Stained Glass Window Group Project

Our group piece of work this year was to produce our version of a stained glass window that was never completed for St Martins church, Brabyns, Marple Bridge. It will be joined by several others that will be displayed as part of the 150 year celebration of the church.

Members were given a section pattern and the only requirement was the colour otherwise they could use any technique they wanted. Examples are dyed, silk painted, embroidered, fabric paper and appliqué.

2017 ANNUAL EXHIBITION SILKEN TREASURES

Just started to advertise our 2017 annual exhibition.

Here is the poster that will be used in both A4 and A6 format.

There will be the usual eclectic mix of silk paintings and mixed media textile art work as well as the ever popular original hand painted and dyed silk scarves which the local ladies find invaluable for early Christmas shopping. So from reasonably priced cards to the more considered purchase of an original work of art there will be something for everyone.

Do pop along and have a chat there will always be a member on duty.

Exhibition

OUR NEXT EXHIBITION IS ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY.

IDEAL FOR THOSE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

PICTURES, SILK SCARVES and many more .....

2014 GROUP CHALLENGE

 THIS WAS A 6INCH QUILTIE ROUND ROBIN.

25 MEMBERS TOOK PART, SOME OF US COMPLETED MORE THAN ONE.

EACH QUILTIE WENT TO 3 MEMBERS FOR COMPLETION.

EACH QUILTIE HAS SOME ELEMENT OF SILK IN IT AND THERE IS A FULL RANGE OF TECHNIQUES FROM FELTING, TYVEK, SILK PAINTING, DYEING, STENCILING, EMBROIDERY, APPLIQUE AND REVERSE APPLIQUE.

 

click on images to see more detail

IN THIS CD CHALLENGE MEMBERS WERE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE A TECHNIQUE TO PRODUCE THEIR CD. THANKS TO BELINDA FOR INSTIGATING THIS CHALLENGE AND GWEN FOR PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

 

BOTH THESE CHALLENGES BROUGHT MEMBERS TOGETHER AND GAVE US A SENSE OF IDENTITY.

DISPERSE DYEING AND TRANSFER PRINTING SESSION

We had a good session today using the disperse dyed papers and printing on to a variety of substrates.

As disperse dyes work best on man made textiles we chose to use pelmet Vilene, Lutradur, stitch and tear, acrylic felt, thick posh serviettes and fabric containing polyester.

The images below are a range of the results. These will now be used in a variety of ways, from covering sketchbooks, cards, book marks, bags and book covers.

 

More images of finished results to follow.

 

 

 

 Middle bottom piece has been stencilled totally as the printed effect wasn't to the artists liking.

 Here a feather has been used as a relief creating a interesting effect.

 Good colour choices here with lots of serendipity happening.

 Lavender sprigs used as a relief.

 Work in progress, stencilling at the bottom and the pale relief of a fennel stem will be stitched into.

 This subtle colourway has been cut into small pieces and embroidered with French knots and them made into cards.

 These complementary colours have been developed with the use of stencils and paper d'olyles.

 

A TOUCH OF SILK exhibition

OUR NEXT EXHIBITION IS AT MARPLE LIBRARY WHERE WE WILL BE EXHIBITING SILK PAINTING, SILK SCARVES AND TEXTILE ART CARDS.

ALL ITEMS FOR SALE, IDEAL CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.  

As well as artists paintings we will be showing the results of our two challenges this year. 
Individual works of art that use some aspect of silk mounted in CD cases and secondly a round robin challenge of 36x 6 inch quilties. 

IT STARTS ON MONDAY NOVEMBER 3rd from 2pm and CLOSES SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15th 2pm.

The library is open

Monday   10am - 7pm
Tuesday   9am - 7pm
Wednesday   9am - 1pm
Thursday   9am - 5pm
Friday   9am - 6pm
Saturday   9am - 4pm

Marple Library
Memorial Park, Marple, Stockport. SK6 6BA
T: 0161 217 6009 F: 0161 426 0477

Admission free
There will be a member of Silk-n-Threads present during opening hours so pop along and have a chat about the group.

GARDEN PARTY

On June the 9th we had a very enjoyable afternoon at our first Silk-n-Threads garden party.

The sun eventually decided to shine after a drizzly morning  and after strawberries and cake we poised for this group photograph. As you can see everybody dressed up in their finery and even some hats made an appearance.

The committee provided homemade cakes and David, Margaret's husband, was the waiter for the afternoon.

Margaret's garden provided the perfect back drop for the day and many orders for plant cuttings were made.

It was a delightful change to the usual painting afternoons we have on a Monday and will hopefully become a regular event on our annual programme.

6x6 challenge

Here are some of the first stage of our 6x6 challenge.
Each of the 22 members who signed up provided a piece of painted or dyed or decorated fabric on which further decoration could be added by two further members to who it will be passed on.
This round robin challenge will last 6 weeks and then they will be pieced together to make a mini quilt.

Members have to not get precious about their piece as it becomes the property of the person to whom they pass it to. Easier said than done. Hopefully we will end up with a full range of techniques to display at our exhibitions.

