First summer garden workshop

Well, I say summer, definitely not as warm as you might expect for May 30th, but we had a very enjoyable day playing with Procion MX dyes. We used a warm set of primary colours (scarlet, ultramarine and golden yellow) and a cool set of primary colours (magenta, turquoise and lemon yellow), poured them on neat and let them mix in the containers.

The first thing we did was a shibori technique of wrapping fabric diagonally round a tube, wrapping it with thread and then scrunching the fabric down. Then we immersed the fabric in a salt and washing soda solution and then dribbled dye down the sides of the tube.

We left the tubes for a good hour standing on the lawn before we rinsed out the loose dye, and then we hung them on the washing line to dry.

And here are some details:

Then we moved on to dyeing in an icecream tub. Six fat quarters (ish) get scrunched up and squashed into a 2 litre icecream tub, saturated in salt and soda solution and then the dye is added. 

You never really know what you are going to get, and as these need to be left overnight for the colours to develop, I can't show any results yet.

Then we repeated the process using larger pieces of fabric in a cat litter tray. Forgot to take any photos of this, and I can't show any results yet.

I've always understood that you can put a second layer of fabric pieces on top of the first layer in an icecream tub, and repeat the salt and soda solution and add more dyes, but I have never tried it, so I thought I would. When I rinsed it all this morning, I was surprised how much white there still was on the lower layer, despite the fact that I thought I had checked it. As I still had some dye left I have scrunched some of them up again, and overdyed them.

I'll show some results in a few days.

So the next garden workshop is on Saturday 13th June, weather permitting, and we are doing indigo and shibori. Details are in the previous post.

Summer Garden Workshops

At 7 St Peter’s Road, Ditton. ME20 6PJ

Weather permitting!

10am – 4pm

£5 per session

Come when you like – stay as long as you like!

Saturday 30^th May – Space dyeing with procion dyes

Dyeing with 2 or 3 different coloured dyes in a cat litter tray or an ice cream tub to create bold patterned fabrics.

Saturday 13^th June – Indigo and shibori

Shibori is a Japanese method of creating pattern on fabric either by stitching patterns into the fabric before dyeing (to be done in advance from a worksheet), or by folding, wrapping and tieing (to be done at the workshop).

Saturday 11^th July – Discharge patterns and Rusting

Discharge paste can be painted or printed onto dyed fabric, allowed to dry and then ironed to partially remove (discharge) the colour to create pattern. Anything that will rust can be wrapped in damp fabric and rust will transfer to the fabric creating marks.

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Everything provided – just bring fabric and your lunch.

For details and to book a place, contact Sheila Farmer  at sheilaf1947@gmail.com

An embroidery workshop in March

I have places available at a workshop on Saturday 28th March at Ditton Community Centre  (ME20 6AH) from 10am - 4pm to start to make this book cover based loosely on the embroidery of the Banjara people of India. The cost of the workshop is £20.

We'll work out how to lay out the fabric for the cover; how to work all three different types of embroidery; and how to make the book cover.

There will be a fully detailed handout to help you finish the cover.

My book cover is made using my own hand dyed indigo cotton, stitched with perle 8 threads. I'll have indigo fabric and perle 8 threads available for sale at the workshop.

To book a place and see the complete bring list, please email me at sheilaf1947@gmail.com

Catching up

Being without a computer for a spell last Autumn (my son tells me the motherboard failed, luckily he was able to rescue everything on the hard-drive), means I am way behind with showing some of the class work.

So in this post, a piece of embroidery and two quilts.

This is Sandra's first quilt. The design is a disappearing nine-patch, and because she doesn't have a sewing machine, she stitched the whole thing by hand.

This lovely quilt was made by Janet. It is hand pieced and hand quilted. I particularly like how she has quilted the border.

And finally, the piece of embroidery:

It's a piece of free form canvas work with shells, stitched by Cath. I particularly like the way she has treated the water, and her stitch choice for the beach is really lovely!

More in a few days!

Two very different quilts

Two very different quilts have just been finished.

First, Rachael's sampler quilt - her first quilt. The colours are lovely, they positively glow, the picture doesn't do them justice.

And second, Jenny's quilt.
She wanted to make a quilt using her husband's old ties plus some pieces of tie silk that I had acquired. She didn't want to cut the pieces from the ties square, but wanted to keep the shape of the ties, so she pieced everything together very freely. That and the slipperiness of the silk gave us a few problems, but she persevered. She quilted it by machine using diagonal lines, and it's turned out much better that we thought it would.

The start of a new term

All the classes started last week, and it was lovely to see everyone after the summer break. Lots of talking at the beginning of the classes as people caught up!
Some lovely things completed over the summer:

Sandie's beautiful quilt, which she started last September when she started coming to class. This photo doesn't do it justice!

Thelma's machine embroidered cushion, beautifully finished.

Rene's counted thread work panel, made over the summer.

Lovely work everyone.

And now a sneak preview of one of the Christmas projects which we'll be starting in November.

Classes start again next week!

And I'm really looking forward to seeing what everybody has been doing during the summer - must remember to take my camera!

Classes all take place at Ditton Community Centre, in Kent:

• Patchwork & quilting - Monday 1pm - 3pm
• Patchwork and quilting and/or embroidery - Wednesday 7pm - 9pm
• Embroidery - Thursday 1pm - 3pm

Here are some of the samples I have been working on over the summer and which give an idea of what we will be doing this term.

Some counted thread work and some goldwork.....

... some white work - well cream and indigo....

.... and an Indian inspired panel and for the quilters, some trapunto, although many of them are continuing with their quilts.

These are just some of the many projects available, ranging from quite straightforward to more skilled. If you are interested in joining one of these groups, please contact me at sheilaf1947@gmail.com