Nuno Felt Scarves workshop with Mandy Nash on 11 Oct 2014

 Learn how to felt with fabric and create a luxurious and delicate scarf.

Mandy is a talented feltmaker and is the exhibitions officer for the International Feltmakers Association. To learn more about Mandy and her work please visit her website at www.mandynash.co.uk.

Please click here for further details. Places can be booked by contacting Donna Jones here

Doors on Tour

After being included in our August Exhibition Architecture at Swansea Grand, thanks to Dianne & Brenda our group installation of doors has gone on tour to Gorseinon Library.

photo by Brenda Rees

The doors were a great talking point at the exhibition, and we had a lot of really positive feedback from visitors. Thanks to everyone who helped out, and all those that have supported us by attending it.

Exhibition 2014 - Architecture

It's hard to believe it's a year since our debut exhibition last summer. This year's work draws on the theme of architecture for inspiration. Come and join us at the launch.

July Workshop - Shibori Ruffles: Wrist-warmers or scarf with Mandy Nash

Saturday 12th July 2014 , 10-4pm at Gorseinon Institute

Mandy Nash returns again to offer this fab workshop exporing shibori ruffles.

Shibori Ruffled Cuffs by Mandy Nash

Make a fancy lacy pair of wrist-warmers which are both functional and decorative, using Wensleydale and merino wool.  Students will be shown a shibori technique to create an elastic effect and frilly edges.  The technique can be adapted to make scarves and lampshades.

Mandy is a talented feltmaker and is the exhibitions officer for the International Feltmakers Association. To learn more about Mandy and her work please visit her website

Mandy will bring:

•    Materials to make the wrist-warmers or scarf  will be provided at a cost of *£3.50 (for wrist-warmers) or £6.00 (for scarf) per person, payable on the day.

You need to bring:

•    Apron (optional – or wear old clothes it’s going to get messy!)
•    Notebook and pen
•    Old towels and plastic bags to take your damp work home
•    Large pieces of bubble wrap if you have these available
•    Sharp scissors, a tape measure and strong polyester sewing thread and sewing needles.
•    Bar of soap
•    *Your money for materials (If preferred  you can  bring your own tops from your own stash instead)

Suitable for all levels from beginners to more experienced. Cost is £20 for Stitches Coven, Itchy Fingers or IFA members (£25 nonmembers) plus small fee per person for the materials provided depending on your project choice (see above).

Places are booked on a first come first served basis with payment - contact Donna Jones to book a place.

Dyeing Can Be Easy Workshop - Sat 17th May at Gorseinon Institute

Itchy Fingers member Sandra Stacey will be sharing her knowledge & expertise about dyeing in this exciting workshop. click on the picture for further information.

Barkcloth to Artcloth completed shoes

Janet of Starchild and her team have done our piece of fabric proud by transforming them into no less than 7 pairs of  shoes - this is the photo she posted on the Barkcloth to Artcloth Facebook page (I'm sure she won't mind me posting it here) aren't they fantastic?

I can't wait to see these at the Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch exhibition at the NEC at the weekend where they'll be displayed with a stunning array of others, many of which look stunning. Many people have contributed embellished fabric both as individuals or as groups like us, also ranging from amateurs to well know textile artists like Ruth Issett, Jan Beaney & Jean Littlejohn to name but a few :-)

Barkcloth to Artcloth Project Update

Just before Christmas we decided to make a contribution to the Barkcloth to Artcloth Project - you can see our previous post about it here. Group members busied themselves over the festive period and early Jan making leaf motifs to decorate the cloth. After an initial delay in getting the Artcloth (poor Janet Middleton was moving factory during that period!) and after successfully rescuing it form my little Mog Millie (who rather fancied it as bedding), we have managed to get it put together and sent off yesterday - just in time by a gnat's whisker for the deadline of mid Feb.

 The barkcloth was first rubbed gently with some markhal sticks and treasure gold to modify the colour but also accentuate the lovely texture of this material. Some areas were also lightly brushed with Jacquard Lumiere fabric paints in shades of green and a bit of blue. The bottom photo show the reverse of the fabric so you can see how much difference this made to the colour.

The individual motifs were applied with machine stitching and some hand - some background continuous stitching was also added in rambling swirl and leaf shapes. A number of beautiful motifs were made which had a lovely 3d quality, so rather than spoil them by flattening to apply them to the cloth they have been attached them to some machine cords made from strips of the barkcloth - these can be used as decorative ties for the shoes when made up.

Hopefully shoe designer Janet Middleton will have time to make at least a pair of shoes from our cloth, and all the shoes will be exhibited at the Fashion, Embroidery & Stitch show at the NEC on 20-23 March. Sister group Itchy Fingers are organising a trip to this exhibition on Fri 21 March for their members, but there may be an opportunity to bag a place if they have any left over.

Felted Flowers Workshop with Mandy Nash

Some of us were fortunate enough to bag a place on this fun workshop with Mandy Nash on Saturday. It was a lovely relaxing day and we all managed to go away with at least one decent flower.

Here's Mandy demonstrating how the wool fibres are laid out. 

Judith & Marilyn hard at work ( above) and Wendy , Suzanne and Gwyneth putting those fibres through their paces (below).

Rhianne & Julie oblivious to all but the job in hand(above) and Jane is really getting into it ( below).

Then of course we had the naughty table with much raucous laughter coming from Karen & Brenda! Karen is shown below putting the finishing touched to the fine specimen: 

 

 And here are a few of our finished flowers - blooming lovely!!