A pretty silk fibre bowl by Sally Thompson   Some of the students on the Experimental Textiles Video Library have started work again after the festive break. It only takes one to post their sample in the private group attached to one of the 12 workshops, and then a few more join in. I love it when my phone pings to tell me someone has posted a new comment or image.  Sally Thompson, Gina Dean and Sue Redhead have been having fun experimenting with silk fibres.   The other side of the bowl above         Sally also experimented with molding fibres around a ball.   The first try of a silk fibre vessel, very successfully I think.   You can of course mix your media when you are making bowls and vessels. Sally was having a clear out and decided to shred her old recipes, and then - Bam! A bowl made from a combination of paper and silk fibres. Doesn't it look fab with the toning silk fibres bringing out the orange tones in the shredded paper.   ...

Visitors to the show looking through the girls workbooks. I was hoping to post this before Easter - but my get up and go seemed to get up and wander off. I always forget how the big shows take it out of you. However, I am here now. Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch is my favourite show. It is just bonkers and has something for everyone. It is always good to meet up with visitors and friends from all over the country in some cases - all over the world.  I had two sets of students exhibiting this year. My ExTex 4 girls (Experimental Textiles 4) had their end of year show and the previous years group were exhibiting on the IDC stand. They have formed a group - Out of Line. More of that further down this post. The ExTex 4 end of year show. Having work in a show and stewarding the exhibition is a wonderful opportunity for the students. Being able to speak to the visitors about techniques and skills they have learned on the course makes a huge difference to their ...

 Nadines and Anna's vessels.  The past weekend was the 8th and penultimate session of Experimental Textiles 4. Their final session is next month so the energy within the group is starting to change. You get the impression the girls are starting to put their shoulders back and their chins up, ready for the last push. Their end of year show will be at the NEC at The Fashion, Embroidery & Stitch Show in March. As the course is not accredited, there is no pressure for the group to finish anything. They can concentrate on their work books and develop some of their samples from the course. It is up to them. Because of this I find the work and the course workbooks are generally of a higher standard than students who are on accredited courses that have to tick boxes. We have much more freedom and we self moderate. Having taught both types of course - I know which I prefer . . .     Catherine's cake. A great start to the weekend. Delicious. We had some...