MESHY NOT MUSHY – CREATING TRANSPARENCY AND HOLES

Sunday February 2nd, 2014 9.30am to 3.30pm

INTRODUCTION

  • In this workshop we will be using mesh, muslin, and other similar fabrics with or without water soluble, to create holey/meshy/transparent fabric for the exhibition group project “Strata” or an individual exhibition piece. In the morning there will be demonstrations of samples of many different techniques so then an informed decision can be made if you choose to create a piece for the exhibition.We will use pastel earth colours in “Strata” but any colour for the samples can be used. In the afternoon we can work on any of the samples you wish to pursue.
  • If you have any transparent examples please bring them along to show other members.

Materials requirements:

  • Free machine foot (essential)
  • Hoop (essential)
  • Twin needle
  • Wing needle if you have
  • Normal sewing requirements
  • Threads to match/complement

Fabrics: Small amounts of (no more than A4 size)

  • Muslin
  • Car wash cotton knit (I will have if you don’t want to buy a roll)
  • Chiffons, silk or synthetic
  • Organzas, silk or synthetic
  • White bridal tulle
  • Scrim, curtaining, lacy stuff
  • Any sheer, transparent fabrics

Other:

  • Approximately 1/2 metre Water soluble fabric – Your usual preferred such as vilene 541
  • Some transparent water soluble such as Romeo, Juliet, hospital bags etc.
  • Selection of thicker yarns and cords such as piping, rat’s tail, crochet cottons
  • Threads of various thicknesses for water soluble work
  • Towel if washing out piece and plastic bags to take home wet pieces

Techniques Samples will include:

  • Twin needle on silk or synthetic chiffon, muslin – straight and random; cutting
  • Wing needle on muslin
  • Cord lattice on water soluble or stitched at intersections
  • Cobbling – organzas, tulle etc. – crumpled, twin needled, shades of dyeing
  • Car wash – distressed, laced, spray dyed or tea dyed.
  • Muslin and scrim and similar (bandage) – dyed, slashed and machine embroidered and hand embroidered.
  • Stitching different patterned sheer fabric
  • Water soluble – pieces/patches, lacy in between
  • Threads – fine through to thick in different stitched patterns
  • Pizza – holed, fine pieces
  • Scrim, mesh curtaining
  • Lacy stitched and holed
  • Curtaining following pattern
  • Manipulating all fabrics – scrunching, twisting, pleating, folding, piecing, stitching
  • Combinations

‘STRATA’ PIECE:

Colours :

Pastel earth colours:

  • Mauvy/grey
  • Pale greys
  • Pale rusts
  • Creams, light browns, ochres
  • Off whites, pearly
  • Pale Rust and tannic dyed fabrics
  • Suggested Dyeing materials: Genesis – dipped, sprayed; Acrylic paints well watered down; Rust dyed; Tea/coffee; Drimarine

Finished size of “Strata” pieces:

So that the pieces of the installation will be usable after the exhibition, each piece will be ‘wrap/stole’ size - 1.5 metres x 50cm and two will be joined together (temporarily) and suspended in horizontal layers.

If you do not wish to make the full sized one, you may wish to partner with one or two other members and make smaller sections which will be temporarily joined together and dismantled after the exhibition.

We would like at least six layers to make the installation look really stunning and a centre piece for the exhibition.