Experimental Textiles - session 5 - Constructed Textiles.


A slice of Mary's particularly delicious lemon cake.
Alison arriving with a box of lemon drizzle cake and banana and toffee muffins.
Rachael arrived with a box of Rice Krispie cakes and Mellisa brought in a box of dairy free chocolates.

 Session 5 of Experimental Textiles looks at Constructed Textiles. Knit, weave and felt. We also look at working in 3D. But first we look at the homework . . . 

I am currently teaching two groups of Experimental Textiles. One on Thursday and Friday. The other on Saturday and Sunday. The course is taught over nine months, from June to March, one two day session per month. This post shows a mixture of images from both groups.
This was just a small part of Kate's homework - she created several fabulous pieces. A ripped up painted still life, reassembled and decorated with hand stitch.
 . . . Another from Jane . . . 
 . .  a detail . . .

Marlilyn missed the 4th session but created her own still life
and executed some very sensitive drawings and paintings. Which she then tore up and stitched.
Alison's weaving.

After looking at and discussing the homework - we got on with the weaving. We used very simple looms - just a piece of heavy card with 'teeth' cut out either end. It is great fun, mucking about with all kinds of yarns and textures.
Caroline's weaving . .

Marys weaving.
Then it was on to knitting - with all kinds kinds of yarn - 4 or 5 at a time.

 We tried what I call 'spider' stitch. I'm not sure it's a proper stitch but that is what I have always known it - you pass the yarn(s) around the needles, 2, 3, or 4 times then make the stitch. You get a fabulous open piece of knitting with looped 'holes'.
 
Trisha's rather sea life looking piece.
Rachael's soft and fluffy gorgeousness . . .

 . .  and a detail . .

Mary wove wool tops into her knitting to felt the next day.

 Once the girls have knitted a sample, they will be stitching or weaving into it for homework. it is so hard choosing images for the posts about the girl's work. They all produce such brilliant work. 

 Susie and Jane laying up the wool tops to make their bowls.

The second day of the session was felt making. We make a flat piece first so the girls get an idea of how much the wool shrinks and how thick it becomes and how the weight changes.
Marilyn, Kate and Caroline laying up for their bowls.

We also looked at needlefelting - Jane wasn't too impressed with one of her flat pieces so she chopped up and needle felted it back together.
The we got onto 'bowls'. I put inverted commas around the bowls as they are more like little vessels. The way I teach this method is probably not the correct way, but it works for me.

All the little vessels, ranging from 3" across to 7 ".

 Shall we finish as we started? With cake - We had so much, enough for the entire session. I really do have a very tough job!

 The next session is only three weeks away as I have to fit in the Harrogate show at the end of November.
***

I am writing this in Dublin. Laura and I are here to run the Vilene stand at The Knitting and Stitching Show. We are sharing a house with Viv and Kevin from Art Van Go - so we wont be having a very good time - MUCH!!

I will do a quick post while we are over here, no doubt including some of our exploits . . . . . 

x x x x

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