Another Textured Treasure Weekend

 

What is this you might ask - well it is a beautiful piece of hand stamped and painted fabric which is drying in the sun. The Sun Dye paints I use in these classes has brilliant colour and creates wonderful sun prints.

This weekend I taught a group in Sydney - Mosman Night Owls is a terrific group and are really getting into challenges so it was great to watch them really have fun with lots of different materials and techniques.

Some of the group hard at work

 I love this stamp with its curving motion

 Painted fusible web

 Stamped and overpainted fabric

 Some of Maggie's hand painted and stamped fabrics

Rubbing over a hand carved stamp with paint sticks create a lovely base and then can be overpainted with a painted wash

 We also have a beading session in this workshop and Anne-Marie has already started this gorgeous panel for a bag front. She was also kind enough to demonstrate some embroidery stitches for me.  Of course she had stamped and painted this fabric in the class too,

 This was my new stamp that I made from Wet and Grow and I think it is going to get a lot of use.

 

I had a great weekend and saw the start of some incredible projects including hand stamped and beaded lavender sachets, quilts, bags and original fabrics.

If you would like more information about this (or other) workshops contact me soon - 2012 is filling fast.

Rockhampton Retreat

Just back from my third visit to the Rocky Retreat in Rockhampton Queensland.
Always a fun retreat and I have so many friends there it is wonderful. As usual they made me feel welcome from the start.

We did my favourite workshop - Textured Treasures and the fabrics that were created from just white poplin were incredible. We played with Fabric Painting, Stamping (including carving their own stamps), rubbing, foiling, beading, stencils, paintsticks, sun printing, salt effects and other techniques. It was such a beautiful weather that we moved our tables outside for all the messy stuff.

Then they started stitching them together to create an absolutely original art quilt. Here are some of them.
Sue thought she was really out of her comfort zone but her work was wonderful

 

Gloria just kept laughing as she pieced saying how much fun it was. 

Joyce used a resist technique with glue to create her words

 These are Maureen's cushion tops

 Alexis added some gorgeous foils to her top which really made it sparkle.

 Margaret's water inspired fabrics looks so gorgeous as they get stitched together

 I love the blue and green swirls in Lyn's fabric

I can't wait till they send me pictures of their quilted masterpieces.
Would you like to do this workshop too - just contact me

Weekend Workshop

It is always a great treat to teach in Sydney. I get to sleep in my own bed and don't have to stress about packing and forgetting things so it was a great thrill to teach for the Quilters Guild of NSW the last few days.

Textured Treasures was the workshop of choice and although the weather didn't behave perfectly to allow sun printing we still had a very creative time. Some really interesting fabrics were created with hand carved stamps and rubbings and fabric paints and foils. A beading lesson was included so I am sure there will be some beads added once the quilts are quilted.

Alan managed to piece his little quilt  (above) by the end of the workshop using his lovely stamped fabrics.

 Yvonne already had her inspiration image of tree bark and leaves  in mind

 

 She then pieced and free motion quilted the pieces which are going to be joined with the blue leaf printed fabrics (all created from scratch in the workshop)

 Some of Alan's fabrics

 Susan was very new to this sort of work but I loved this stamp she carved a really interesting design which layered beautifully. We use EzyCarve stamp materials in the class which is like cutting into butter.

 This gorgeous print was created with the fabulous Wet and Grow.

 Another fun couple of days which also included a quick visit at lunchtime to Sweetness the Patisserie which was nearby

Cohuna

 

I have spent the last few days in Cohuna at their annual Quilters Weekend. It was my second time there and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. I love workshops where I can spend more than one day with the same group and watch them develop.

My happy group with some of their magnificent work.

 

This was another Textured Treasures workshop and I had a mix of traditional and art quilters at many different levels and experiences which is always a challenge. I always try to ensure that everyone gets what they want out of the workshop which can be difficult as a teacher. However, it is always what makes it so rewarding when I feel I have achieved it. The feedback I get from my students often blows me away and I will continue to strive for this.

Stamps made with Ezi Carve of leaves and combined to form a collage

Stamps made of foam

 Fabric which has been painted then rubbed with texture plates and oil crayons with a spider web made with foil.

 

Textured Treasures in Bundaberg

 

 I really enjoy teaching my Textured Treasures workshop. I absolutely never know how it is going to turn out. Still in Bundaberg we changed venues for this 2 day workshop to an enormous building. Lots of available space, tables, water, light and even grass for drying fabrics. Topped off by perfect weather of wam sunshine and low wind so our fabrics didn't blow away.

There was even lots of foliage for sun printing.

Joy (above) created some beautiful fabrics from stamps inspired by her recent travels and by the end of the workshop had completed a stunning little quilt. I am looking forward to seeing the finished quilt.

One of my students was a last minute addition who was very hesitant about 'letting go'. By the end of the workshop Leanne was painting and stamping along with the rest with a relaxed and creative attitude. It was wonderful to see her change over the two days.

Shirley used my Orvieto stamp and an Indonesian batik stamp to create this multilayered (and multicultural) wholecloth. She even started quilting it by the end of the workshop

I love it when I have younger students in class and Mandy really enjoyed herself. This is one of her pieces which was painted and then stamped (with her own design carved stamp) and then further embellished with couching

and then amazing additional features made out of painted make up removed pads and organza shapes.

Finished Textured Treasure

 

I always love it when a student sends me a photo of a finished class project. This quilt is by Edith Burgess and is very special.

It is very satisfying as a teacher to have students actually complete their workshop projects. Sometimes you just know that they are going to end up in a UFO collection so to see something finished is so great.

 I was really impressed with these fabrics as they were created in class in Devonport so to see them put together is a real treat. She created her own stamp in class and also used lettering.


I may be quiet for a few days now as I am teaching five days in a row which might be a little tiring but I do love it.