Please plan to join the Kingston Fibre Artists for the Opening Reception for "A Stitch in Time" at the TETT, Saturday, April 2, 2016 from 2-4 pm...

You're Invited....Sayward Johnson Lecture, Friday evening, March 11th, 7 pm - St. Lawrence College,Kingston, ON

SPRING LECTURE/WORKSHOP SERIES 

Welcomes SAYWARD JOHNSON   

     

Please join us for an outstanding visit with Quebec based artist SAYWARD JOHNSON on FRIDAY EVENING, March 11, 2016 at St. Lawrence College, Room 12040 in the Upper Link Hallway, Second Floor in the Administrative Wing. You will so enjoy this opportunity to see Sayward’s stunning works and have the chance to chat with her about her processes. Everyone welcome! Lecture begins at 7 pm. 

Weaving and knitting with fine copper wire is a passion and the beauty of the patinated surfaces is stunning. Some works will be offered for sale and this is an excellent opportunity to share in a craft that is both beautiful and accessible for those attending her workshop this coming weekend at the TETT Centre for Creativity and Learning.

The College is located at the corner of Portsmouth Ave and King Street West in Kingston. Please turn onto Country Club drive off King Street and enter the college campus off Country Club Dr. Park behind the one story Technology Building facing Country Club Dr. Turn into the second drive on the left and proceed to the parking lots behind the one story building. Door E12 is your entrance – come up the stairs or elevator. Left at the top of the stairs and into the Link Corridor. Room 12040 is on the left. 

Please plan to join us and bring friends...                                                                 

Bethany Garner, FW Coordinator

Lorraine Roy Workshop Notification...The seat has been taken as of February 22, 2016...

Please join us when Karen Goetzinger, renowned Artist/Instructor returns to Kingston for her ongoing series of design based workshops...

A Message from our May Instructor

KAREN GOETZINGER

returning to Fibreworks Kingston 

RECIPE & INGREDIENTS FOR BRILLIANT DESIGN

 MAY 13-15, 2016

The weekend of May 13 I will be in Kingston, Ontario for the Fibreworks Weekend Workshops. I have taught for Fibreworks several times and it is always a wonderful experience in a great setting. My upcoming workshop, "Recipe and Ingredients for Brilliant Design," demystifies and brings practical clarity to the often confusing principles and elements of design. For more information about this workshop and to register for it, go to the Fibreworks Kingston website. Hope to see you in Kingston!

Collage of Student Work,  Karen Goetzinger, Instructor

RECIPE & INGREDIENTS FOR BRILLIANT DESIGN

MAY 13-15, 2016

St. Lawrence College

Room 00060

Lecture, Friday Evening May 13th

Location to be announced

Course Fee: $125

This workshop removes the mystery and brings practical clarity to the principles and elements of design. Learn the principles that are the foundation and the language of good design by experimenting with each of the elements during 2 days of exercises on paper, fabric and in stitch. 

Through these studies you will learn to understand how the
principles interact with the elements of design in creating successful compositions and how they relate to your own fibre art practice.

 Expect great results in designing all new work for your personal Studio practice during this all new, exciting workshop weekend with Karen. Plan to experiment with design play techniques you have always wanted to explore, and enjoy working through Karen's assignments as you develop a new confidence as you design exciting pieces for your 2016 personal and exhibition work.


Whether an experienced designer or beginning your adventure with original design, Karen's years of successful development of all new work for her own collections will surely provide a great foundation for your continuing studio work.

Plan to ask lots of questions, bring your own design dreams to paper and stitch and be prepared to share in an exciting workshop weekend with like minded fibre professionals.

More of Karen's beautiful designs - please visit her website for more information and images...

Known for her finely detailed mixed media textile constructions that are influenced by her roots in quilt making, couture construction, and her life-long passion for the urban landscape and architecture, Karen Goetzinger captures urban life through the perspective of treasured but fading memories. Using painted and stretched canvas as a giant embroidery hoop, she sketches, with thread, the imprint of urban landscapes on individual memory. Each artwork is intentionally without figurative elements thereby allowing the viewer to become the city’s human element, in solitary interaction with the landscape and their personal narratives and fleeting memories.

