Naturally Dyed Workshop achieved

At last I have managed to run the first Naturally Dyed Workshop. I had five students who were very keen to learn how to dye fabric and thread with natural dyes.

It was a work in progress for me and for them, as although I had set a timed plan, I did not factor in the very long time it would take to prepare the mordant and heat it for the required time. The little electric hob cookers I had sourced, although new, did not produce enough constant heat to boil the contents of the pots, especially when full of fabric.

That was also the problem bringing the dyes to boil quickly enough, for the ingredients  to produce sufficient dye colour.

However we did manage to produce some really nice dyed fabric, with silk, wool and calico achieving some beautiful deep shades. I think with sufficient time the cotton would have also worked well.

We used logwood chippings and madder roots, which I had already soaked in water overnight in an old pair of tights in separate pans (extremely difficult to transport to the venue-I had to drive very slowly & try to avoid the potholes-in the rush hour there were a few annoyed drivers behind me).

The brazil wood was in powder form and the weld was in dried flower form, & neither needed soaking- however I think the weld would benefit from being soaked before hand, as boiling point was hardly reached giving poor results.

The logwood, madder and brazil wood worked very well.

The onion skins also worked well and students had great results.

We also tried coffee & tea in which the fabric was just left to soak slowly, again I think the fabric should have been laid in sooner to give stronger results and perhaps even put to simmer in pans.

There are a few things I would definitely change if I ran this workshop again,

 I would wash & mordant the fabrics before hand, This would mean I would however have to give each student the same amount of my own thread & fabric to be divided out at the end, this would cut down the time issue and ensure there were no disagreements about students getting their own fabric back!!!! Although students marked their bits of fabric with marker pen, some of the marks could not be made out and if the logwood(purple) had created a very strong shade, the marks could not be seen at all.

Obviously I would have to factor the cost of the fabric and threads into the costings.

Anyway hopefully most of the ladies were happy, as they had handouts, inspiration and some samples- which I did suggest could go into a sample book with notes for future use.

here are some photos of the day, only one of me as i take a terrible photo & definitely need to go on a diet!!!

Erica 

Nicky and Lynda in deep discussion

hot plate table - some steaming!!!!!

dyeing equipment

Ladies at rest

Those dreaded hot plates!!!

First Needle Felting workshop Random Makes

Well I have just run the first of my needle felting workshops at Random Makes in Penwortham, near Preston.

I had four students who were very keen and enthusiastic to learn a new skill. I believe most of them were ladies who had attended other workshops there.

We only had 2 hours, so my plan was to discuss the technique, show some examples of my work and demonstrate in the first hour. This worked very well, and then the cakes and tea appeared. Wonderful!

The ladies then chose their colour schemes and decided on what to make. This led to quite a bit of discussion from Tooth Fairy Boxes to a small wall hanging.

All the students completed one ground each, with some managing to start a second.

The second session next week, will be an opportunity for the ladies to quickly complete any further grounds for later use at home, but more importantly to cut out required pieces from a ground and to start stitching and beading.

I will take loads of beads & threads with me, and hopefully they will be used to produce some lovely pieces, which they can then construct into a brooch, bracelet, hair slide, box, book cover or hanging etc.

Here are a couple of photos of the students hard at work.

They don't look smiley but of course they are fiercely concentrating after my dire warnings of being stabbed with a barbed needle if talking etc!!! Obviously I would not stab them if they chatted????

However I know they really enjoyed the workshop as they did not want to leave at 12.00. Roll on next week!!!

Yet again another Workshop on the horizon

Hi I have another workshop scheduled for Wednesday 11th November 'Embellished Needle Felting' 10.00am to 4.00pm.

This will be held at Samlesbury Hall, Preston New Road, Samlesbury, Preston Lancs PR5 0UP - the cost is £40.00 which includes, use of all the tools, some materials, a light lunch and refreshments during the day.

As I am taking the bookings please contact me on 01772 461714 or email suechisnall@btinternet.com.  to book and obtain a requirement list.

The aim of the workshop is to make unique and beautiful items, eg bracelet, box, brooch or hanging, and as Christmas is not too far away, this will be an opportunity to make a lovely Christmas gift.

bracelets

boxes

rescheduled workshop

Hi I have had to reschedule the workshop which should have run tomorrow 6th October. It will now run as below-

hanging using a mixture of naturally dyed fabrics bonded & free machine stitched

close up of hanging 

'Naturally Dyed' Tues 20th October 10.00 - 4.00 at Avant Garden Centre, Wigan Road. Leyland PR25 5XW.

Tel 01772 433777 to book obtain the requirement list. It will cost £40.00 which includes lunch and all refreshments.

The aim of the workshop is to experiment with natural dyes eg onion skins, leaves, tea, coffee as well as logwood, madder etc, using pure cotton. wool or silk fabrics which can then be used to make a wall hanging, bag, book etc. This method of dyeing produces lovely soft colours and sometimes quite unexpected tones.

The workshop will include the use of all the dyes/mordents on the day.

JUST COME WITH AN OPEN MIND AND PLAY!!!

Embellished Needle Felting workshop

Hi here are details of my new workshops which I am holding at Random Makes in Penwortham.
.
Learn how to make unique jewellery, boxes or a small hanging using the simple technique of hand needle felting.

Suitable for beginners or the more experienced. Great for Christmas presents!

The course will run over 3 consecutive Thursdays from 15th October to 29th October. You can attend a Morning Session 10.00am to Noon or an Evening Session 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

The cost is £45.00 for a block of three 2 hourly sessions.

Please contact Sally or Janet at 'Random Makes' 69 Liverpool Road, Penwortham, Preston PR1 9XD Tel 01772 452907 or email sally@randommakes.com  to book and obtain a requirement list.

Norwich or bust!

Hi quite a long while since I last blogged. I have been away in Norfolk- staying in a beautiful hotel in Norwich with my friend Chris. We go away somewhere different in Great Britain once a year.and this time thought we would head to East Anglia.

What a wonderful part of the country, rather flat compared to Lancashire, but with lovely scenery and quirkiness.

Norwich was not what we expected, as we thought there would not be a lot to do, and we would take a trip to Cromer one of the days.

However we did not manage to fit everything in. We went down by train, rather a long 4 1/2 hours, but better than me driving all that way. The hotel was great & was walking distance to the city centre.

We decided to have dinner at the Hotel on the first night, which was excellent.

On the Wednesday, we looked around the shops, as you do, and I found a Tiger which is a great shop selling Ikea type stationary, craft stuff etc etc- I was well pleased! We went to the castle for an hour bite size ticket £2.00 & spent all that time looking at The Iron Age /Icene gallery. We had run out of time & not seen a fraction of what it had to offer- so planned a further visit on the Thursday. We then went to Strangers Hall, which is a Jacobean house, wonderfully laid out in different periods.

We had already booked to see a play at the Theatre Royal on the Wednesday night- 'Rebecca', which proved to be funny, well acted and sad all at the same time.

Thursday, more shops, a trip on the tourist bus (which we should have done on the Wednesday) Another visit to the castle and loads on walking. We had also booked to see A walk in the Woods at the cinema- which is brilliant, followed by a  great meal in one of Norwich's side streets.

I have never seen so many listed and old buildings in one place, and would recommend everyone to visit the place.

Below are some photos to wet your appetite.

 part of our hotel where our room was

main part of the hotel

the castle

strangers hall

knot garden outside strangers hall

castle keep

beautiful archway in castle 

I think I need to pay another visit to this city.