Emma had great fun layering papers with her transfer prints. Here is the second part of the 7th weekend of ExTex, a little late but as usual I have been out and about spreading the joy of textiles!!!! The Sunday saw the girls experimenting further with the disperse dyes (transfer paints), ironing them onto Vilene Spunbond and other synthetics that were lurking around. They had such a good time with these dyes on the 6th weekend and wanted to try some more samples. As we were using synthetics the group used soldering irons to cut the fabrics and heat guns to distress them.  Disperse dyes painted on to paper and then ironed onto synthetic fabric.   Transfer printed fabric decorated with painted Bondaweb and gilding flake. A transfer print further decorated with stitch.   Vilene Spunbond printed with a paper bag.      Transfer printed Vilene Spunbond that was then distressed with a heat gun.  Torn transfer paper ironed off randomly then decorated w

  One of Tracey's fabulous samples. The weekend saw the last ExTex session for this year. The girls have two more sessions, one in January and one in February; then it will be their end of year show at Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch at the NEC in March. - no pressure then girls!! As the last session as full dye recipes and all a bit 'concentrated', I thought it would be good for the the group to decide what they wanted to do this session. The decision was newspaper 'pretties' on Saturday and playing with Vilene Spunbond and transfer dyes on Sunday. They all had a great time throwing around glitter and gilding flake for a day, this is some of what they got up to . . . .  The following five images are the basic layered 'pretties' using old dyed and painted newspaper, painted Bondaweb and most things sparkly.       Four of the girls tearing and layering their 'pretties', lots of mess and fun. Then the girls started to cre

The 6th weekend of my ExTex course experimentaltextiles.com was dedicated to colouring both natural and synthetic fabrics and threads. I think it is important to be able dye your own fabrics if at all possible, it is one thing that can help make your work different. Saturday saw us dyeing natural fabrics in plastic bags with procion dyes. This is such an easy process for smallish amounts of fabric and it is always interesting to see which type of fabric comes out darkest and brightest. We were dyeing cotton, viscose and silk.   Some of the 'stashes'   As Shaun travels up from Plymouth and stays in a hotel Saturday night she wasn't able to take her dyeing home to rinse out like everyone else -so she did it Sunday morning - and for a change it wasn't raining so she could dry them in the sun.     Heidi started to layer up some of her dyed fabrics and tried a little hand stitch - very sensitive, quit lovely. After mixing up the dyes and

  This will be a quickie - This weekend will see me teaching my ExTex group at The Old Needle Works in Redditch, we will be procion dyeing on Saturday and on Sunday we will transfer printing . We should be in for a colourful time. The cake is made - all I need to do is sort out my kit and load the car . . . . x Worthing Embroiderers Guild are holding a workshop with Jill Flower  jillflower.com on Thursday October 18th and there are a few spaces left - The workshop is from 10 - 4 and is £20. Jill will showing you how to make her fabulous brooches. If you are interested please email Linda Hoddy lmhoddy@aol.com 

 A section across ' The Journeys' hanging on the wall Sunday saw the second day of my new course Experimental Textiles  www.experimentaltextiles.com and the group of eight intrepid students were getting used to each other. I say intrepid because these students don't really know what the end of the course will bring - neither do I!  The whole point of the course is to work through various basic exercises that any one can do but never have/take the time to do, along with good support, some exciting and original work will be created for the end of year show. It takes quite a leap of faith for students to sign up for this kind of course. I am only taking eight students each year. Eight is enough for a group to 'bond' and small enough for me to have time to work with each student individually. This will be a great treat for me - I'm not sure about the students!!! I have chosen IDC at The Old Needle Works  IDC/The Old Needle Works as the place to run the c