Here is a second set of squares, silk painted, bleached iced dyed and velvet providing a full range of base fabrics that will test members.

This is from the tyvek workshop held previously the painted tyvek was ironed on to felt with a sandwich of bondaweb resulting in a this cobweb effect.

Here the painted tyvek has been ironed until it produces this 'holey' effect.

Christmas 2013

 

THE DECORATED TREE

 

 

 This years theme was a basket with any colour plus silver and as usual there was a huge range of different interpretations on the tree.

 

The winner was Gwen(centre) with her all silver basket. Second Belinda (left) and third Margaret (right)

MACCLESFIELD MAKERS DAY

This was our second time standing at the Macclesfield Makers Fair day. We had a room to ourselves and made the most of it. We had the Sales Table where we displayed a wide range of goodies made by members.

 We had a sale of silk activity bags and notions that always go down well. People like a rummage and a bargain.

The silk scarf rail is always a riot of colour and displayed a full range of techniques.

 

In addition Beryl and Annette organised painting sessions where members of the public could come and have a go.

Silk Route Talk

 On the 4th November we had a very informative talk by Jim Gaffney from Textile Traders . Jim and wife Diane have been in the business of buying, selling and putting on exhibitions since 1984.

 We were entertained by Jim and his stories that were illustrated by a wide range of ethnic fabrics.

 They keep a blog that tells of their travels throughout Asia.

 Jim finished the afternoon off with a sales table of the most delightful scarves, fabrics and garments. Most who attended were tempted to buy something.

Easter Card Competition

At last I can upload the images taken in April of our Easter card competition. My computer is now talking to Blogger so here goes.

 

 Here are the entries this year, they all contain some silk within them and a click to enlarge will reveal a wide range of techniques.

The winner was Gwen Kay for her delightful embroidery on a piece of painted silk. As Gwen is a relatively new member this was a excellent achievement. I particularly like the fresh spring colours and the simplicity of the overall effect.

DYEING!!!!!!!

We've been dyeing so far this year.

Two workshops on Procion dyeing. The first with ice the second in plastic bags.

Members have been experimenting with natural fabrics in particular cotton and silk and creating very serendipity designs which we are going to use later in the year. Details are hush hush so far.

cotton dyed in a plastic bag

silk velvet dyed in plastic bags

cotton dyed in plastic bags

cotton ice dyed

cotton dyed in plastic bag

silk scarves dyed in plastic bags

cotton dyed twice, once in ice and then clamped and put in plastic bag

silk scarves dyed in plastic bags

cotton shirt buttons dyed in plastic bags

 

 

The ice dyeing gave us some superb serendipity results that were almost floral in pattern. the group also learnt how to achieve more of a block colour effect by adding the soda ash later rather than presoaking fabric before dyeing.

 

Next is Natural dyeing with natural dyes!!!!!!!!!!!!

Workshops

Over the last year we have had some shorter workshops that allowed members to produce some very interesting work. These brooches were produced using manmade fabrics cleverly cut and sewn together decorated with beads.

These tassels used up leftover wools and threads. They are wrapped around a double piece of card, cut and tied off. They can be finished off with beads and members were very happy with a quick activity.

INDIGO DYEING and HAVE A GO DAY

 

In mid August we had an afternoon of dyeing! Sandy organised us the week before and we tied and folded and twisted fabric ready for the indigo dye bath.

 

 

 

Here Louise, Kath, Sandy and Chris are busy untying their fabric and leaving it on the clothes rack to dry.

a selection of drying scarves and fabric pieces.

Jean untying her linen that she made into a stunning jacket, see below

 

Jean's asymmerical jacket is topped stitched in white and looks stunning with her white linen trousers.

This square scarf was originally a failed russet attempt and has been revitalised by tying with string and dipping in the indigo vat.

This picture shows a variety of fabrics and tying techniques, the very dark strips are cotton lace.

This silk georgette scarf was folded and wrapped around a pole to create this stunning effect.

Three revitalised scarves the two outside ones have been clamped using square cutouts to create these patterns.

 

The programme for the coming year starting September includes a series of dyeing sessions where we will use a full range of dyes and techniques including, Procion, Disperse, Acid, space dyeing, ice dyeing and more indigo.

 

We are currently getting ready for our HAVE A GO Day on the 15th September when we are OPEN for the general public to visit us and try out some of the activities that we get upto on a MONDAY afternoon.

 

IF YOU LIVE NEAR TO MARPLE, STOCKPORT DO COME AND VISIT US AT ST MARTINS CHURCH HALL, SK6 5DT

 

BETWEEN 10am AND 4pm.

 

YOU CAN HAVE A GO AT silk card making, silk flowers, silk painting,

YOU WATCH microwave scarf making, using by products of the silk industry, silk painting

YOU CAN enjoy homemade cakes and a cuppa

YOU CAN VIEW our exhibition of all things silk

YOU CAN BUY silk products that members have created.

 

The last one we held two years ago was a great success and we gained many new members, most of whom are still with us!!!