Happy New Year!!

 Block print flooded with a colour wash by Janet who is on The Journey workshop.

Happy New Year!!!  Yes - I know its the end of March!! It's been a while.
Most of you will know the feeling, when you are undecided - you do nothing!!
Sometimes inspiration or a direction presents itself - sometimes you just have to wait . . . 

 I have been getting used to living in a remote area. It has been over 3 years now. Mostly it is wonderful, just occasionally when we are in the middle of a big storm, I lie in bed wondering if the roof is going to come off and question did I do the right thing? The resounding reply is always - Yes! 
Any of you who follow me on social media will know how much I love living on the edge of the world. The West Coast of County Clare, and particularly Loop Head, has an 'other worldliness' about it. It is hard to explain, but hopefully is comes through when I post on Instagram and Facebook. This is the website for our little piece of wonderful. www.loophead.ie
One of the local beaches on a rather grey day. 
But there is always a beautiful light.

 I find I am drawn more towards nature than working in textiles for the moment. Being surrounded completely by the most beautiful, ever changing views, I can feel a shift in what interests me. I am becoming more interested in photographing my surroundings, the light in particular. I feel no need to try to interpret these images in textiles or stitch . . at the moment. That will change when I just HAVE to hold some fabric and stitch onto it. Another month or so and I expect I will be stitching again. But for now now I am watching and gathering.

 
 One of Janet's sections of her Journey.

One of things I have decided, is to finish my online teaching at the end of May. 
I have had several messages and emails over the last couple of weeks asking if I am still teaching online. For another 2 months - Yes! 
I know a lot of you are working at home and might need a bit of light entertainment during this unprecedented time. And believe me - my videos are entertaining . . .

If you would like to enrol for a course you will still have 2 months to complete your samples and maybe even create a finished piece of work. . . And these links are a 30% discount code. You can work on your own - or join in with me and any others in your class. I am home, and waiting to hear from you.

 The positive and negative printing blocks for the above design.

 
 Trying out different ways of printing with the blocks, Playing with repeats and
rotating.

So - here are the links and descriptions of the classes. Some are longer than other, but 2 months is PLENTY of time to complete them. All the classes are described here - http://www.kimthittichai.com/Teaching/Online/Workshops/workshops.html  
BUT ONLY ENROL THROUGH THE LINKS ON THIS BLOG POST!
Underneath the image and description.

 
Creating Original Designs, Including The Journey, and Design to Print is now avialble to buy as one course. The course has 12 videos, each at least 10 minutes long, some longer.

The Journey
https://app.ruzuku.com/courses/34030/enroll?coupon_code=30discount

Usual price £170


***

A New Starting Point
https://app.ruzuku.com/courses/28742/enroll?coupon_code=30discount  
Usual price £85

 Discover and develop the redemptive qualities of old newspapers, maps, music and books.
Create fascinating surfaces on which to print and stitch. Using painted Bondaweb/Vliesofix and all manner of sparkle, we will explore the possibilities of layering textures, ending up with exciting surfaces which can be further embellished with print and  stitch.
If ironed onto a firm interfacing these gorgeous pieces of work can be used to make boxes, vessels and brooches.


***



Manipulating wth heat
https://app.ruzuku.com/courses/28743/enroll?coupon_code=30discount
Usual price £85 
 
This workshop is equivalent to what you would achieve on a fast paced  one day workshop with Kim, with a little more added... We will be working with Tyvek, organza, cellophane and food packaging. Learning  simple techniques using heat tools to create wonderful decorative surfaces and 3D objects.
Through videos and demonstrations Kim will lead you through the techniques you need. We will cover the safe use of heat tools and how to texture the products with heat.

We will also cover making beads and bowls from products you can find all around you.

 ***

 

 

Transforming Transfer
https://app.ruzuku.com/courses/28744/enroll?coupon_code=30discount  
Usual price £85

Explore the possibilities of transfer paints and crayons, creating startling colours on synthetics and more subtle effects on naturals. We will try resists, overprinting, layering and various ways of applying paint and crayons. Build a portfolio of delicious samples on an amazing array of fabrics.


Your printed samples will be exciting backgrounds to stitch into.


***



Newspaper Faux Chenille
https://app.ruzuku.com/courses/23327/enroll?coupon_code=30discount

Usual price -£40

 

Creating newspaper faux chenille is a very satisfying process. Layering up old newspapers, maps and books gives a wonderful distressed paint look. Because you need a firm background to stitch onto to stop the work falling apart as you stitch, you can then make fabulous vessels and boxes with your finished work.

