all the floral 'journeys' hanging on the wall Hot Textiles - drawing inspiration from the garden - West Dean College  www.westdean.org.uk One of the very many wonderful things about teaching at West Dean is that they will run a course with low numbers. The maximum for any course is 10 - such a treat and due to cancellations I have seven on my course this week. I am combining design with layers that are to be cut back with a soldering iron. We will be using shapes inspired by the beautiful grounds of West Dean.    Today we worked on a floral 'journey' (see pages 20 - 23 Experimental Textiles). The studios are huge and each student has their own bench and power supply - the facilities are really excellent. Esther filling in the spaces of her floral journey The journeys all hanging together on the wall they almost look like one design as they are only black and white. If we had introduced colour it would have lessened the impact. We then moved onto the 'flipping...

disperse dyes (transfer paints) ironed onto polyester satin The last workshop of 3 at Inkberrow Design Centre Inkberrow Design Centre was Transforming Transfers. I love transfer printing, it is one of the most simple techniques for colouring synthetic fabrics and one of the most effective. Disperse dyes (transfer paints) are painted onto copy/computer paper. Once the paper is dry the dye is ironed off onto synthetic fabric. You need to place baking parchment underneath your fabric and between the iron and the dyed paper. The dye is transferred by heat, so the iron needs to be as hot as your fabric will stand. The papers can be cut or torn and resists can also be used between the dyed paper and the fabric. We had a great day experimenting with the dyes, the studios at Inkberrow are large and airy with plenty of room for play! Emma and Sally ironing off their papers   grasses used as a resist between the dyed paper and the fabric Sally used a metal frame as a resist - and disc...

 one of the beautiful layered samples created on the Tinkering with Tyvek workshop Last Saturday night saw me dashing up various motorways from Art Van Go in Knebworth to Inkberrow Design Centre in Redditch ready to start teaching on Sunday. I was booked to deliver 3 one day workshops - On the Surface, Tinkering with Tyvek and Transforming Transfers. As I  have just posted about painted Bondaweb I will omit the images of the On the Surface workshop and go straight to the Tyvek. We had one of the best days working with Tyvek that I have ever had.  I had a great group of students, some already attending the college and some were new to the 'Inkberrow Experience'. Brenda Killigrew who is the managing director of Inkberrow Design Centre  www.inkberrowdesigncentre.co.uk/?q=front_page_alt and Castanea  http://castanea-craft-courses.com/ was around most of the time, popping in to check we were well supplied with coffee and biscuits. Brenda is a very good friend of m...

  one of Sharon Tavener's many excellent samples Just one last quick post about the summer school at Art Van Go last week then I can catch up with the Inkberrow workshops before I go to West Dean College. As you have probably gathered the final day was very productive with many different techniques employed. I don't want you to think that painted Bondaweb was missed out so here a few FAB samples. another sample of painted Bondaweb by Sharon Tavener   detail of above This delightful sample by  Paula Mason shows you don't need to add too much to painted Bondaweb. Just a little delicate hand stitch is all you need . . . . .  I will be back at Art Van Go in November. While I was teaching there this time Viv and I got down to booking my courses for next year, they are listed on my full diary  www.nid-noi.com/events.php    There will also be a special mentoring day for my past students at Art Van Go who want to develop further ideas and skills on Septem...

  amazing layers by Mary Campbell - layers of zapped Vilene Spunbond and craft/pelmet Vilene cut with a soldering iron The students produced some amazing work on this 3 day workshop at Art Van Go www.artvango.co.uk there many different levels of experience in the group but everyone got on really well, sharing materials, experience . . . . and chocolates . . . . Beautiful textures by Tracey Fordham, layers of zapped Vilene Spunbond and ployester organza applied to a painted Bondaweb background More zapped Vilene Spunbond embellished with French knots and stab stitch. This lovely sample ended up on the cover of a sketch book. I was particularly pleased with this sample by Phillipa Hamilton, it is the best piece of work I have seen so far that manages to incorporate and disguise textures Tyvek - stunning! Close up of Phillipa's sample another sample by Phillipa, this time layers of heavy Tyvek and polyester organza machine stitched together and then zapped with a heat gun. ...

We had such a productive day on the third day of the summer school that I will doing 3 posts - this is this the first and it shows some of the 3D samples that were developed that day. This FAB Tyvek box was made by the lovely lady who sat in the corner by the stereo whose name I wrote down and consequently lost - apologies . . . .. This box was made bu Jo Hogg, pelmet/craft Vilene cut to shape, folded and embellished with a Tyvek shape. This trio of Tyvek bowls was made by Julia Fonnereau A close up of one of Julia's bowls Marion Hornall created this bowl by layering up Tyvek and polyester organza which was machine stitched together and then zapped with a heat gun. This was then shaped further with heat to create this cheeky little bowl. Sue Dunkerly used the opportunity of time on the summer school to develop some ideas she had been working on based around seed pods. Layers of Tyvek. polyester organza and Vilene Spunbond were layered, machine stitched and zapped, then shape...

  Vilene Spunbond layered with polyester organza So - the second day. We played with distressing Tyvek this morning using single layers and ironing lightly between baking parchment and this afternoon we started layering properly - combining layers of Tyvek with polyester organza, and then Vilene Spunbond with polyester organza. Tyvek and polyester organza before it was zapped with a heat gun and after it was zapped Vilene Spunbond and polyester organza before it was zapped and after it was zapped   This is the 'naughty' table taking tea in the garden, when you are using heat guns it is important to have regular breaks , preferably in the fresh air  This is Kevin of Art Van Go - partner to Viv   . . .  and this is Viv I love teaching at Art Van Go, apart from the fact that everything is so well organised, we are waited on hand and foot and they serve chocolates with afternoon tea - It is always good to see Viv and Kevin. I don't see them often enough so ...