Registration form is on the right sidebar here at the blog, or email:  garner@kingston.net

 for your pdf copy.

SUPPLY LIST

* New Sketchbook (in the 8 1/2 x 11-9 x 12 size range - does not need to be a hard cover but
certainly can be–your choice) This will become your resource book for the Principles and
Elements of Design.

* 2-3 colourful magazines for cutting up

* Sketching Pencils and/or pens for drawing

* Art supplies you already own such as coloured pencils, water colour pencils (remember
to bring a brush and a small container for water if you bring these) crayons, oil pastels,
markers. You can, but do not have to bring them all!

* Scissors (both paper and fabric)

* New glue stick

* 1⁄2 yd/metre white or any fabric you would want to use as a background or support for
designs in fabric/fibre.

* 1/2 yd/metre paper-backed fusible web (Brand names include: Wonder Under, Steam-a-
Seam and Heat & Bond)

* A spectrum of cool and warm fabrics (can be scraps or about 1⁄4 yd/metre each) and threads
and fibres plus black (does not have to be cotton only - a variety of textures is good) OR
whatever textile/fibre supplies you use for your practice.

* Sewing machine in good working order if you use a sewing machine for your work.
 (Please make sure you know how to use it before coming to class.)

* Power strip and long extension cord (power is limited in this classroom)

* Sewing machine needles and hand sewing needles

* Thread - a variety of colours (including black) and thicknesses. Threads you like to use in your
work.

* Your favorite basic sewing/fibre art supplies - whatever you would need for your
personal art practice.

A small materials fee will be payable to Instructor to be detailed with registration

MARCH FIBREWORKS brings artist SAYWARD JOHNSON to Kingston for a fun-filled weekend of knitting or weaving with wire...

PLEASE NOTE: Lorraine Roy's workshop 

" THE TREE OF LIFE" IS FILLED AT JANUARY 18, 2016 

..thanks everyone and especially Lorraine who posted on FACEBOOK!

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Let's all work together and give our March 2015 Guest Artist 

the same exciting welcome!!!

SAYWARD JOHNSON, Guest Artist

ART KNITTING WITH COPPER WIRE and WEAVING with WIRE

FIBREWORKS KINGSTON

welcomes

SAYWARD JOHNSON

March 11-13, 2016

TETT Centre for Creative Learning

Workshop Days at the Tett are Saturday and Sunday 

9:30 - 4 pm

370 King Street West

Kingston, ON

FRIDAY EVENING LECTURE, 7-9 pm

Room 12040, St. Lawrence College

945 Portsmouth Ave., Kingston, 

Enter Door E12 at Rear of the College off Country Club Drive

Course Fee $125.00

In 2004, Sayward decided to follow a dream inspired by her adventures in hand knitting and went to study art at NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was there that she discovered her love of textile techniques and metal.

Her textile-based works are made with hand-woven copper wire which she then oxidizes with green patina, manipulates and embroiders. Through her work, she is able to explore her fascination with fabrics that adhere to the laws of metal smithing as well as those of textiles and present traditional textile patterns in unexpected contexts.

A former forestry worker, her current work represents a natural progression of her art, passions and life experiences. She draws her inspiration from natural forms, lichens, old, crumbling stone, rust and the Canadian boreal forest.

You have a unique and very special opportunity through FIBREWORKS to spend a two day weekend with Sayward in March of 2016 as she joins FIBREWORKS KINGSTON for a two day focused art workshops series at St. Lawrence College.

Hoping you will reserve your seat soon so you do not miss this very special workshop! Registration Details are on the sidebar here at the FW Blog.

 Art Knitting with Copper Wire

Day One with Sayward Johnson

March 12, 2016

In this class, we will cover the basics of knitting with copper wire and create small sculptural pieces. Along with Sayward, you will discover techniques for hammering and shaping your work, colouring copper using green patina solutions, black patina, and heat. 

Sayward will also address how to seal your pieces with shellac, varnish or wax. 

This class is flexible and can accommodate all levels of experience. 

Basic patterns for creating small orbs and vessels (knit on four needles in the round) will be provided, but works created on two straight needles are also encouraged and equally beautiful. 

