch

My sample: Lace, fabrics and machine and hand embroidery

Creating texture with layers of fabric and 'stitch and slash' techniques

Stitch and slash sample

The session came about as I'd already run several workshops here and Jane and I were thinking of new ideas. I really love playing with fabrics and textures so that was the starting point; a workshop that would give people an opportunity to experiment with different fabrics and threads to create a unique piece of textile art. When I'm teaching my main aim is to help people discover their own creativity and style, I hope I can give people the confidence to try something and follow their own ideas as well as teaching them specific skills.

Creating a plan to work from

Creating a plan and selecting materials

This workshop was a good chance for me to experiment and test a few techniques out too. Much of my work, particularly the bird portraits, focuses on one element (usually a bird) and rarely features backgrounds so for this workshop I looked at creating work that covered the whole of my base fabric. I take a lot of photographs, often of landscapes, as colour references and I decided to use some of these as inspiration. It was good working in a slightly different way as it allowed me to take processes I'm familiar with, such as layering sheer fabrics, and use them to create different effects. I was also very proud of myself for managing to create some smaller scale work!

Building up texture with different fabrics and layers

Building up texture with different fabrics and layers

Building up texture with different fabrics and layers

I also used this session as a chance to experiment a bit more with the sewing machine, looking at creating different 'stitch and slash' textures with layers of fabrics and trying out some of the more decorative stitches that I rarely use but which I thought would be good to incorporate into our designs. I thought this would give participants a chance to get to know their machines better and make use of more of the stitches available.

Building up backgrounds

Building up backgrounds

Building up backgrounds

During the workshop I encouraged my participants to pick an image and look at slightly abstracting or simplifying it by creating very rough sketches. Once we'd done this I then encouraged them to get stuck into the fabrics and materials and to pick a selection that appealed to them and suggested the textures they wanted to create; such as layers of fabric and lace for water or tweeds for fells. We then worked up our pictures in layers and added details with yarns, trims, beads and other embellishments.

Adding detail with yarn and beads

Adding detail with yarn and beads

It was a really enjoyable session to run. Everyone had different ideas and it was great seeing the pieces come together over the course of the day. Everyone had a go at the stitch and slash technique but because of the different materials they'd chosen and designs they'd created we got really varied effects. I always find this the most exciting thing about workshops; how people can take the same materials and techniques but use them so differently. I find this very inspiring and always go away from workshops full of ideas and eager to try new things!

Building detail with different textured fabrics

Adding detail with trims and beads

Machine Embroidery Workshop at The Eden Workshop: January 2018

Work in progress during the workshop

Last year I ran a couple of Machine Embroidery and Applique workshops at the lovely Eden Workshop in Plumpton, just outside Penrith. It's a lovely place, Jane has made it feel really welcoming and cosy but the work space is light and airy at the same time. I like running workshops here as it has a very friendly, relaxed atmosphere and Jane makes sure everyone is well looked after. She runs a whole range of workshops so if you're looking to try a new craft or art technique I'd recommend you have a look at her website. 

The view when I arrived

About half an hour later the snow started

I'd been a little bit nervous in the morning as the weather forecast wasn't great and driving isn't my favourite thing but I arrived safely and was enjoying a nice cup of coffee when the snow started coming down. The day before I had been moaning because we almost never get snow in Carlisle and I love snow, unless I have to drive in it so it's true what they say; be careful what you wish for! Fortunately everyone arrived safely and by the time the workshop finished there was barely a trace of snow but at one point it really was coming down so thick and fast you could barely see.  

Practising embroidery with the sewing machine

Creative mess

My trusty Bernina 

Despite the challenging weather first thing we had a productive and enjoyable day. The workshop is based around the way I create my bird portraits and uses simple applique and machine embroidery to build up an image. It's a great way to get to know your sewing machine and we spent most of the morning practising using the machine as a drawing tool. I always find this bit of the workshop really interesting as I like seeing how different machines cope and figuring out how to adjust them if they're not behaving. The best machines for this type of embroidery are the really basic mechanical models, the fancy computerised ones have so many different possible adjustments that they usually take the longest to get set up and performing. I use my trusty Bernina that my Granny gave me, it's solid and weighs a ton and is a great deal older than me but stitches beautifully! 

