Summer School

23rd June - Indigo backgrounds for stitch

Learn a little about the history of the oldest dye known to man. Set up an indigo vat and use traditional techniques including tie and dye with a range of materials, clamping and pleating to create a range of beautiful blue fabrics.

25th June - Felt backgrounds for stitch

During this class you will learn the basics of feltmaking and create background fabrics which can be included in your work for the rest of the week. We will cover creating the very finest of nuno felt, a fine silk or scrim sandwiched between fine wool or heavy thick felt, best suited to hand stitch. We will look at how colours can be combined randomly and by inlaying patterns using pre-felt.

This felt background was embroidered to make a small poppy panel.

26th June - Machine Embroidery

This class is suitable for both those who have not tried free machine embroidery before or those wanting to improve. Perhaps you want to master the use of metallic threads, twin needles, wing needles, vermicelli, or playing with tension to stitch cable or whip stitch.

The sheep right is made from cable stitch which gives him a wonderful wooly coat. He will be used to join two pieces of a hanging.

27th June - Borders and Edges and Soluble Fabric

This will be a follow up on machine embroidery using soluble fabrics. Experiment with borders and lace patterns or use as a support for delicate and fine fabrics such as the silk we will be using later in the week.

This sample is made up of lacey layers stitched on soluble fabric with pieces of text hand stitched on top. It will be used as a childs nightdress case.

28th June - Patterns and Textures with Metallic Materials

Have you ever been seduced by angelina, metallic threads, shim or bronzing powders? Well today is the day to learn how to use them.

This indigo background has a variety of metallic materials and bronzing powder. It will be one of the pages on an alchemy book.

29th June - Resists with Silk and Fabric Paints

No Need for Gutta! If you have felt frustrated that you just don't have a steady enough hand to manipulate a tube of gutta for achieve fine lines, or you don't want a white outline to your painting, then this is for you.

This piece used the same resist techniques that were used on the indigo to produce a silk scarf.