Students are free to bring a variety of needles with which to experiment. Crocheters are welcome to join in and crochet along. 

And your knitting may continue throughout the two day weekend....

Materials provided by instructor:

small rawhide mallets

hammering stakes

dapping set

all patinas

wax and sealants.

Students need:
 

For the pattern, a set of four 3.5 -4mm knitting needles and/or similar size straight needles. (if you are crocheting, please contact Sayward for the appropriate size hooks.  saywardjohnson@gmail.com )

Knitting course material fees for this class are approximately $28/student. (to be confirmed with letter to students just prior to the workshop). Each participant will receive a bobbin with enough copper wire for several small projects.  

A 1# spool of 28 gauge copper wire will be ordered by the FW Coordinator and ready for you at Workshop. Fee payable to the FW Coordinator on Saturday, March 12th for the Knitting Course. The cost is approximately $28 and will be confirmed with students pre-workshop.

  and

 Weaving with Copper Wire

Day Two with Sayward Johnson

March 13, 2016

This workshop is not specifically focused toward students with  

weaving experience, all beginners are most welcome.....

Old Growth 2012, Sayward Johnson (detail)

Old Growth, 2012 Sayward Johnson

Both 4 and 8 shaft table looms will work for our students and they will use between 28 and 30 gauge wire. We will pre-warp the looms and have them ready for the workshop on Sunday. Information for warping can be obtained pre-workshop from Bethany Garner. garner@kingston.net

 

Students may work on their own loom for the entire class.  (pre-warped before Sunday March 13th).

A 1# spool of 28 gauge copper wire ordered by the FW Coordinator and ready for you at Workshop will cost approximately $28 (the price will be confirmed once the order is received by the FW Coordinator before the workshop and payment to be made to the Coordinator on Saturday, March 12 by cash or cheque).

 

There will be several  demo station looms so that everyone can have varied samples.  The looms will be warped ahead of class and students may volunteer to be involved in this process along with Bethany Garner. 

 

We will use a satin weave, a few twill variations, an airy plain weave, a  double weave and will have the chance to mix in different materials.

Note: the green patinas take up to several weeks to develop, and the Instructor will hand out extra solution and instructions.

Sayward  will likely be able to hand out small patinated pieces of her work for students to explore with.... 

Registration form is on the right sidebar here at the blog...

Click, highlight and Copy and  print one to send along with your cheque for $125 to secure your seat! 

This will be a stunning 2 day weekend with a very exciting artist! Pleas eplan to join in on the fun!

If you need a pdf copy of the registration form email Beth at garner@kingston.net

FIBREWORKS KINGSTON hosts its annual CABIN FEVER WEEKEND at the Odessa Fairgrounds for some wintertime PLAY DATE fun - Friday through Sunday, January 22-24th... Come Play!

Our FIBREWORKS Kingston Guest Artist for April 22-24th is the renowned LORRAINE ROY from Dundas, ON, and she posted this beautiful Christmas Quilt on her Facebook page with great New Year/Holiday wishes to friends and Lorraine Roy art enthusiasts and the message below:

LORRAINE'S WORKSHOP IS FILLED AT January 18, 2016

Thanks to all of the students who registred for Lorraine's workshop! We are pleased you decided to  make time in your calendar to spend time with Lorraine at St. Lawrence College and enjoy a weekend focused on her "Tree Series" Workshop.

AND

January 22-24th, 2016

'CABIN FEVER' 

PLAY DATE WEEKEND RETURNS

As January can be the month when we all are feeling a bit of a let down and a stirring feeling of Cabin Fever... we have reserved the Odessa Fairgrounds Hall once again for a weekend of fibre play Open to everyone!  

The Fee for the entire weekend (3 full days) is $60 

(and yes, the fee applies whether  you come for 1, 2 or all three days - just to help pay the hall rental)

Happy New Year - come help me celebrate 2016!

You can come and work on whatever your heart and sewing calendar allows... 

BRING FRIENDS, CAR POOL AND BRING BROWN BAG LUNCH EACH DAY...

