Travellers Tales at the Bristol Guild

South West Textile Group are having an exhibition at The Bristol Guild from 23rd April until 14th May. 
Title: 'Travellers Tales'

and I have just finished my main piece hurrah

'This I have heard'

 so i have come a long way since my last post about this work. the crocheted containers are now consigned to the drawer marked 'possible use in future projects' and my plaited bus tickets have become the container/reticules. i usually come back to the idea that less is more and to keep things simple and not to overwork them.

working in a spiral manner, stitched with transparent nylon sewing thread through the holes in the previous spiral they remain slightly articulated. each is about 4cm in diameter at their opening and i had to use a magnifier to work the cross stitch letters on a 1cm wide tap. the whole finished piece is 45cm long x 20cm wide.

the background was chosen with some help from my friends at a SWTG meeting and it is actually in keeping with 'tagecoach' buses as here in Exeter they are white blue and orange. the orange is a achieved with a 'Montana' aerosol paint sprayed onto white Ramie fabric and when dried i polished it by rubbing with a smooth surface. So much easier than dyeing.

because essentially they are a collection; bus ticket collection and collected phrases i have treated them like a museum collection and placed them in a perspex box. this one above complete with my image unfortunately.

please do come along and see the exhibition but please check the website for opening times.

Plaiting or is it weaving with bus tickets

i always seem to do it to myself and i'm obviously a sucker for punishment but i'm still plodding through the bus tickets. it all stemmed from conserving a straw bonnet at work and weaving japanese paper strips to match missing areas of  straw plait. i enjoyed the rhythmical nature of the plaiting and thought i would remember it for future use!

Travelling about on the bus here in Devon leaves me with a purse full of tickets i always think a waste to throw away and at last i'm putting them to some good use.

the tickets themselves are quite small 6cm x 8cm so i join about 4 together with adhesive and then cut them into 3mm wide strips! i'm using 5 strips to plait, joining more on when needed. when finished they look a bit stark although the backs are quite colourful with 'McDonald's', 'Subway' or 'Burger King' vouchers on the back - just think of all those missed meals i could have had (or not), perhaps that's another work for the future.

the great thing about the paper they use is that it's heat sensitive so i take an iron to the plait which makes the front a beautiful dark grey. i then wax the whole strip and construct them into reticule type containers using traditional bonnet making techniques by spiralling round and stitching the edge of the braid through the layer underneath.

a taster of part of the finished item. i dread to think how much i have spent on tickets!
 

There's always one who brings fabric i was told

i recently went on a letterpress weekend course. it was great and i am converted although it wasn't difficult as i love using type anyway.

 i had an epiphany moment and started using stitch and masks which i was really pleased with. i used a Ramie that i had painted with fabric paint and then starched so it was nice and crisp, ideal for taking print.

 i also used some abaca 'paper' to print on which also worked well but there had to be less pressure on the press otherwise the fibres broke.

organdie also worked well and i discovered that taking a second pressing onto paper after it had been printed onto textile gave a weave print.

i am using some of my results in my latest work so watch this space. 

NEC

Just come back from the NEC and thought I would share a couple of pictures showing my pieces in situ.

i thought the colour schemes all worked well together

it was great to see Siân again and to meet Judith at last

Finished

at last i have finished my pieces for the NEC 20th March - 23rd March so anyone in the area please visit the South West Textile Group stand.

'socks'

'tablet void'

 it took a while but i am happy with the results, hope others like them too!

Possibly the penultimate post for my Diploma

Firstly the pretty pictures of my assessment piece in-situ at Lyme Regis as part of the South West Textile Group exhibition 'Suspension'. to show scale i am including the surroundings so i hope no one else minds me showing their pieces too.

i have to confess i didn't hang it and had hoped it would trail the floor but perhaps for practical reasons as it was near the door it was hung high and restrained at the bottom.

Escher type shadows of birds?

now for the paperwork!
So far the actual making took a total of 88 hours

Materials and costings

Lutrador                                    £02.50

Double sided tape                            00.50

Garden fleece                                00.20

Tissue paper                                 01.00

Nylon thread x 5 reels                       10.50

Newspaper                                    00.60

Warhammer  Spray paint                       09.80

Resin                                        01.95

Crazy wire company wire                      01.99

Perspex rods                                 03.00

 

Total                                       £32.04

Health and Safety typical to Module 6

Use of Hot Air gun/wood burning tool

·        Hold item being worked on carefully and away from direct heat source

·         Use in well ventilated area

·        Protect work surfaces at all times

Use of paints/dyes and spray paint etc:

·        Use in well ventilated area/use dust mask when using powders. I used the black spray paint in the garden hoping the neighbours wouldn’t complain too much

·        Wear old or protective clothing and gloves where necessary.

·        Store on shelf well sealed.

Drilling through Perspex

I used a small electric craft drill but the problem with Perspex is that it heats up with the action of the drill, so short, sharp bursts on the drill are best; clearing out the hole and cleaning the bit as you go. Wear goggles and clamp the Perspex in position so it doesn’t move. Make sure the drill bit is screwed in tightly.

General health and safety

·        Always protect scalpel blades with a cork

·        Take care when lifting sewing machines

·        Sit correctly when using the sewing machine for long lengths of time

·        Always work in good light

·        As always ‘common sense’

and although i hate having my photograph taken here is the latest for authentication purposes! note the lobster pencil sharpener in the foreground.