No Borders: Applied Textiles

Making thread wraps to explore colour combinations

I was very pleased and excited to be back with the No Borders art group again this morning. I have worked with them on a number of projects over the past couple of years and I always enjoy our sessions as the group is so positive and enthusiastic, it's really inspiring. I was also really touched as one of the participants said she was really excited I was working with them again as she loved textiles and the work we'd done before. The last project I worked on them with culminated in a hanging sculpture that was shown in Prism Arts Studio as part of C-Art 2014.

Hanging sculpture from last sessions

Detail

For this block of sessions we are looking at applied textiles, the title is deliberately a bit vague so that the group can pretty much do what they want! I took in lots of samples and we discussed our previous work together and what the group would like to do. They decided on individual projects and I was pleased that they all had ideas about what they wanted to do, I'm looking forward to seeing how these ideas develop as the project progresses. We also discussed colour and how it can represent different moods, feelings and ideas.

Looking at samples

Using pastels to explore colour

Pastel colour page

After our discussion (and a nice cup of tea) we started to look at the colours we would like to work with. I began by asking the participants to experiment with putting together colours that they liked in different proportions and to think about what mood this created. We used pastels so that the colours could be blended and different shades and tones created. As always everyone had a very different approach and it was interesting to see how people's personalities and preferences came out in this activity.

Thread wraps exploring colour combinations

Thread wraps exploring colour combinations

Thread wraps exploring colour combinations

We then moved on to making thread wraps using our pastel colour sheets as a starting point. I really like this activity as it is a different way of playing around with colour and it is a good way to explore how colours work together. It's also quite therapeutic and relaxing which allows us to have discussions about our ideas at the same time. Once again the individual characters shone through in the finished thread wraps, in not just the colour choices but the methods too. I'm really looking forward to next week and seeing how the work takes shape.

Pastel colour pages

Pastel colour pages

Pastel colour pages

Pastel colour pages

Quilt Update

Work on 'The Summer'

I wrote in April about the fourth quilt project I am running with my textile group up at The Heathlands Project (a social enterprise supporting adults with disabilities.) The guys are making great progress and the work is coming together really well. The border patches are all finished and I began stitching them together today.

Stitching the border patches together

One of the border patches. Batik and embroidery

The main body of the quilt is also progressing beautifully. Each year I have encouraged the textile group to try something a bit different and this year we have been experimenting with batik and fabric pastels. At the moment the guys are appliquéing organza shapes on top of the patterns they drew with the pastels and embellishing with hand stitch. The group chose the title 'The Summer' for the quilt and as more colours and stitches spread across its surface it is like summer coming into bloom.

Detail of fabric pastel drawing

Pastel and appliqué detail

The quilt project gives the group the chance to enhance and develop the skills they have already learnt as well as being an opportunity to try out new techniques. It also helps build a sense of community as everyone gets involved and we are all working towards a common goal. Knowing that the quilt will be seen by thousands of people (at The Festival of Quilts in August at the N.E.C.) is really exciting for a lot of the group.

Working together