Possible projects:

- Sewing/Embroidery/ Projects and UFO's

- Weaving or spinning projects - love to have the spinners out and perhaps the Tapestry Weavers!!

- Plan a great outfit for spring or stitch up some home decor to be ready for spring

- Work on your entries for up coming Exhibitions (Quilt Canada, THREADWORKS, a SAQA Show... KFA?

-  Play with some Modern Quilt Projects (Modern Quilt group members so very welcome) ... or work on catching up on your Quilt Guild Block of the Month project

AND...as a treat from me, we will start the weekend by including a full day of 

SNOW/ICE Dyeing on FRIDAY January 22nd... 

All dye supplies (except your fabric) will be furnished - the dyes, the auxiliaries (soda ash for your fabric) and the table cover will all be in place and ready for you! 

The process is fun and easy and can work around all of the other projects you will be working on over the weekend... This project will be shared on FRIDAY morning (you will LOVE IT) and you can use my dyes all the rest of the weekend. (and yes, I will share the process on Saturday and Sunday too! Just in case you can't come Friday!)

YOU will need a bucket or dishpan for each batch with a screen or other "elevating" device in the bottom to keep the fabric from sitting in the dye. 

You will need 1/2 to 1 metre pieces of fabric, washed and ready to dye. We will soak in Soda Ash at the workshop 

 In case there is no snow, we will be using ICE CUBES which create amazing patterns...

NOTES: 

** The workshop days will run 9-5 pm every day -  Friday the 22nd, Saturday the 23rd and Sunday the 24th  9-5 each day so just enjoy some fun with like minded stitchers!

**as this is not a "class" weekend except for Friday come when you can and stay as long as you want.

 Treats will be in the kitchen all weekend, a few power bars and lots of tables for your biggest projects!

Please copy and print /complete the  Registration Form on the Side Bar here at the Blog or attached with your email!

Hoping to see lots of you come out and join us at the Odessa hall January 22-24th... come on, we all need some time with friends after the flurry of the busy fall 2015 and the holiday shopping and planning/baking.

Please feel to call or email Bethany with questions...
(seats will be held and supplies list for Snow/Ice Dyeing sent with paid registration!)

613-376-6150 or garner@kingston.net

See you in January and do consider all of our upcoming Fibreworks weekends in March, April, and May 2016!

March 11-13th - SAYWARD JOHNSON (beautiful knitted orbs above - Knitting with Wire)

 http://saywardjohnson.ca/

April 22-34th - LORRAINE ROY - TREE SERIES - St.Ignatius Bean #2 pictured above

http://www.lroyart.com/

May 13th3-15th - RECIPE and INGREDIENTS for BRILLIANT DESIGN - 

Karen in studio above... always moving forward with fresh, new ideas.
 http://karengoetzinger.com/

Fibreworks invites you to take time during January and visit the beautiful CELEBRATE THE SEVEN Exhibition presented by The John M. Parrott Gallery in Bellville's Public Library

Hoping you might  connect with a friend and make time for a drive to Belleville

 between

January 7 and February 11, 2016

The John M. Parrott Gallery 

is on the third floor of the Belleville Pubic Library

Hours listed on the card detail above....

Please enjoy the beautiful hand and stitch work of our award winning 

CONNECTIONS Fibre Artists

many of whom you may know as friends from SAQA or area Stitchery/Quilt guilds

 and the many Exhibitions the members have been involved with in Ontario and beyond.

Please feel free to click on the art cards here, save in your photo organizer and forward the information to friends in your area.

Happiest New Year to each of you - See you in 2016!

www.Connectionsfibreartists.blogspot.ca

'IMPROV... UNDER THE INFLUENCE'...... a three day weekend for stitchers, NOVEMBER 13-15th at the Odessa Fairgrounds Hall

Breezes... moving through the Seasons, Bethany Garner (above)

IMPROVISATION... making do...  Time to escape for a weekend and be with friends old and new... just making "STUFF"

Using what you have and committing to keeping the faith when it comes to your own work. Come enjoy this THREE DAY WEEKEND devoted to creating, making and perhaps finishing. Whether you have projects on the go, deadlines to meet or just need some time away from the house - this weekend will get you some free time with friends and see what is happening in the outside world.

