A Tyvek and polyester organza corsage by Mo Henderson in France. Online workshop - Manipulating with Heat. A bit of news about the online teaching and how it is going.  Not having taught online before, I wasn't too sure how it would go. Not having a frame of reference, I could only be guided by what other textile tutors are offering.  It has been a steep but generally positive learning curve. We had one or two teething problems on the first workshop, Manipulating with Heat - but judging how a lot of the students are STILL producing work on this workshop, we have got everything right now . . . . . .    A stunning cellophane bead and flower necklace by Mo Henderson. Online workshop - Manipulating with Heat.  As the workshops are based on a fast paced one day workshop, I thought the students enrolled on the workshops would work through the exercises over a few days, maybe a couple of weeks, depending on how much time they had. Well the videos went up on May 2

 A fabulous sunrise. You have a plan. Things works out pretty well. You can't quite get the studio up and running yet, so you put off your plans to teach in your new home until you can get the studio sorted - in a couple of years time - maybe! Aaaagghhh!!! WHY am I SO blinkered? Just because I don't have a studio to teach in like all my friends - I do have a large lounge, with a wooden floor, great light, and one of the best views you will ever see. Plus very useful outbuildings. Why does it take someone else to point out the obvious?   So - I have decided, with a little help from a friend - that I will start teaching a few selected weekends here next year and a 5 day residential in October.  I only decided today so I have to work a few things out. When I first moved to this beautiful place I thought I would never want to share my home environment. But now I have been here for a while I realise it would be a great shame not to share it a few days a year.  I

 Die cut shapes from decorated newspaper ironed onto S133 interfacing. Online workshop - A New Starting Point. Being interviewed about your practice is a strange thing. Particularly when you tend not to work the same way as most of your peers. It makes you feel a bit vulnerable. However, when the interview comes out and looks and reads - quite alright really, you feel much better. This is a link to the interview. I hope you enjoy reading it. www.textileartist.org/kim-thittichai-designing-process *** This is a catch up blog post.  In August I have my last two workshops in the UK til 2019. One at Art Van Go and one at the Old Needle Works in Redditch.  Art Van Go - there are 2 places left.  August - Thursday 17th and Friday 18th 2 day workshop 10am - 4pm  Stitched and Printed Textile Travels. Be inspired by your travels - from a stunning arch in a cathedral to the exotic delights of an elephant ride in India. £95 (Including £4 materials charge)    Cr

    Newspaper faux chenille.  Hurrah!! The Sonas Studio website is now live . . Do have a look -  www.sonas-studio.com Thanks to the power of Facebook and my newsletter the first workshop, Manipulating with Heat, filled up fast and is going well.  Manipulating with Heat. A Tyvek and polyester organza bowl.  Now the website is up it will be easier for everyone to see which workshops are available to enrol on and which ones are coming up. A New Starting Point is now enroing and there are a few places left. The workshop videos go live on July 7th.  A New Starting Point.  Jayne, my partner in Sonas Studio is here in Ireland at the moment filming our next two workshops.  We have just finished filming Transforming Transfer and we will begin filming On the Surface tomorrow. The workshop videos will be available to view for 6 months, because we all know how life can get in the way of our best laid plans . . .    Transforming Transfer.  On the Surface.

A fabulous transfer print. The Granary Studio is a great place to learn new skills and techniques. It is run by Susan Chapman. The studio is well equipped and offers exciting courses - do have a look - granarystudio.com My Granary Studio workshops - On Friday the 9th June I taught my 1 day workshop - On the Surface and on the 10th and 11th I taught my Transforming Transfer 2 day workshop. On the Surface is my Bondaweb based workshop. The group also wanted to play with Tyvek, so we had a good play session for the whole day, working with painted Bondaweb, transfer foils, gilding flake and mica flakes - and Tyvek. The first activity was to paint the Tyvek and Bondaweb. It is important to know how thickly to paint both products. If the paint is too thick, the Bondaweb won't stick and the Tyvek won't texture with heat as you are creating a barrier with paint. As the Tyvek dries faster than the Bondaweb, we started with that - learning how to texture and the