ExTex 5 - session 5. Constructed Textiles. November 5th and 6th.

 I loved this little bowl, Fabulous.

 Last weekend saw the 5th session of Experimental Textiles. We were looking at and discussing constructed textiles - felt, knit and weave. It is always a fun session, lots of colour and texture. 

We started off with felt making. I only teach the most basic of processes for textiles. Once a student knows the basics, if they are interested, they will be off and running. 
One of the great things about teaching adults is that they come to a course with all their prior learning. It is a great springboard for creating fabulous work. They just need to believe they can do it - confidence tends to be the key.

We experimented with wet felting and needle felting - great fun. First of all we tried flat felting for the group to get used how the wool should feel as it becomes felted. Then we moved on to making little bowls. I favour having a a flap around the bowl to incorporate as decoration, we also looked at neater ways of making bowls.

 

A selection of the little bowls.

This is a bowl made by Val Llewellyn a couple of years ago. I love the way she incorporated the 'flap' of the bowl in the decoration.

We then had a play with needle felting making sure all the very important health and safety issues were well adhered to!!

The next day we got on with the weaving process, I had asked the group to bring in a basic card loom. You can create some very beautiful and quite amazing textures with the most basic of looms.

 

 

As you can see, the group did well.

Sunday afternoon was a slow, fun and slightly silly time - we just had fun with knitting with needles . . and our fingers. I blame the E numbers in all the cakes the girls brought in. My goodness we did eat well.

We used a loose stitch in the knitting so the group can use it as a grid to weave into . . .

Their home work is to create something 3D in one or two of these processes.

I look forward to seeing what they get up to. 

Our last session for the year is next month when we will be dyeing natural fabrics with procion dye and synthetic fabrics with disperse dyes (transfer paints).

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This weekend I will be back up in Redditch teaching my ExTeXtra group these are girls that have progressed from ExTex and and now exhibiting and working by themselves. I only see them every 3 months or so - so it will be a great treat to see them all.

 

I will then be teaching a 3 day version of my newspaper based workshop A New Starting Point at Art Van Go, Tuesday - Wednesday next week. There are a couple of places left if you fancy joining us. 

Telephone Art Van Go - 01438 814946

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Then that is it for the year . . .  I will be playing house - in Ireland. I cant wait.

 This is the house . . .

 . . and this is the view - though it won't always be sunny like this - I am well aware . . . it's going to be very windy!!

I will start moving over on the 14th of this month - Yeehaa!!!

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Hello Jill - I need to to talk to you. 
Hello Diana - I got my towels - thank you for the inspiration.
Hello Tod - I think you are even more excited than I am!! x x x

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