The plan is to share three relaxing days with NO Patterns, NO deadlines and NO stress about what is good enough or if all the points meet...

Please note!!

PLANS CHANGE - as do the seasons... and there will be SLOW STITCHING TIME ON SUNDAY the 15th of November - NO PAINT - NO DYE AND just quietly enjoying friends and stitching by hand or machine if you want.  Details are below under the Sunday description.

We will meet at 9:30 am each day and I will stay as long as you want to stay - so for those of you who can't come in the morning - join in during the day when it is convenient and stay late! LATE is when it will quiet down and you will have the personal space to do YOUR thing....

So here is the break down:

Day One: FRIDAY November 13th 

(don't worry  its a GOOD DAY)....

'QUILTS IN THE CIRCULAR REALM' 

NO PATTERNS - JUST PLAY ....

Whether you love to create circles through laying circles as applique on top of a pieced background (shown in the quilt show above), or fuse the circles to a base of pre-cut squares and cut through them, adding some great accent fabrics as you piece them back together (below) to enhance your design, this is a play day you will enjoy from start to finish. 

And the design is YOURS to enjoy from start to finish...these samples are just for inspiration and for getting your thoughts around a day of play!

Students will begin the day with some graph paper and a ruler and pencil - just about an hour to get some ideas down on paper. There will be a large supply of circle templates in the room for you to copy onto cardboard or plastic and cut for your circles. Or FREE HAND CUT THEM... remembering that your design can use a favourite palette from a very traditional stash or go to super contemporary with just the click of the scissor blades and the fabrics YOU choose. This is intended as a STASH BUSTER workshop day.... so go searching through the closets and see what works for you.

Circles created with bleach gel (below) on small hand dyed squares and added to a pieced background sample shared here created by JUDE HILL of Spirit Cloth Blog...a great project for using up some of those hand dyed bits and YOU can do it here in the classroom. (use a circular sponge to lay on beach gel, and in just minutes, you have your circles!) Hand piecing used in this sample... the only way JUDE works... and you can too! NO PATTERNS - YOUR RULES! Just play and have some fun as you create your new work.

YOUR circles might be abstracted and free cut using scissors or a rotary cutter and pieced by machine... curved piecing is another way to add the illusion of circles to an art quilt... and make a real statement (notice the pieced background fabric in the block third from left in top row, and scattered throughout the design for extra impact). USE IT UP, MAKE IT DO... MAKE IT OUR OWN!

The quilt to the left is by SAQA Artist Heather Pregger and certainly inspires me.  IMPROV... at its best.

INSPIRATION: Berries (shown above) is by our friend and recent Fibreworks Kingston Guest Instructor, Penny Berens - (she stitched this one entirely by hand, and this sample is BEAUTIFUL).  An example of SLOW CLOTH that does not happen in a day. Come spend this day developing your plan, choose the background and threads from your stash and get started on a fall project that can carry through to a great exhibition or collection piece. MAKE IT YOUR OWN... piece a background, applique the base circles and enhance them with your own beautiful hand stitching.

Class room opens at 9 am and I will stay late so you can get a great start on your project... BRING BROWN BAG LUNCH and all the supplies you need to create your special and unique wall quilt - or start a bed quilt project, with sample blocks created in class!  

Class Fee - $50 for one day  or all three INPROV  Workshop days for $120.

Registration Form on the right sidebar here at the blog... (click on IMPROV- Under The Influence and mail your registration. Seats reserved with payment in full.)

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Day Two: SATURDAY,  November 14, 2015

 'IMPROV... Under the Influence'

The photo here is of my MARIPOSA... machine pieced and quilted created for the Kingston Fibre Artist's show recently in Almonte, ON  (and yes, the photo is crooked - your eyes are not fooling you).

NO PATTERNS NEEDED - bring your sewing machine (or stitch by hand) and a big box or bag of the scrap (or new, yet to be used) fabrics that have been haunting you, cluttering your closets or sitting in the pile - the pieces that you painted or dyed or bought on a whim and WANT so much to use up and turn into a new quilt, art piece or a gift for someone special. This is a day to learn a bit more about how I start and work through many of my pieces... with a focus on creating new CLOTH that can be worked into your quilt projects.  

