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. Once dry they are ironed on

Transfer printed acetate satin decorated with transfer printed applique.   Apologies for the delay in this post - I am just catching up with the teaching I have been doing for the past week or so. These are the first two of seven workshops o n my teaching tour o f the West Country. My f i rst stop was Catcott in Wiltshire where I stayed with the very lovey Sue Anderson . The workshop was Transforming Transfer with the Avalon Embroiderers Guild. They are a fabulous group. Very friendly and helpful and they produced some fabulous work. This is their website with contact details.  avalonembroiderersguild   If you l i ve in their area, they would be a great group to join, there is lots going on with something for everyone . Transforming Transfer - Transfer paints (disperse dyes) are painted onto copy paper. W hen dry they are ironed onto synthetic fab ric. The dye forms a che mi cal bond with synthetic fabric and is immediately washable and colourfast.

Transfer print decorated with organza bonded applique. Being able to colour/dye and print your fabric is very important if you want your work to be different. In my teaching I strive to help my students create original work. It is my passion. So this session is very important, dyeing natural fabrics (Viscose, cotton, silk)with procion dyes and synthetics with disperse/transfer dyes. It takes a lot to organise but is soooo worth it.     The group sorting all their fabrics and putting them in their plastic bags. Learning how different types of fabric take the dye is great fun. I use the dyeing in a plastic bag method for this. We don't need yards of fabric to give us the information we need. I use Ruth Issett's book Colour on Paper and Fabric for all the dye recipes. It is now out of print but can still be bought quite reasonably. I always refer to Ruth's books, having done several summer schools with her, I know her systems work - she is the Queen of Colour