Happy New Year. Just a quick post about a few workshops for the New Year now available to book via my Big Cartel site. All are held at my home studio near Saltaire, Bradford, West Yorkshire.
Slow Stitch: Saturday 7th March
Using recycled, re-used and naturally-dyed materials, learn about the pleasure to be had from slow hand-work. Make connections between the fabrics, fibres and threads you use and learn traditional stitch and patchwork techniques. We will talk about sustainability, simplicity, reflection, and multicultural textile traditions. Japanese Boro pieces, intricate mending and old quilt samples are among the textile treasures from my collection and we will be using these are inspiration. You will come away with the beginnings of a unique piece of work to continue to stitch in your own time.
Natural Dye studio day: April 25th
An opportunity to experiment. Using the wonderful harmonious colours produced using natural dyes I will prepare a selection of dye baths using locally grown plants from my allotment for you to use. This is an opportunity for beginners or those with some experience of plant dyeing to work on their own projects or have a play with colour and simple resist techniques. You will take away a selection of hand-dyed fabric, ideal for stitch or quilt projects, and lots of ideas to try out at home.
Natural Colour and Print: July 18th
New for 2015, a day using simple printing techniques and natural dyes. This experimental day gives you a chance to create two or three coloured prints on fabric using mordant pastes and print blocks. I will provide a selection of dye baths made from local plants and those that I grow at my allotment.
I'll be advertising some more workshops for later in the year in the Spring and will be back next week with some news about a forthcoming exhibition.