Experimenting with Colour Be prepared to have some fun mixing paints to create a rainbow of colours. Use the theory of colour and a colour wheel to decide which colours work well together and apply this knowledge when choosing textiles for your art projects. I will have cardboard etc available for you to construct a colour wheel on the day.   We will be creating some painted fabric backgrounds to use as a base for future projects. We will also be investigating using household chemicals with indicators to colour fabric - a little bit of Chemistry! -  Jan Howman

Helen will show us basic fusing fabric. She will also share some ideas on going 3D and as we're mixed-media show how you can fuse fabric to paper as well.

This month we will be experimenting with heat transferable foil. We will make interesting foiled fabric that can be cut into shapes like the trees on the right and added to a background. You don't have to do trees or a landscape.You can cut the foiled fabric into any shape you  want. The landscape on the left was also created with foil using a more advanced technique.

  Morning session This will be a great start to the day. Averil will give an interesting talk and display of her textile journey across countries and time.   Afternoon session After lunch the next session will be conducted by Wendy. We will make fabric paper to be used in textiles. This is a way of making paper stitchable. All of the backgrounds here have been made with fabric paper. You will get the instructions  to make the screens at home.

This month Trudy will share her technique for making a felted doll from wool roving. She will also share how to make a felted face and decorate the doll. Robyn will demonstrate how to make a fabric face as an alternative to the felted ones.

Things to do with a cutting machine. There are many brands of craft cutting machines, Big Shot, Cuttlebug, Go cutter etc. They all do more than cut paper, so let’s play. We will use all sorts of things:  Fabric from organza, felt to leather, paper, card stock, recycled card from boxes, cello packaging, old mags, plastic covers from old files, adhesive vinyl for making silk screens, empty drink cans, scraps of thin metals, copper, aluminium etc, craft foam available from Red Dot or Reject stores. Some ladies might have other uses of the above that we all can try. So we will all have fun playing.

We will begin with pre-treating our cotton for dying and then hanging it to dry.  Next we will be making screens followed by preparing them with dye.  The screens then need to dry.  During this time we will break for lunch and Helen will go over dye recipes and show the next part of the process with one prepared earlier.  We will then print our screens onto paper and fabric.  If it is a really warm and sunny day, we may be able to go again and produce a second set of screens.

We will be creating a mixed media art piece. There will be an option to choose a free form, striped or gridded design. We will make the background fabric from scratch then add various elements onto this to create our design. Come along with a willingness to try something new and an apron. A full list of requirements will be in the newsletter.

This month for our social day we will be creating an abstract or landscape style image from layered and cut fabrics. You will get to design your own piece or follow a pattern provided. Machine or hand embellishment can be added as well.

Pamella offers participants many options to complete a night sky scene. Example of photos shown on requirements list or please provide a photo of a night sky of your own choice.  It promises to be a very rewarding day with like-minded enthusiasts. If you don't have photos that are suitable, there are millions on the net but be aware of copyright. Bring an embellishing machine if you have one or hand tools available from Spotlight.  Instructions will be emailed out on registration.   Pamella said that this workshop does not require a lot of supplies, to just bring what you have. $50 entry fee for members/$60 entry fee for non members.  Members given first preference on attendee list.  

We are inviting anyone who is interested in joining our group to come along and see what we do.  There will be a demonstration about creating textured surfaces on textiles using art mediums and some other demos. We will have a show and tell display of our members work and yummy afternoon tea.It will be a great way to meet everyone in a relaxed setting.

Participants in this workshop will be playing with many beautiful hand dyed fibres and fabrics, looking at how they layer and texture. You will be using vibrant colours to explore the movement and ingredients that make a garden magic.