Work in progress

Work in progress

Work in progress

Once everyone was reasonably confident with embroidering with their machines we started to create our designs. This bit is really fun as you can play around with different fabrics to get the effect you want. I usually just choose one or two sections to applique and use embroidery to add detail and bring all the parts of my design together. I had several templates for people to use and one person had brought her own design as she wanted to create a Staffie. We used fusible webbing to hold the appliqued fabric in place as it makes the stitching so much easier. Once all the fabric had been bonded in place it was time to start stitching! 

Work in progress

Work in progress

Almost finished

This is the part where peoples individual creativity really has a chance to shine. Even when people use the same templates they always come out differently as each person has their way of putting things together and stitching is a bit like hand writing-everyone's is a bit different. I'm always so impressed with what people create, I love that I can show people something and they can take it and make it their own, creating something unique to them. One of the people on the workshop today had done the same course with me last year but since then had got a new machine so wanted to have another go. As with everyone on the course it was great to see her confidence grow throughout the day and I hope everyone went away pleased with what they'd created and keen to carry on.

Finished piece

Finished piece

 

Finished piece (detail)

A Walk in the Woods

Memento III, 2016
Twigs, feather, thread, gold paint, red velvet.

As I wrote about in my last blog post, over the past couple of months I have been busy preparing for Carlisle Arts Fair. I've been able to spend some time in my studio making work and I've also had a chance to start playing around with some ideas that have been floating around in my head (and sketchbooks) for a while but which I haven't had chance to develop.

Tatting

Assemblage, detail

Assemblage, detail

One of these ideas involved working with boxes; more specifically making small pieces of work that could be displayed in boxes. I was thinking about artefacts and museum displays and the idea of making something precious simply by putting it in a box, giving it protection and status. Making some pieces exploring these ideas was going to be one of the first things I did in terms of making work for the fair.

Assemblage, 2016
Wooden box, curated objects

Assemblage, detail

I had already amassed a small collection of boxes, including a wooden box with small compartments and a lid with a clear acetate panel and so I started working with these. I curated a collection of small objects and made some small pieces of tatted lace and a cushion for it to sit on. I included several feathers as well as I wanted the boxes to fit in with the rest of my work.

Reliquary, 2016
Found wood, gold paint, fleece, feather, indigo dyed thread

Reliquary, 2016
Found wood, gold paint, fleece, feather, indigo dyed thread

Reliquary, 2016
Found wood, gold paint, fleece, feather, indigo dyed thread

As often happens, however, things didn't go exactly according to plan. I spent a full day working on my box pieces and at the end of it I felt extremely dissatisfied with everything I'd done. It can be very difficult when you've had an idea in your head for a long time and then when you finally get to try it out it doesn't work quite as you'd hoped.

Collected materials

Work in progress

Found feathers

This left me feeling rather grumpy and as Mr. Stitches was also feeling a bit grumpy we decided the best thing to do was to go for a walk. We're very lucky to live in a very beautiful part of the world and we only have to walk for a few minutes before we're out in the countryside. As we walked and talked I felt my mood lift and new ideas started creeping into my brain. I'd been collecting interesting twigs and on this walk I found some beautiful magpie feathers too and as I was walking I started thinking of new ways of working.

Memento I, 206
Twig, indigo dyed thread and fabric, feather

Memento I, detail

Increasingly I've been interested in incorporating natural materials into my work and place (in the sense of location) has been becoming more important too. I wanted to create some pieces of work that were created from the environment and that continued to explore my interest in birds, feathers and the idea of the bird as representative of the human spirit.  I've also been looking into the folklore of various cultures that see birds (and feathers as representative of birds) as surrogates for the human spirit. The druids, for instance, created cloaks of feathers as they believed this would help them channel the bird spirits which would let them get closer to the sky gods and thus be able to transcend earthly bonds.

Memento II, 2016
Twig, feathers, red velvet

Memento II, detail

When I got back to the studio I started working with the twigs and feathers I'd collected as well as threads that I'd dyed naturally. I began to develop a personal vocabulary using these materials (more of this in another post I think) and I'm really excited about how this work could develop.

Memento III, detail

Memento III, detail