May Workshop - Nancy Miller

Our May workshop saw members arriving at the Maurice Jagger Centre laden down with all those workshop staples that seem like a good idea at the time but which we quickly forget how to use! So we were in for a day of slashing, cutting, burning, heating (and a bit of stitching!) with the excellent tutelage of Nancy Miller, assisted by Margaret Walton, our Programme Secretary. 
Margaret and Nancy used to teach textiles at Crossley Heath School in Halifax, so we were in good hands, and they were full of useful hints and tips. 

These images show how strips of old knitwear can be used to good effect 

to frame pieces of embellished work

We split into small groups, each exploring different media, for example Expandaprint / puff paste; Tyvek; and fabrics which reacted when heated. 
Here are some of our interesting results. 

We all had a go at layering pre-printed images (a bit like soft decoupage) and then adding different pieces of fabric to give depth to our work.

As you can see, the images turned out differently but were all lovely. 

Offcuts of curtaining such as this can be picked up very cheaply as remnants. 

Here is fabric which has been heated with a heat gun; fabric which has been bleached; and a close up of fabric which has had Expandaprint  applied through sequin waste, and then been heated. 

This is a selection of fabric which has been bleached, and fabric which has been tied around marbles and then microwaved to set the distortion.

More samples of bleached fabric, some heated Tyvek, and two very different tulips, one mainly cut away, and the other appliquéd.

A flower made from fabric which has been cut into petal shapes and then distressed with a heat gun

A piece of organza which has been embellished with fibres, 

using a felting needle

A piece of organza which has been embellished with appliqué and stitch

Examples of fabric which has been heated with a heat gun; bleached; tied round marbles; and some Tyvek beads, made by wrapping Tyvek round a skewer with wire and then heating with a heat gun.

And finally, a piece of Nancy's artwork to show 

what we were working towards…