The little piece below was completed in a day... and sold at a Limestone Quilt Guild Auction. Totally free form piecing using up some scraps and playing with colour and light...Happiness is a finished quilt and a satisfied collector.

You will have the opportunity to add "foundation" piecing to your inventory of skills - and I don't mean the "paper" kind. I stitch my work to muslin or if working by hand, I use a fine, supple cloth like harem cloth or a fine interfacing. Something that allows for pulling bits of fabric together, but keeps the base soft for hand or machine stitch. All you need is a base fabric, scraps, scissors or rotary equipment, and a machine or needle and thread to start the journey. This piece was completed and framed over two days. (in this workshop weekend, you can devote to days and have your own table to work through the project and get it DONE and framed if you like.)

MARIPOSA above was pieced from scraps of my flat dyed fabrics and I had no idea when I began the piecing how it would proceed, but just STARTED.... It is amazing to see the work grow on a design all, and even more satisfying to take it to the finishing stages with quilting and binding or mounting over a canvas.  

COME PLAY!  Workshop Fee is $50 for today or enjoy all three days for $120.

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DAY THREE - SUNDAY November 15th

SLOW STITCH... and a bit more
Spend a relaxing day with fibre and threads 
creating some small works of art that make you HAPPY !!


I'm working on some new pieces, continuing with themes begun for an exhibition this past year. The colours are becoming more muted - the seasons of autumn and winter dictates this - my local sources of colour are limited by this part of the growing year. I  am enjoying the way the bits and pieces of fabrics I want to stitch into are evolving into quiet and soulful colour families. I love stitching into my own hand dyed wool.....

Working with needle and thread brings joy and peace in a life that has experienced turmoil, injuries and is moving forward at a slower pace. Making time to sit and stitch is a goal and a joy! Hoping you will come out this weekend and share that special passion - and do some stitching yourself!

There simply is nothing better than sharing design time with good friends...... and so I hope you will join me for a day to continue work on the projects from the previous two days at Odessa or just come and plan the stitches you will add to your finished work... you will be among friends with common skills and we can all learn from each other as the day progresses!

Look for inspiration for your stitch everywhere... and collect old family photos, magazines with photos which inspire you with their colour and stitch opportunities (like the lichen covered stone shown here...) or just sit and design using paper and pencil before you start.

Pull together a collection of small bits - handkerchiefs, buttons, lace and especially fabrics and threads that you would love to include in some small pieces of collage work while at the SLOW STITCH workshop today.

I enjoy creating my own coloured threads (which we can dye today in the lovely space available at Odessa). There are not many options in our area for purchasing variegated pearl cottons and floss skeins for slow stitch work... so I make my own. You can too!

Yes, I also enjoy using Dyna Flo colour to add some accents to fabrics I want to stitch... and will have a nice selection of colours in Dyna Flo at the workshop for you to try. You can colour your collected bits of silk or voile, laces and yes, fine cottons - pre-washed and ready to apply some colour to (and ahead plan to bring table cover, and a few brushes and paper towels to clean up your area). (see just a bit of paint  I couldn't resist).

I crave the muted shades that approaching winter will bring and love the piece below made by Mary Cope of Paris, Ontario... and that has been traveling with THREADWORKS 2013 - WATER  Exhibition. 

As fall progresses, there are many challenges to address for 2016 - including the THREADWORKS Exhibition with the theme "FLASHBACK" with a January - March 1, 2016 Open Entry deadline... so this weekend workshop could be a great time to get a start on painting or stitching some new fabrics for my entry - AND YOURS!

The day will pass quickly, so plan to join in on the fun... start filling a box now with the fabrics and threads you will use - perhaps a hoop or frame and some thumb tacks 's get started right away at 9:30 am... ART AWAITS.

The 'SLOW STITCH' workshop day is $50, or combine with the other two  'IMPROV - Under the Influence' days and pay only $120 for all three.

Registration form is on the right side bar here at the Blog...
Hope you will join me and bring a friend or two!
                                                                       Bethany

Contact  Bethany for more details: garner@kingston.net or 613-376-6150