I just love the layers of colour you can get with disperse dyes/transfer paints. This will be my last proper post this year.  I am slowly getting my new house sorted on the w est c oast of County Clare , Ireland. It seems odd to write that sentence. 2 years ago I had only just started to think about the move - and now - here I am, gazing out to sea. It is so good when a plan comes together.    At the beginning of each session we look at what the group have done for homework. This is always great fun, haivng a catch up is very important.  I never cease to be amazed at the students creativity. Right, back to the teaching. . . I love transfer printing with disperse dyes. The dyes are made to colour synthetic fabric. In this session we used acetate satin, polyester satin and a suede like microfibre. I find it is a good idea to try a variety of fabrics including matt and and shiny. The dyes are painted onto copy/computer printer paper. Onc...

 A rather delicious collection of decorated and zapped polyester organza.  This was the last workshop on my West Country run. I must admit I was a wee bit tired by the time I got there. All these workshops seemed like such a great idea at the time!!! Hot Layered Textiles is a combination workshop. Working with requested products. The products chosen for Nailsworth were Lutradur/CS800 Vilene Spunbond, Tyvek, Bondaweb and polyester organza. When you are teaching a run of workshops in a certain area it is important to make sure you don't teach something similar too close to another one. It's all in the planning - which took about a year!!  The workshop organiser, Becca, approached me when she heard that I was planning a run of workshops in Devon and Cornwall and asked if I might add Nailsworth either at the beginning or the end of the run. We decided I would do it at the end.  A very enthusiastic group working away happily. The workshop was held in t...

 Fabulous layers of colour - just fantastic.  I seem to be in the mood to write - so here we are again. Sooner than expected. I love teaching this workshop. Transforming Transfer is my workshop that teaches you how to work with disperse dyes/transfer paints. The dyes are made to work with synthetic fabrics and they form a chemical bond once they are ironed onto synthetic fabric. Immediately washable. These dyes can be used on natural fabrics, they transfer paler and to make then washable there is a product called Transfix. The dyes can be thickened if you want to print with them. Art Van Go do a great starter pack. www.vycombe-arts.co.uk The dyes are painted onto paper . . . cheap copy paper is fine. The paper doesn't need to be absorbent or the dye wont transfer efficiently.    Thimblestitch@Zoe's has a great studio above the shop  Painting the dyes onto paper. Once the painted papers are dry - the papers are ironed, paint side down ont...