Colouricious Part 2

Fabric Paper

Today we welcomed back Jamie from Colouricious who has travelled far on this bitterly cold crispy day in December. We are thrilled to be working with Jamie again and continuing our wonderful theme of ''India.''

Jamie showed us lots of samples of hand embroidered fabric papers before demonstrating the way to make the fabric paper and then reminded us the technique of block printing as I am glad to say we had ladies today who had missed the first Colouricious day but were able to attend today.

2 of Jamie's samples

 

Margaret block printing on the very important matting
Wow Fiona - Like the Hat!

Then it was every man for himself

''Look out'' Elaine looks as if she means business!

We managed to get 18 of us sharing and working together - good job we know one another

Sylvia and Clare choose from Jamie's fabric papers while Margaret holds a brand new Indian block ready to print

Half of us block printed on Jamie's lovely fabric papers, and then sat down to do what we do best. We stitched and chatted and ''put the world to right.''

Jude's piece of a block printed bird surrounded by Indian script on fabric paper

 

Gradually the group made their own fabric papers

Dot just completing a piece of fabric paper and lifting it from the table to dry

 Janet keeping Dot entertained while completing the edges of  their block prints
 

We used an assortment of tissue papers of varying weights and shades of colour, manuscripts of Beethoven and some wonderful Indian text. There were also skeleton leaves which could be laid within the papers and condensed PVA. They were lovely whole or torn

 

THEN IT WAS THE CHRISTMAS BUFFET and Jamie had bought a CAR BOOT SALE...............

 

MIND YOUR BACKS PLEASE...
 

Lunch was a Banquet - well done ladies

After lunch the afternoon was spent stitching and sharing ideas for stitches and beading

Hard at it Denise, Margaret and Fiona

Some of us still working hard....

Some of us having a giggle and working...mentioning no names...

Some of us finding time to discuss and then work...

 

All acceptable and very necessary in a workshop

 

 

Jamie had the lovely suggestion of how to use the papers as lids for boxes (very useful with Christmas fast approaching), pictures in their own rights or book covers. Then we discovered a book Jamie had made with family pictures/portraits/pets and decided that would be Colouricious - part 3!

We must thank Jamie for her generosity in giving so much of her time, expertise and materials, providing everything we needed for today from printing ink to embellishment. We are now making plans for Jamie's return to us in 2013 for fabric paper books

 

 

Journal Pages

Journal 'pages'

Back in July, Clare came up with the wonderful idea of creating a journal for a year, whereby we will have up to 12 pieces of work by producing one a month.

The journal can be traditional and in book form, or it can be individual pieces of fabric/paper work. Each month can be depicted as a day/week in the life of...during each specific month. You do not have to participate in this venture, neither do you have to make 12 pieces. The idea is that we have sufficient pieces of work for an exhibition to show hugely diverse work in two and three dimensions.

Clare re-iterated for those who had missed her pearls of wisdom, and then several members displayed their wonderful beginnings for July and August already!
Margaret (below) is working on her Summer holiday piece as a sunset machine embroidery - her lovely idea is to have a book where each piece buttons together at the top so can be viewed as a book or as individual pieces.

Elaine (above left) is our shining star** This project of producing a journal of the year, has prompted her to keep her first sketch book and as always with Elaine's work, it is full of inspiring, detailed and promising tasty bites of what is to follow. Well done Elaine.

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Welcome to our newest member Denise. Margaret set her the task of producing her first sampler using straight stitches which has quickly developed and includes couching. Denise's sense of humour fitted in immediately...welcome Denise.

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Always time for a chat over one anothers work

You can see the diversity of the work that goes on in Connect in Threads days

Fiona is tucking into a piece of lino cutting

Pat added embellishment to her 'Colouricious' block print, by adding hand embroidery and bead work

 

We also began part one of our Coffee Morning to raise funds for Macmillan Nurses. Perhaps in October ladies, we can continue and buy more raffle tickets?

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Summer is here

Our August meeting was a very enjoyable afternoon at Pat's home. The sun shone on us as we sat in the garden sharing anecdotes, memories, laughter and Pat's wonderful culinary skills.

Books were passed from hand to hand, brand new and inspiring - more temptation to purchase

Thank you Pat for today - we had a wonderful relaxing afternoon

Have a wonderful Summer everyone

July Meeting

July 12th
Our 'Theme of India' continued today and we bought together our varied and wonderful artefacts of India: textiles, books, wood blocks. Janet shared her beautiful little bags from Afghanistan where a lot of the techniques, including seisha, were apparent and 'Indian' in their style. Encrusted beads of plastic were a fascination. The little bags sparked a lot of interest.