This is a short course equivalent to 2-3 hours.

 

***

 

  

 

Hot Textiles 
https://app.ruzuku.com/courses/29468/enroll?coupon_code=30discount
Usual price £170

On the Surface, Manipulating with Heat and Transforming Transfer and another special additional video on working with plastics. The workshop On the Surface, is exclusive to this course. Please look at the individual course pages for more detail on the workshops.


The course is priced to give you a 10% discount on the price of all 3 workshops.

 

***


Do email me with any questions - info@kimthittichai.com

 Pops and Fizz are doing well.
Pops is still tolerating Fizz, but hopefully in time.

 
Stay in, be creative and stay safe.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts

Extreme Surfaces for Stitch - West Dean College July 17 - 20

Image
Mary's beautiful composition of painted Bondaweb, newspaper, foils, gilding flake and jewel dots - and seaweed! Every now and then in your teaching life you come across a 'super' group. 'Super' in the the way they work together, share their materials and experience and of course they produce some fabulous work. It is particularly unusual to find this on a three day course - it is something I would associate with much longer course. Nine students who have never met before with the widest divide of experience and age from 17 to much older, experience ranged from very little through City and guilds up to degrees and a PHD in textiles based subjects. "Where sheep may safely graze . . "  The view outside the workshop door - sigh . . . it is so beautiful. Of course, being at West Dean College  www.westdean.org.uk helped, what with stunning surroundings, space to work and wonderful food it would be difficult to find anywhere else more suited t...
Read more

Zap, Pow, Slash and Burn! Foredown Tower part the first

Image
  Layered Tyvek and polyester organza. We had a great day to day at Foredo wn Tower. I t was the f irst day of a two day workshop - Zap, Pow, Slash an d Burn! This workshop gives stud ents a chance to play with all the zappable products that I work with namely, Tyvek, Vilene Spunbond and polyester organza.    The group painting their Tyvek . There were nine in the group and although it was pouring with rain outside and blowing a hooley, we were almost snug and warm inside.    Working with a heat gun, an inch away f rom the surface of your work and holding the heat gun at a slight angle.   The group ha ppily using their heat guns.   The following images are all three layers of heavy (75gm) Tyvel layered with polyester organza and then stitched together on a sewing machine . The samples were then zapped with a heat gun. This exercise helps the stude nt learn contr ol - by moving the heat gun away from and towards the work,...
Read more

Hot Textiles at The Bridge, Brighton. 6th and 7th September

Image
  A scrumptious sample of textured and foiled Tyvek. I am finally catching up with myself, have been in rather a headless chicken mode for the past few weeks - things are bit calmer now. I have a few days in between each teaching session now right up to when the shows start next month. As long as I keep moving I will be fine. So . . . I have a new teaching venue in Brighton, just 10 minutes up the road from me, I can't believe how close it is - such a treat. I have booked some more workshops for next summer and once I have decided what I will be teaching, I will let you all know the dates and workshop information. The Bridge Community Education Centre is light and airy place with plenty of well equipped rooms and a fabulous cafe with scrummy food. There is a huge car park and the Centre is close to Falmer station and is also on many bus routes. www.thebridgebrighton.com   We had a group of seven fabulous girls. This is the Art Room. I was teaching a ...
Read more

The Full Works - 2 day workshop, Solihull Embroiderers Guild 17th & 18th July

Image
 3 layers of 75gm Tyvek layered with polyester organza. The Full Works is my basic workshop learning how to use heat tools. We work with Tyvek, Lutradur/Vilene Spunbond and painted Bondaweb.  Solihull Embroiderers Guild is a great group. Good fun and well organised. Have a look at their website. All Guilds can do with new members, if you fancy joining, you won't be disappointed. www.facebook.com/SolihullEmbroiderersGuild   and the website - www.embroiderersguild.com We started off painting up all the products which took a couple of hours. It is important for students to know how to paint up all the products if they want to do this kind of work at home. When working with heat distressable materials, it is important not to paint them too thickly or the paint will form a barrier.    Painting up the products.  Painting Bondaweb. Lutradur/Vilene Spunbond. We started off playng with the Tyvek, laying it between 2 sheets of baking parc...
Read more

