Fibre Transformations Exhibition

As students complete the Advanced Creative Textiles course with creative-stitch most classes wish to continue to design and create original textile art.  Strong friendship groups are also formed during the courses and students gain a great deal from the support and feedback of others. 

Almost every year graduating students form a new textile group and 2023 is no exception. 

Fibre Transformations are made up of five artists:                  

Jenny Lam, Helen Ross, Sue Welch, Therese Gant and Nicola Whayman. 

Their first major exhibition will take place in the Pond Gallery at Snape Maltings from 28th Sept until 4th October 2023

Please support these rising textile stars

Find them on Instagram @fibretransformations

 

Putting on the Glitz technique

 

'Neptune' by Lindy Lodge

This is NOT my work but a piece by Lindy Lodge who was inspired by the 'Putting on the Glitz' workshop I ran in Nottinghamshire earlier this year.

Lindy has used the technique with her own original design to great effect.

As a tutor is gives me real delight to teach a technique and then have a student really run with it. 

Lindy entered her quilt into the Pictorial Ssection at Festival of Quilts 2023 and was awarded Third Prize.

Congratulations Lindy. 

Lindy now plans to make other pieces using the 'Putting on the Glitz' technique

Detail

 If you would like to book a 'Putting on the Glitz' workhop for your your group, in person or via zoom, then please email maryelmcintosh@gmail com

Workshops cost £195 per day (up to 12 people) plus mileage of 40p per mile

Zoom workshops are £150

Festival of Quilts 2023

 

Quilting in Action Stand 10

Festival of Quilts 2023 was an exhilarating four days with large crowds of visitors every day. I missed last year and it was great to be back in the thick of it.

Here is my stand, only small but enough room to demonstrate (thank you to Janome for loaning me a machine for the show.  The MC200 model stitched like a dream!) and to display lots of 'Playing with Pojagi' pieces of work which I have been making all year. 

Plus packs and fabrics for sale.  

Playing with Pojagi pack £30

Playing with Pojagi Packs. This blue colourway and pattern were the most popular line - should have taken more!

New stocks of the cotton organdie fabric are due this week so if you would like one posted just drop me an email: maryelmcintosh@gmail.com

 

I also delivered a talk 'Looking for Inspiration - different approaches to making new work' at the show.

This is me all set up ready to start. Thank you to everyone who came along.  This talk is available for groups to book, either in person or as a zoom talk. When I visit groups I take lots more of my work to show. 

And I demonstrated the 'Putting on the Glitz' technique as part of the Creative Textiles Studio on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Lots of interested visitors came to watch these free demonstrations and great to be working alongside other tutors and textile artists. 

Thank you to Leah Higgins, Hazel Ryder and Terry Donaldson for organising the studios and to Fibre Arts Takes Two for their sponsorship

A huge thankyou too to Elizabeth Ingle, Elaine Aston, Bridget Anderson and Philippa Taitt who covered my stand whilst I was away talking or demonstrating.

Stand QIA10 already rebooked for 1st - 4th August 2024!

'Putting on the Glitz' packs are available in four colourways. Blues/Greens/Pinks and Coppers

£25

If you would like a pack please email maryelmcintosh@gmail.com

Bridging the Gap Course

 

Bridging the Gap 

One Year Course

This course will run on one day per month introducing some of the techniques covered by the Advanced Stitched Textiles course but run as one day workshops. There are no assessments but students may wish to go on and create more fully resolved work from the sessions and there will be an opportunity to exhibit these at the Creative Stitch Graduate Show 2024. 

Cost: £120 per term (three sessions) SEFWI wil invoice at the beginning of each term

Venue: SEFWI, 22 Orford Street, Ipswich IP1 3NS

Dates: Mondays 10am - 4pm

18th October 2023    Life's a Bleach!

6th November 2023   Paper Lamination

4th December 2023   Shrivel Up and Dye

15th January 2024     Burn your bra for art's sake!

19th February 2024   Putting on the glitz

18th March 2024       Lovely Lutradur

15th April 2024        Felted vessels

20th May 2024         Natural Dyeing

17th June 2024         Eco printing

For more information and to book a place please email mary.cs@sefwi.org.uk

Proud tutor moment

 

Set of dresses by Anne Shaw

The Creative Stitch Graduate Show 2023 was a fantastic show of work by students completing Creative Stitched Textiles and Advanced Stitched Textiles courses.

28 students exhibited work so it is impossible to show it all here but as a sample of the huge variety of work here are just a few.

So proud of eveyone for not only the original textile work they designed and produced but for the way everyone pulled together to put on a great show

Fantasy costume by Ashley Jane Moore

The standard of work and originality on show was amazing.

The challenge of hanging some of the installations was considerable.

Most of the Advanced students will now go on to exhibit their work as individuals or as members of textile groups

Installation by Elaine Aston

 Students select a theme to research and inspire the body of work created during the course. These are as varied as the students themelves. This year we had 'Bees'  'The Human Figure' 'The Deben Peninsula' and 'Nature's Way' as just a few of the themes. 

Shingle Street by Nicola Whayman

The next Creative Stitch courses begin in September 2023.

Creative Stitched Textiles with tutor Diane Tompkins

Advanced Stitched Textiles (Distance learning only for 2023-24) 

For more information and to make an application look at out website

sefwi.org.uk/creative-stitch/courses/

Like Marmite

Suffolk Puffs can be a bit like marmite.......love them or hate them. 

When we explore fabric manipulation on the Advanced Stitched Textiles course there is always a groan when I mention Suffolk Puffs. This year I set the puff challenge to make at least one! It then became something of a running joke with puffs popping up all over the place and using lots of different media. 

Several students have used Suffolk puffs in their stitched assessments which will be exhibited at the Graduate Show this weekend 22nd and 23rd July 2023.

So please come along and 'Spot the Puff' 

 

Creative Stitch Graduate Show 2023 digital printing

One of the teaching sessions on the Advanced Stitched Textiles looks at using IT for design and the possibilities of having your own fabric printed.

Several students have taken up this idea and run with it in various ways.

Anne Shaw has used this technique to great effect for her final assessment showing the development of a design inspired by her grandson in lots of different ways.

Helen Ross has used digital printing in a very different way taking an image of a previousy stitched garment and added further stitch. This is a small detail from a 3D installation

Jess Kanssen has first used another application to produce a repeated design and had this digitally printed.

This technique is a way to design and made completely origianl fabric

Come along to the Graduate Show at Needham Market Community Centre, School Street, Needham Market, IP6 8BB on Sat 22nd and Sun 23rd July 2023 to see the final results