A fabulous online workshop with The Needlework and Textile Guild of Michigan

A great vessel decorated with Tyvek and polyester organza flowers. 
                                                   Mary Kay Aukea

 

Do you feel that Zoom meetings are the norm now? They can't replace the engagement of in person meetings, but they are brilliant when you can't get to a meeting or a workshop because of time restrictions or physical distance.

I am getting used to teaching workshops via Zoom. I recently delivered a lecture and a workshop spread over 2 days for The Needlework and Textile Guild of Michigan, USA. Because of the time difference the workshop needed to be delivered in 2 halves.

The Needlework and Textile Guild of Michigan https://www.ntgm.org/  is a multidisciplinary fiber-art guild. The purpose of the guild is to bring together members who learn, share, teach, and participate in workshops, talks, and demonstrations relating to a wide variety of the fiber arts. Members have interests ranging from quilting and embroidery to weaving, wearable art, beading, and art doll making. They are a great group, good fun and boy did they work hard. There were 19 students in the group that I taught, here are a few of the images that have been sent to me.


A beautiful piece by Mary Kay Aukea. Painted Bondaweb/Wonder-Under 805, gold transfer foil and skeleton leaves.

A detail of the skeleton leaves.

In all the time I have been teaching, I think this is the best way that skeleton leaves have been used on Bondaweb/Wonder -Under 805. simply cut and curved. Beautiful.

The workshop I delivered was Raising the Surface for Stitch where we experiment with Tyvek, Lutradur and painted Bondaweb/WonderUnder. Those of you who have worked with me will know that I encourage you to to try to disguise the textured Tyvek with stitch or by working with similar colours to your background. 

2 weeks after the workshop we had a Zoom Show and Tell. I find these very worthwhile, both for the students and myself. It gives the group a chance to develop the samples they created on the workshop and I can see what they have been working on. It is a very rewarding experience for all of us. 

 

This colourful canvas created by Mary Kay Aukea was decorated with a layer of painted and distressed Tyvek in several colours. This was then overlaid with Yupo paper (a synthetic paper) that was painted in similar colours and a soldering iron was used to make holes. You can see the Tyvek through the holes. Don't the colours and shapes work well?

During the workshop we looked at how to create raised shapes with Tyvek, creating corsage type flowers and even bowls.


Tyvek and polyester organza bowl by Margaret Kluka

Isn't this piece fab? By Margaret Kluka. Various Tyvek and polyester organza flowers on painted Bondaweb/Wonder-Under 805 stalks.  

 

A great piece by Shary Cohn. 
 

Shary created a lovely layered sample working with painted Bondaweb/Wonder-Under 805 and fabric scraps. She wasn't all that pleased with it - so she cut it up and rearranged it - Doesn't it work well?

I thoroughly enjoyed delivering the lecture and workshop for this group. Everything was so well organised. Zoom is a great way to connect with friends, family and of course work. It will never replace face to face contact, but it can help us reach around the world from our home or studio.

 

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