Apr 18
As my daughter’s wedding approaches we have been continuing to create the paper bouquets. By we, I mean Michelle. She has folded over 200 kawasaki paper roses in every colour and shade of the rainbow. They are absolutely amazing to see together spread over the table. It really takes tenacity to fold so many complex roses. She learnt it with this video by Toshikazu Kawasaki Read more
India Flint’s visit to our region has left quite a few people on the boil with ideas and pure exhilaration. Her workshop at the Manning Regional Art Gallery looked inspirational with pots cooking and plants being arranged and discussed for effect and colour surprises.
Unfortunately I was unable to attend the workshop but as India stayed with me overnight I gratefully had the opportunity to cook up a silk package with lovely results.
India was also carrying around another package which was dyed at the workshop. Ready to untie and reveal this morning the silk dress dye included some Old Bar seaweed in the mix.
This was coiled around the tightly bound package to create a dye effect but also a print. The resulting colours and effects were very rich and amazing. Contrary to what I had understood about using mordants to dye with natural materials, India’s technique doesn’t require these as additions to the dyepot. There is also a difference in colour results dependent on cooking/simmering times in the pot. So the formula for creating these effects isn’t a fit all one. You have to be intune with the types of plants you are using and ‘feel’ their effects relying on your developing experience as you work with them. But it’s also a technique that can be serendipitous and exciting with first attemps too. Really extraordinary!
I’m happy to announce Saori Workshops are being held at the Manning Regional Art Gallery in Taree NSW in June.
When: Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June – 10:00am – 4:00pm – 2days.
Cost: $117.00 per day plus materials (average $15.00-$25.00) The final cost is dependent on number of participants. This cost is the most you will pay. I’m hoping it will be less. Saori looms for 5 participants are provided. You can bring your own loom (10% discount on workshop cost) – rigid heddle and knitters looms welcome. All abilities and experience welcome.
What you will learn: How to weave creative cloth with expressive techniques aimed to enhance and draw out your own style and approach immediately. You will have a full yarn colour palette to work with and learning within the group will be a feature of the tuition. For more advanced weavers Saori loom warping instruction will also be offered. If you attend the 2 day workshop you should be able to complete a scarf length, shug style wrap or small banner/art piece.
For more information please contact me or Jane Hosking at the gallery.
Mar 18
The new IPAD 3 is fabulous. Having had the IPAD 2 previously which I surrended when leaving my job I had the use of a Samsung Galaxy for a while and just about threw it out the window…but I didn’t. I use the IPAD for almost everything, except for coding and using specialised software, in which a desktop is still needed. Everything seems to work on the IPAD 3 so far. I had no luck getting photos onto my IPAD2 but just went on like a dream with this new one. Even weaving pattern software has been developed for the iphone/ipad so you can take all your tools with you everywhere.
What do I use it for?
All internet browsing, reading blogs in Flipboard, facebook, all email, calenders which are synchronised with my phone, twitter, reading books via kindle, buying anything and everything, drawing, playing games, facetiming my daughters, creating presentations, taking photos and editing them, showing others my photos, writing stories, word processing, collecting and storing ideas, listening to music, reading the paper with videos, watching iview and youtube videos, researching, finding out how to do something, playing synth instruments, doing courses and learning all over the place. I can even bake a new recipe, photograph it, type it up with a lovely recipe pre-set in the Pages app, then email it immediately all from my kitchen. It is an amazing revolution in how we connect with each other.
Consequently, keeping my IPAD safe, happy and attractive is important. I have a very nifty and practical smart cover which Apple suggests will ” brighten up my ipad” - but it is so boring. Not a textile design in sight. You can see why I had to spice it up. So I made a handwoven cover for it and it still works its nifty magnetic tricks. A good marriage of tech and style, at least I thought so. I toyed with the idea of providing a pattern but then thought I’d probably be the only person interested in a cover for a cover! 
This new textile is ‘Not Purple’. I think I’m recovering after this setback, although there were intentional unavoidable warp painting purple factors at the beginning of the weave. I’ve got two more scarves to complete on my painted tencel warp- back to the loom.
Just in! - Paper yarn for dyeing
$23.00 - 50g skeins
International shipping available.
$70.00 ea
Australian shipping only.
Cost of loom - $1640.00. Lay-by installment plans available on request. Australian buyers only.
Loads of features and accessories included. Find out more.
Exploring handweaving in all its dimensions and techniques means learning about people from all over our world, being inspired by the ingenuity of humans for creating solutions and becoming passionate about design, texture and yarn.
