Craft Fairs

2017 has been very quiet on the craft fair front. I've done a few but hardly sold anything so am going to go further afield or attend ones I haven't done before next year.

I have sold a few of my new brooches online and they are small and easy to post as well as being enjoyable to do. I dry felt the background then hand embroider flowers onto them.

I have also been thinking about our exhibition next June at the Williamson in Liverpool which will be on us in no time and will be posing some ideas.

Textile 21 at Ordsall Hall

Textile 21 are holding an exhibition at Ordsall Hall which is inspired by the hall itself and runs until early February.

I decided to base my pieces on rusty fabric as the hall fell into disrepair before being restored. I had difficulty feeling inspired by the hall which is unusual and had to do lots of experiments before I finally decided and wasn't that pleased with the result.

Pictures of other members work can be seen on the Textile 21 page on Facebook.

Vintage and Shabby Chic

My work is usually quite bright and bold in colour but just lately I have been getting into pinks and creams and lace.

I went to Stockport Emporium and picked up a few pieces of lace and now need to visit more vintage markets to find more.

I made a 6 inch box using my usual method of making fabric using layers of organza on curtain lining and pelmet vilene and decorated it with lace and roses made from chiffon and silk organza. I've already had an order for 3 so am working through those. I made some hearts and sold 8 to my friends at the hospice and have orders for 4 more so it looks like I'm onto a winner. One of the small bags sold too.

Next a mobile phone case and a couple of brooches which I'll probably follow by a book cover and then need to put my thinking cap on.

Oak leaves

I'm desperately trying to get away from the colours I normally use which are pink, purple, jade and blue so thought I would make a few autumn coloured pieces. It began with the covered bottle I made at an Embroiderers Guild workshop. This was made from strips of felt with machine embroidered oak leaves and beads added.

I then made a book cover and box and added oak leaves and beads in autumn colours.

Textile 21 and The World of Glass

Last year we had an exhibition at the World of Glass in St Helens and went for a visit to be inspired. I love the work of Dale Chihuly and wanted to make some textile flowers that looked like glass but obviously on a smaller scale than the picture below.

I made the flowers from 2 layers of pvc which had various fabrics sandwiched between and they were all wired which I was lucky enough to do without breaking a needle.

My first piece was a vase of flowers which I was lucky enough to sell.

The second piece was a bit more wacky and inspired by the plants in Avatar.

Both my pieces got good comments as did the whole exhibition.

The Vegetable Garden

Happy New Year to everyone, rather belated but seem to be so busy since moving up north. On Thursdays I volunteer in the creative therapy department at a local hospice and last year the patients made a wallhanging which was inspired by the vegetable garden. As it was textile I helped with this and was inspired myself to create one on canvas.

It is made using applique with the vegetables made separately and stitched on and took ages but was really fun to do.

Transfer Dyeing

Transfer Dyes

 
These are a means of colouring synthetic fabrics such as polyester, lace or acrylic felt. The dyes are painted onto paper which is then dried and ironed onto the fabric and it can be used again but the image will be paler. Protect the iron and ironing board from the dye by using baking parchment or layers of newspaper then iron on for about 1 minute checking that the design is being transferred.

Resists can be added such as leaves, seed heads, grasses, feathers or threads or pre-painted paper cut into shapes.

Painted papers can be torn into strips and woven together.

Do a second print on sheer fabric and overlay the design which gives a softer effect.

You can sew round the shapes.

Designs can be painted onto the paper but it will be reversed once ironed onto the fabric.

Photocopied images can be painted then ironed on.

Skeleton leaves as resist

Shapes cut from painted paper then stitched

Leaf shapes cut from painted paper and ironed on

Shapes cut from different coloured papers

Dyed lace and piece of conifer acting as resist

Paper bag iron on as some cheap paper bags are made from left over inks so look out for pretty ones.

More Brooches

The brooches are made of layers of fabric and threads which are burnt back with a soldering iron before being machine stitched and beaded.

Textile brooches

Just started making some different textile brooches. More pictures to follow.

Tyvek Beads

I love mixed media especially Tyvek and have just made some beads from it. The Tyvek was painted both sides with Lumiere and rolled round a stick before heating with a heat gun. Some had added sparkly fabric.

Dragonflies

I love dragonflies and had a great experience in New York with one. We were going to the top of the Rockafeller Tower and in the foyer there was one trying to get out of a window. I picked it up and took it to the top and let it go which really made me feel great. It's probably the highest flying dragonfly ever and the view from the top was amazing.

Anyway, I use dragonflies on several pieces of my work, cards, mobile phone cases, book covers, and pictures. This is my latest piece in mixed media on canvas and on a box. The dragonflies are made on watersoluble fabric and organza.

Textile 21

Enjoying going to textile 21 once a month as I find them very helpful and inspirational and the ladies really make me think outside the box. Our next exhibition is at the World of Glass in September so I am working on some glass flowers inspired by Chuhuly. I intend to do 2 pieces, one in a vase and one wall mounted. Here is a snippet. The flowers are now different in the vase and the wall hanging will have more unusual triffid type flowers on it.

Vessels

For my City and Guilds I made a tree vessel which took ages but was fun to make.

I have made another couple since then one of which will be exhibited at the World of Glass in September.

Felted poppies

I've been doing a bit of teaching and it's going quite well. Also continuing to do craft fairs as well as giving talks and demonstrations to local groups and in Patchwork Parade in Chadderton where I'm doing a workshop in July.

I did a brooch workshop at Crafty friends.

We've covered creative techniques, dyeing natural fabrics with procion dyes and man made fabrics using transfer dyes, made a box and a felt picture and generally had a fun time. I enjoy wet felting and have made some poppy pictures and book covers.

Applique

I enjoy doing applique as it's much quicker than making all the bits your self as I cut them from fabric. Seascapes seem popular so made this.

Another type of applique which is interested is cut back where you draw a picture on Vilene put a layer of cotton on top then felt before sewing the picture from the back and cutting through the felt with a soldering iron. The white felt has been transfer dyed.