 Pat and Pat with their heads in a book

One of the wonderful things about Connect in Threads, is the way in which everything is shared. Techniques, materials and ideas flow freely. Problems are shared and solved very often. ''Two heads (or more) are better than one.''

Margaret, Sylvia and Judith

Ruth has been on a second Kantha workshop and here is her role of work - so many patterns, techniques and colours. This will be a wonderful help when we have a Kantha workshop at the Embroiderers' Guild in August.

Close-up of the Kantha work

The other wonderful thing about Connect in Threads, is that you can work on your own project and interchange your project work at any time. Margaret's quilt is a real feast for the eyes and nears completion now.

Clare invested in two wonderful Indian hangings, at the recent Regional Day. How lucky we are to share in the beauty and talent of these pieces.

Clare will be taking inspiration from this hanging for her own project work.

Well done ladies on yet another successful meeting. Even the unscheduled fire drill did not distract us from a productive day. We are not meeting in August so have a lovely Summer and see you in September.

 My thanks to Lillian for the fresh strawberries from her wonderful garden, and to Pat for her usual, but no less wonderful culinary skills in cake making - all topped with cream! Thank you everyone :)

June 14th

Today the room was buzzing! We only just fitted into the room and the atmosphere was electric!
Welcome to our newest member Sylvia who worked on a piece of free hand embroidery.
So many projects continued today, that it is almost impossible to list them all, but thankfully that isn't really necessary. The purpose of the group is for like minded friends to support one another and to share in the triumphs of our work while offering solutions and ideas to difficulties in our work.
Our interest in Indian textiles continues and we are planning to work more on the theme in July and September by looking at Indian techniques in hand embroidery - to be announced on the 'calendar of meetings' page soon.
Alma is working on a lovely project for breast cancer patients - pretty, large heart cushions which fit snugly in the armpit to alleviate soreness after a mastectomy. Alma also shared a pattern for a wonderful scissor holder which is not only aesthetic in design but holds three pairs of scissors.
The hall today depicted a scene of activities ranging from hand embroidered purses, block printing, machine quilting, designing for hand made blocks, to couching for a competition piece for the Central West Embroiderers' Guild 'Regional Day' in a few days time.
Thank you ladies for a wonderful therapy day!

COLOURICIOUS

May 10th, 2012
Today we were privileged to welcome Jamie Malden from Colouricious

A year's wait was well worth it as we were in for such a treat. Jamie's love of textiles and block printing in particular, is contagious. Jamie designs her own range of wooden printing stamps which are carved in India

Janet Connock is seen printing decorative hands and feet, depicting the peacock at the centre. Look at the quality of the block

We were able to share dozens of examples of fine fabrics depicting hand and machine embroidery, bead work and embellishment in the shape of quilts, hangings, tissue boxes, table linen and handmade books, to name but a few. Here Judith and Pat are enjoying some of the many examples of work

Example of Angelina fibres that have been ironed onto the surface of a wooden block - fabulous effect

Jamie getting ready to begin the process of block printing - on an apron. This was to be our first project for the morning. Individual, unique, hand printed aprons with Indian motifs and everyone was startlingly different

Pat, Alma, Lillian, Margaret and Janet enjoying the process of block printing our aprons

Jamie had little time to sit as she is very ''hands on'', helping Pat Judith and Elaine

Janet and Margaret well on the way with the apron prints

Sue and Heather - a very interesting print on the diagonal proved to be stunning!

Elaine loving the process and making her serendipity cloth. This cloth soaked up all of our left over printing ink during the day - we cleaned our blocks on it and mopped our hands. The result would be a fabulous unique cloth for another project to be continued next month

Pat and Alma demonstrating how to apply fabric paint to the block with a sponge

Here we are in all our glory, photograph courtesy of Jamie

Apologies to Margaret B who had to leave early for the theatre and missed the photo shoot :(

Our work in the afternoon - more wonderful wood blocks to choose from. Jude's cheeky camels surrounded with luscious leaves. We are now on our second piece of work and using overprinting to great effect

Lovely thistle print and building up layers with the blocks

Beautiful layering of subtle colours

Heather is rightly very proud of her fabric - Photo courtesy of Jamie

Photo courtesy of Jamie

Lillian enjoying the process and fulfilling a dream for a piece of work that has been 30 years in the making :)

Margaret deep in thought with her beautiful over-printed cloth

Today has been a wonderful day to share with like minded creative people under the brilliant guidance of Jamie Malden. Thank you to everyone who attended and made it a special day to always remember. Our meeting next month will be to continue with our fabrics adding embellishment and stitch - so please return to see the results

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