Indigo Dyeing Workshop - Jancie Gunner

Brilliant workshop yesterday with Janice Gunner. My first attempt at dyeing, shocking considering I used to be a chemistry teacher! I remember the smell!

Indigo Dyed Cotton (drainpipe)

Janice had so many gorgeous fabric samples, it was hard to decide which technique to try first; stitching squares of fabric, tying in marbles, clamping shapes and wrapping fabric around old drainpipes.

Indigo Dyed Cotton Muslin (clamp resist)

The indigo vat was made up in a large black plastic bucket (the resemblance to a witches cauldron was remarkable!) and then the fabric dunked.  Simple as that!!  I think the best bit is opening up the little parcels after to see the effect.  Love it!

Indigo Dyed Cotton Samples (stitch resist)

Indigo Dyed Cotton Muslin (marbles and ikea bag clips)

Indigo Dyed Silk (drainpipe)

Indigo Dyed Cotton (wood grain stitch resist)

Indigo Dyed Cotton (stitch resist)

Silver Birch Picture

Silver Birch Felted and Embroidered Picture

Textile art inspired by the stripes on silver birch bark. Wet felted background, commercial felt trees with embroidery bark detail.

Macy's Christening Picture

Completed Picture for Macy's Christening

Just wanted to share the finsihed pictures for Macy's Christening.  It is on a wet felted base with needle felting detail and stitched and beaded applique.

Oh, and another thing......

And last but not least, when I had brought ALL the boxes, bags and paraphenalia in from the car I sat down with a steaming hot cup of tea and a very tasty fruit scone, strawberry jam and clotted cream from Katy Brookes-Duncan, she had take away boxes for sale. Yum!
Her malt loaf was great for breakfast too!
www.kteacakes.co.uk

Tempting Workshops!

More from the weekend!

Oh, and along with all the gorgeously tempting things to buy, lots of people were offering workshops....


Two I have my eye on are:-

6 week mosaic course (Mondays 10am to 12pm) run by Melanie Watts, www.melaniewattsmosaics.artweb.com  

1 day stained glass workshop with Vitreus Glass, where you can come home with your own piece of stained glass www.vitreus-art.co.uk

Ceramics inspiration - Kirsteen Holuji

In a previous post I mentioned Kirsteen Holuji and her inspiring ceramic pollen grains and bulrushes.  There follows my attempts to recreate them in felt.

First attempt - felt around a circle resist then wrap sections with cotton to create the knobbles....

Recreating pollen - pink under layer, turquoise top layer

Second Attempt - I went home and consulted the genius book, Filz Experiment by Annette Quentin Stoll, and used her technique to try again.  Much happier with the effect but I need to work out how to turn it into a sphere.

Lime green under, purples top layer - prefelt and sewn circles

Cotton pulled tight and wrapped to create knobbles

Felted pollen next to Kirsteen's ceramic pollens

Finally I had a go at making a bulrush to replace the ceramic ones..... needs to be fatter and possibly more textured, with silks and materials added to the surface.  I'm hopingto have 7 ready for Bucks Open Studios! Kirsteen has 7 ceramic bulrushes in her sculpture.....  

Felted bulrush next to Kirsteen's ceramic bulrush

First swallows

As I was leaving Waddesdon I glanced up and spotted my first swallows of the year!  Sorry to the guy behind me - I had to get a pic! I wasn't on the proper road bit......honest!

Artists and Makers Fair, Waddesdon Plant Centre

Brilliant weekend at the Artist and Makers Fair! Bright airy space and so many really talented people. I know the whole point of showing at these fairs is to promote BeeBeeCrafts and hopefully sell bits and pieces, and not for me to buy, but it's so hard to resist temptation!!

The lovely lady, Janice Hume, on the stall next to me had so many lovely original paintings, sketches and prints, it seemed rude not to treat myself. A beautiful, simple original watercolour heart in moss greens and blues, really peaceful, calming colours. Lovely.  Her website is www.thiswouldlookniceonyourwall.com (genius name?!).

And I also fell in love with the work of ceramic artist, Kirsteen Holuji (www.kirsteenholuji.co.uk). She had huge sculptures of bulrushes to go in your garden and move gently with the breeze, voluptuous 'spotty bottom' vases, ceramic grasses, poppy seed heads and my favourite pollen sculpture.  Unfortunately the pollen I fell in love with sold but I'm hoping Kirsteen will make me one........

In the mean time I have used her lovely work as inspiration - more details to follow shortly.  I did spend lots of time over the weekend experimenting with making felt versions of the pollen and bulrushes.  You can judge how succesful I was when I post the pics!!

BeeBeeCrafts Stall, Artists and Makers Fair, Waddesdon Plant Centre

Close up, BeeBeeCrafts Stall