Alison brought in a very delicious rhubarb and ginger cake.  We didn't have a knife to cut the cake, so we used my 24"steel ruler - well, you do have to be adaptable!!  ExTeXtra is a group of 8 students from past Experimental Textiles courses, affectionately known as ExTex. We are now running ExTex4 and I am currently sorting the dates for ExTex5 which will start June 2016. The name ExTeXtra will probably change as the group work together and start to book their own exhibitions. This newly formed group will have have 4 more weekends together at The Old Needle Works in the IDC studios between now and March 2016. The group are learning to negotiate between themselves and me to decide what we will be doing, discussing and working on during this time. I am now mentoring this group and guiding them as well as teaching any techniques, skills they think they need.  Playing with white cartridge paper and staples, having a look at 3D. It had been decided thr

Newspaper decorated with painted Bondweb, silk fibres, glitter and transfer foil. On Saturday I drove over to Meopham in Kent to teach one of my last one day workshops. The workshop was Hot Textiles, working with Bondaweb, Tyvek and Lutrdur/Vilene Spunbond. As some of you will know, I no longer take bookings for one day workshops, you can never get enough done. This workshop was booked 18 months ago.  Having given a lecture to this group the previous Saturday in Gravesend, I knew I was in for a good day with plenty of fun and laughter.  We started off painting up the Tyvek, Bondaweb and Lutradur/Vilene Spunbond. When working with materials that distress with heat, it is important to know how to apply colour to them, most importantly, how thinly to apply the colour. If the paint is applied too thickly, the paint will form a barrier and form a resist to the heat.   The group painting up their products. The Tyvek is always the first to dry - so we we experimented w

Painted Bondaweb decorated with snips of polyester organza and hand stitch. Hot Textiles workshop. I am now back in the swing of things, I hadn't quite appreciated that the knee op would also affect my brain!!! It has taken a long time to get back to 'normal'. I have been planning several trips, both here and New Zealand, and am looking at what is coming up. There are a couple of spaces left on my workshop for the North Kent Guild in Meopham, Kent this weekend. (June 27th) The workshop is Hot Textiles. If you are interested do email suzannecooper55@gmail.com  *   There are also a couple of spaces left on my workshop 'Colourworks' at The Bridge, Brighton the following weekend July 4th & 5th. We will take a look at colour theory (we all need it!) and then go on to tear, cut, curl, pleat and manipulate paper to create beautiful, colourful vessels, book covers or a wall piece. phone 01273 687053  http://bit.ly/1RvYY6P   *  Lo

The girls getting stuck in. We have started again - Experimental Textiles 4 has begun. There are 9 students in the group, Trisha, Karen, Caroline, Rosie, Anna, Jackie, Catherine, Joe and Nadia. They are a fabulous group, coming from all areas of the UK, Scotland, Manchester and North Yorkshire as well as the Birmingham area. We had a great time together over the weekend. In the first session we work on design formulae and isolate designs ready to make printing blocks in the next session. We started off by painting 'The Journey'. Building up the shapes and lines. The students are asked to paint a journey, it could be a walk on the moon, through an enchanted forest or taking the children to school. It doesn't have to be representational. The 9 journeys all lined up. Sections taken from the journeys. The next design exercise was one I use called 'Expanded'. And then the next exercise was 'flipping out'. The