Fantasy Fabric Workshop

My Fantasy Fabric Workshop was today. It had been cancelled last week due to the horrific wind storm here in the city and around the island.

It was a great day. Lots of conversation about colour, decorative yarns, threads, decisions on which colour tulle looked best on a piece . . . the results are below. Such fun pieces!!! Isn't it great to experiment outside your comfort zone.

Great job, ladies. I can't wait to see what you will do with your fantasy fabric!

After stitching

 

After stitching

 

After stitching

 

After stitching

Fantastic Fabrics Short Course

Saturday I will be teaching another session of my Fantastic Fabrics Short Course. This morning was spend getting my handouts in order and taking a look at the things I need to take.

Course summary:

Students will experiment with sheer fabrics and other materials such threads, decorative yarns, sequins, paper and glittery fabrics such as lame, tulle, organza etc., to create their own fantastic fabrics. This playful technique results in a new fabric that can be used in applique, in piecing, as a background fabric or as framed pieces of art. To create this fantastic fabric, students will be using free-motion stitching on their sewing machine.

The focus of the course will be on techniques and procedures.This fun, stress free course usually takes about 5 - 6 hours!

I provide a lot of the 'glitzy' stuff to turn an ordinary piece of fabric into a 'glamorous, run-way' piece!

Here's an evening purse, made in 2007, that was made out of a piece of 'fantastic fabric'. The red and black fluffy piece is a wearable art pin that can be kept on the purse or attached to your outfit. 

Enjoy!

July Birthday Gift!

Last year I made a sewing kit for myself from some of my 'fantastic' fabric. If you recall, I gave it to my sister for Christmas. Read about that on the link above.

My birthday was mid July, so my friend, Marilyn, gave me my own sewing wallet. Thank you so much. I do love oriental fabrics! Don't you just love the closure 'button' that she made?

It was partially filled when I took this photo!

What a Day!!

The weather was wonderful! The day was great! I taught another one of my Fantastic Fabrics Workshops to a great bunch of very enthusiastic ladies. Have a look at their layered and stitched pieces.

Someone's stash of glitter!

Cutting slivers of lame

Cutting strips of stretchy costume fabric. Notice the Angelina fibres on the side.

 

More From the Workshop

Here are a few more photos from the Fantastic Fabrics Workshop. It was interesting to see the colour combinations each person choose to work with as they created their own original fabric designs (also check back to previous post). These fabric designs can be incorporated into quilted items, clothing and accessories. I didn't take photos of some of the finished pieces (forgot) but I hope to see them soon in a project or two.

 

Student Work

Today I taught my 'Fantastic Fabrics' Workshop. I spent a delightful day with 12 lovely ladies. The morning started out with a show & tell of the various materials used to create the fantastic fabrics. It was hands-on (literally), as bits and pieces of materials were examined. After lunch the real work began. The end results were 'fantastic'! All the top stitching was done with Sulky Sliver threads. I can't wait to see what is created from the pieces below. Take a look.
Enjoy!

Working . . .

This past week I have been getting ready for the 'fantastic fabric' workshop I'm teaching on Thursday. I also started and finished 20 credit card / business card holders using my 'fantastic fabric'. There are also more 3-D fish in the works. Now for a look at some embellished textile work by other textile artists. Check these out:

Threads: Working with Embellished Fabrics
Crazy Pieced Fabric Postcards from Anne's Creative Threads
Bayou Bags: Easy Fabric Embellishment
Embellished Fabric Beads from Quilt Robin - these are neat!
Confetti Fabric from Heather's 3 Stars
Textile Artists, Felicity Hopkins, Wendy Freebourne, Jill Dian Izzard, and Ruth Osborn

Evening Bag made from my Fantastic Fabric

Guild Presentation - Voyage of Discovery

The Cabot Quilt Guild has a committee of talented ladies who look after the guild program for the year. They may introduce a new technique, have a slide show, a book talk, a guest presenter . . . the list goes on. This month, I was the 'program'! The committee felt it was time for me to do my 'stuff'. Since we have had quite a few new members over the last several years, it was decided that I should give a general talk about my art work.

I had no difficulty with a title as my first piece of original art was called "Voyage of Discovery" - very fitting, as it was completed the year I retired from teaching. Since then, I have been on my own voyage of discovery into all things related to textile art and embroidery. I love to experiment / play with new materials. However these days, I find it difficult to get much time to do that and I miss it. Note to self: make time!

I am not a quilter of quilts like most of the guild members. However, here's a couple I have done: Sheep at Stonehenge, and Quiltennium Dreams. Photos of some more of my work can be viewed HERE.

I decided to do a power point presentation of my art as well as have some actual pieces on hand. One thing I did discover while searching through my photographs to prepare for this presentation, was the importance of taking good photos! In the beginning, I was learning (still am really) and the images were not always taken in good light or were a bit fuzzy. I was told over and over to use the RAW mode on my camera as the images can sometimes be 'fixed'. You can't do much fixing if they are jpgs. I am now using the raw mode on my camera - live and learn. There are a few pieces of art that are sold and I wish I had better photos of them! Oh, well . . .

I do have to 'tag' all of my photos as it makes it easier to find certain ones. Some of them are done but not all.

The presentation went well and I was asked to do a workshop on some of the techniques I use. I am teaching Fantastic Fabrics (surface embellishment on fabric) next month. I have taught that one before and it tends to be lots of fun for participants as it is completely stress free! I also have to prepare a project for another workshop in the works, on making fabric clapboard. That was the topic for a presentation I did a few months ago for the Eastern Edge Quilt Guild ! Now, to get back to work!



Cod Fish - the fish are in 3-D. This is in a private collection.

Mo'Man

NO, I didn't misspell the title! My little granddaughter can say 'snow' and 'man' but when she puts them together, it turns out mo'man. She is totally into the snow thing so I decided to make one for her.

I sketched out several images and decided on a front facing one. The black hat is cut from a piece of my 'fantastic' fabric. I used a black base and layered it with different yarns and fibres. Then it was stitched with black Sulky Sliver thread. I also used white felt and scraps of batiks.

Enjoy the links to other snowmen!
Free snowmen patterns from With Heart and Hands
Snowman
Seasonal Series
Quilt Inspiration - lots of snowmen
Snowmen Ornaments
Holiday Patterns for Embroidery - some snowmen
Ho Ho Snow

Before stitching

After stitching

Mo'man

Planning . . .

My husband caught me on camera a few days ago as I was planning my presentation for the Cabot Quilt Guild in February. I have been asked to talk a bit about the various stitching techniques I use in my framed textile art pieces. For example, how I create the foliage and flowers using organza and threads. I will also touch on the making of my Fantastic Fabrics which is a workshop I have taught in the past and will be offering again this winter.

In November, I did a power point talk at the Eastern Edge Quilt Guild, about some of my art work with a focus on making clapboard from cotton. I think there will eventually be a workshop on this technique as well.

On the wall behind me, there is a wall hanging with row houses. This was an experimental piece. The finished one has more houses and is part of the art collection of the Newfoundland Government. The colourful stars is called "It's Not Going Up In Here" - was completed in 2001, after taking a workshop with Libby Lehman, Houston, Texas. The Christmas Tree in the corner is cross stitch on sparkly linen. It hangs there all year. It reminds me of why I don't do cross stitch any more. I did more frog stitches in that piece, it's a wonder it ever got done (that was years ago). Oh, the frog stitch? Rip it, rip it, rip it!!!