More prettys at Bobbys

Image
We have had the first day of my new course Print, Paint, Stitch and Play! and things seem to have gone well so far. I love teaching in Bobby's studio, it is purpose built with plenty of space, power and water. We had a fab day painting Bondaweb and colourwashing newspaper. The group then worked through my tearing and layering process and this is what they have produced so far. They have already started stitching into the papers and tomorrow we will be printing onto them. We had a discussion tonight about how to spell Prettys or Pretties. Apparently the latter is correct but I like the former so that is the word I am going to use - I have no doubt a certain gentleman in the Portsmouth area will now be sitting with his head in his hands and shaking his head saying No! NO! As part of this process you need to be able to describe a piece you have layered up with gilding flake, sequins, glitter and all the other gorgeous sparkly bits we are using. So I have started c...
Read more

West Dean - Layered Textiles - Hot Techniques for jewelled surfaces - part 2

Image
  3 A4 sheets of painted Tyvek layered with polyester organza. this was then machine stitched together and then zapped with a heat gun to reveal different layers of colour and to create texture. The second day of a three day course - we have covered most of the basic techniques now and the students will be combining their own layers and stitching into them tomorrow.  There are seven in the group and it is another good group - textile ladies do seem to be good fun in general. I rarely get someone who moans. These are two Bondaweb pieces that I missed yesterday We worked with Tyvek for most of the day, starting with 'kissing, stroking and caressing' single sheets and moving on to layering Tyvek with polyester organza and zapping back. I don't know if you can have too much of a good thing but here are all the layered samples - front and back - Maggie's front and back Jean's front and back   Janet's front and back...
Read more

Sussex Quilters - Tinkering with Tyvek workshop 5th June

Image
A stunning corsage - one of the best I have seen on a workshop.    I had a great day today teaching at Southwick Community Centre for the Sussex Quilters. The workshop was 'Tinkering with Tyvek'. As usual for my workshops this was a process based day. I think it is important to know what the the materials will do before you can decide to make anything. First thing, we spent an hour painting both sides of several sheets of A4  heavy Tyvek and fabric weight Tyvek. Dull but necessary, it is very important not to paint the Tyvek with thick paint. If you do, the paint will form a barrier and the Tyvek won't react to heat. We then had a play with ironing Tyvek shapes between baking parchment, learning the 'Kiss, Stroke and Caress' way of lightly heating the Tyvek till it shrinks and puckers. We then moved on to layering 4 sheets of A4 Tyvek with polyester organza and machine stitching them together ready for zapping back - a bit like cheeky reverse ...
Read more

West Dean - Layered Textiles - Hot techniques for jewelled surfaces part 3

Image
  Painted and foiled Bondaweb with painted, textured and foiled Tyvek The final day at West Dean was a day of layering and stitch, a great treat. Having the extra day made such a difference, to the work and to the group. All the students bar one were beginners in the Hot Textiles field and they all produced some brilliant work. We worked through all the basic Hot Textiles processes as you will see in the previous posts. The students were left with various piles of heat treated fabrics which I asked them to create some kind of composition - here are the resulting samples -   Layers of transfer printed CS800 Vilene Spunbond zapped with a heat gun and decorated with frayed organza and embossing powder.   Transfer printed CS800 Vilene Spunbond zapped with a heat gun decorated with a Tyvek motif.      Polyester organza decorated with painted Bondaweb, zapped with a heat gun and decorated with textured Tyvek  P...
Read more

Registering your interest in my online teaching . . .

Image
It's almost here! I have been getting a lot of requests for me to teach online over the past 2 years. From all over the world. This combined with me wanting to stay at home in Ireland more and slow down a bit has decided me - it is going to happen. Starting in May. I am currently building a database and everyone who is on the database will be the first to hear what is happening and when. They will also receive the Sonas Studio newsletter (you can opt out). My house in Ireland is called Sonas - it means happiness and well being in Irish. I chose it because it sounded just  . . right. This year I will be concentrating on my one/two day workshops that will translate well to online workshops. For example -Tinkering with Tyvek, A New Starting Point and Transforming Transfers will be online from May to July. This all very new to me and I will be having IT help from my good friend Jayne. If you have been to the show at the NEC in March you will have seen her there. She he...
Read more

Hot Textiles - North Kent Embroiderers Guild June 27th - and feed dogs!!!

Image
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 ...
Read more