Even while the snow filtered down softly each day, what a terrific way to spend a deep winter weekend - with many great friends (and their friends invited to join in) all involved with fibre and stitch. Friday February 6th, the hall was packed with twelve wonderful Quilters working on the LINKED-IN project and having a great time chatting as they cut and stitched blocks for their quilts. The day went swiftly as the sewing machines churned out beautiful, very contemporary adaptations of this old favourite LOG CABIN variation. Can't wait to see the results - and hopefully a few in upcoming Quilt Shows!
I would love to see some of your pictures from the Quilt Day. When I got home and ready to download the pictures from the weekend, my camera's memory was evidently over full and did not record those taken on Friday... please share YOUR photos and I will be happy to post them...
Saturday morning, the snow had not given up overnight, but the sun was shining, and the hall was filled to the brim with a great 16 dye enthusiasts all ready to colour cloth using the FLAT DYEING technique that is easy and so much fun to use. The serious work of dyeing got underway quickly.
Tables and floors were quickly covered and the dyes chosen and taken to individual tables. The avid 'colourists' worked all day to change their soda soaked white cloth into stunning variations using the 15 dye colours in a wide ranging palette. Working their magic as they mixed the hues to create a collection in their own personal style, the students produced many really beautiful collections of hand dyed cloth.
We watched as many different variations of laying down the dye were seen across the room, with much sharing and helpful tips passing from the experienced dyers to those who were trying the process for the first time. Table mates shared their supplies willingly, as it never fails that some are forgotten along the way. Threads in floss, pearl cotton and crochet weights were added around the perimeter of many of the pieces of cloth, making for a stash of coordinating threads for stitching into the planned art pieces to follow. Thanks to those who shared threads and cloth with others.
We saw colour bars, wide bands of bright yellows, red and subtle deep, intense watery or nature colours... landscapes evolved and so many exciting results were seen all around the room. The piles of white cloth were quickly reduced - transformed into wonderful palettes of the dyers choice.
I am hoping if you were with us to dye fabric on February 7th that you will share your photos for the blog... just send them along to Bethany in jpeg. format to
fibreworkskingston@gmail.com .
As for me, I happily came home with a collection of 10 pieces in my much needed blue, purple and greens palette... all processed and ironed, ready now for stitching new work before the next Kingston Fibre Artists Show coming to the WINDOW ARTS GALLERY on Princess Street in May, 2015!
Unfortunately, the wild winter weather caused our Sunday students to start calling and emailing cancellations for our planned FREE FORM COLLAGE workshop almost as soon as we returned home after the dye class.
Saturday's almost hurricane strength winds that lasted overnight meant that only two of the students were able to come out to the hall Sunday - and then just to pick up things they had left the day before in anticipation of working on their collage projects. Three foot snow drifts at the door greeted us, and the parking lot had filled with new snow...truly a monumental snow event!
The Free Form Collage Course will be rescheduled for our students in the near future, so please keep watching your email inbox and the FIBREWORKS blog for the date, location and time announcement.
Thanks again to all of the participants for the Cabin Fever Retreat Weekend this year, and hope you will continue to be involved as we keep FIBREWORKS KINGSTON growing for the future.
AND
Please take a peek at our descriptions and information on the two terrific upcoming FIBREWORKS Spring 2015 Workshops. You will find all of the details on the right sidebar here at the blog...
** WORKSHOP #3
HOLLY DEAN will join us from Merrickville to share her "MUSE JOURNAL" Weekend on April 17-19th...
** WORKSHOP #4
DIANNE GIBSON travels from Fonthill on the weekend of May 22-24th to bring us her great "MIXED MEDIA ASSEMBLAGES" Weekend Workshop...
Do stay warm and make time to stitch!
Bethany
Fibreworks Kingston Coordinator
