Showing posts with label appliqué. Show all posts
Showing posts with label appliqué. Show all posts

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Textile Classes in Lower Hutt , New Zealand.

 


Hi everyone

I'm teaching multiple classes at the Hutt Art Society rooms in Lower Hutt. There are very few places which offer evening and weekend classes in the Wellington area since a previous government removed subsidies for adult education. So Sue Swann (Embroidery) and I (surface design, quilting, bookmaking)  started offering classes at the Hutt Art Society Rooms. Each year we have expanded and this year have brought in a number of new tutors. Here is a copy of our newsletter.

Welcome to 2023


We have a variety of classes and new tutors for you this year.  Whether you're a beginner or whether you want to take the next step in your stitching journey there are classes we hope will interest you.

Classes for the first half of the year are on the Hutt Art website already.  More classes will be added over the next few months for classes to be held later in the year.  I'll send out an email as new classes are added.

 As well as ourselves we have classes planned with the following tutors;
  • Mary Self - Mary is teaching a beginners stitch class as well as a couple of classes that will develop your creativity and teach you new techniques, 
  • Cherie Gurney - Cherie is teaching a piece that gives you the opportunity to use those precious scraps in your collection and create something memorable,
  • Katherine Pepperall - Katherine has created a wonderful doorstop incorporating native New Zealand clematis flowers in reticella,
Coming Up later in the year
  • Anna Hicks - Anna is preparing some classes from her "Mending and Design" series and
  • Marilyn Moran - For those of you who requested a class in needle felting, Marilyn is designing a small creature to tempt you to 'have a go'. 

Heads up - there are a couple of groups starting at the end of February and a shibori dyeing class in early March, so don't delay in getting enrolled for these classes: 
  • A monthly stitching group on the 4th Sunday of each month  - this group is for those who need a bit of help getting an old project restarted, want help with a new project or just want to stitch with a group of like minded people - it's a great way to keep a project moving.
  • Design your own "Kutch" Dowry bag.  This group will also meet monthly and by the end of the year you will have learnt a bit about the design process, some new stitching techniques and have a handy little bag.
  • Clare is holding an indigo / shibori dyeing  day in early March, so be quick to enrol for this popular class and create some interesting fabrics for other projects.
Class Samples
If you'd like an opportunity to see the class samples for the classes already scheduled, the class samples will be on display in the Huia Gallery (Hutt Art) from Tuesday 31st January - Sunday 12th February.

Exhibition - Indonesian Textiles
There is an exhibition of Indonesian textiles at Hutt Art from Tuesday 31st January - Sunday 12th February.  The textiles are ikats and batiks and they all use natural dyes for most of the colours.  On Saturday 4th Feb at 2pm there will be a talk about the dyeing processes as well as looking at the rituals associated with their production and the meanings of some of the patterns. If you're interested in textiles this is not to be missed.

Attached is a poster for the upcoming classes, and a poster for the upcoming Indonesian textile exhibition.  Please feel free to forward this email to anyone who you think may be interested in the classes or the exhibition.

Enrolments are via the Hutt Art website



Sunday, April 14, 2013

Modern Quilts, exhibitions and 'stuff'

Hi everyone
Things got a bit busy there for a while, I thought I would have two spare rooms and get lots done but then one son came back home for a while then the other came home for the University holidays and I haven't got very far at all.

The last few days I have been trying to analyse what exactly is meant by 'a Modern Quilt'. Is it the fabric? Is it the use of minimalism? Is it the use of white, or grey, greyed down colors, lack of small prints?

Wellingtonians - There is a meeting on Thursday (Nancy' Embroidery 7pm) for anyone interested in talking about Modern Quilts.

I have also promised to teach a class for people interested in designing their own Modern Quilts so I've been playing with ideas and making samples of:

Improvisational piecing
Using a feature fabric with a traditional pattern
Using plains
Large print fabrics
Minimalism

The thing that stikes me is the the minimalism and  I've always been a bit of a minimalist anyway. BUT - I don't usually do piecing, I'm more of an appliqué/collager and not many Modern quilts seem to be appliqué.



Here is something I started today whilst watching a really old version of Heidi on my iPad. I just used a sample piece of a Maurice Kain furnishing fabric. I only had one fat quarter so if I want to make it bigger I will have to go shopping for some other kind of circle fabric. Trouble is - I get confused in quilt fabric shops and usually come out without buying anything.

Here are a few minimalist quilts which I made ages ago. Only the jeans quilt hasn't sold - I promised it to my son but I'm sure he'd love the money as he has gone off to Japan on a working holiday. NZ$800 and its yours!





Every now and again, I end up in a discussion about quilt rules, and whether there are any? Does it really matter about the number of stitches you can squeeze to the inch? I do think that it is nice to see well made things though... so here back from the past is my quilt 'The White Glove Mafia' which sold to someone who lives in Alaska.


Here she is - counting the quilting stitches and wearing her brown bargello vest which was out of date even then (the 1990s), on the right hand side was a painted panel I made but I cut it off as it didn't add to the composition.

Let me know your ideas on Modern Quilts, quilt mafiaism etc.
Clare