New year new course

I have undertaken to do a Creative Machine Embroidery course for 2011. Once again this course is through SWTAFE Warrnambool with Karen Richards being our teacher. The course is available on campus and off campus and I have the opportunity to do a bit of both, so I don’t have to freak out if I don’t get to classes. Just hope the self discipline part of off campus studies doesn’t do me in. The above image is a sampler that was required – FILLING IN WITH STRAIGHT STITCH.

Our weaving group was hoping to continue this year but due to TAFE restructuring their fee schedules, this became way too expensive for some. I am still hoping to weave in some way or other this year.

Woven Creations

Finally getting around to posting images of the woven creations of other students. These items were exhibited at the Hamilton Sheepvention Show early this month and will also be shown at The Royal Melbourne Show. The majority of fibre used was alpaca, being part of a deal done with the Alpaca Association and SouthWest TAFE here in Warrnambool.

First off the ranks are three scarves woven by Jeanette Tollerbond.

And two wraps also woven by Jeanette.

The next four items are by Georgie Crow. As a matter of interest the bottom wrap in the second image as well as the wraps in the final two images were all woven on the same warp.

The next four are a variety of knits by Jill Hunter.

And last but definitely not least are items by Rocky Blair. Rocky has used alpaca fibre from her own alpacas and felted it to produce these hats with the final image being a skirt and wrap woven on the same warp.

And to conclude, I must thank our stunning model who suffered all types of indignities without complaint for this photo shoot.

The display at Hamilton.

All set for the Hamilton Sheepvention Show

All the designing and making for the Alpaca Association has been completed. It has been packed and shipped off to the Hamilton Sheepvention Show for display. A description of the project can be found here.

Last week was somewhat frantic finalising my required three pieces but I did it!

A very soft and thick wrap from 3 ply commercially spun alpaca.

I’m really happy with this skirt. I initially got the idea from a picture in an old ‘Handwoven’ magazine. It began as 2 ply white alpaca yarn for the weft and 100% wool for the warp (to add strength to the cloth for wear). I dyed both the warp and weft after lots of experimentation with colours.  I blogged about a bit of the process here. So the yarn was dyed, woven and sewn into this skirt.

And this vest completed my contribution. The warp is 100% black wool and the weft is handspun alpaca of a natural mahogany colour. And I really like the results with this one too.

Thanks Kirsty for the pin fastener. I love it. It is made from the wood of dead bull oak trees.

In the next post I’ll show images of the work of other students in the class.

Alpaca project – a skirt in the making

Wound onto the bobbin and ready to go. The story of this yarn can be found here. It is the weft yarn, 100% alpaca and hand dyed, while the warp is 100% tough wool and also hand dyed to one of my favourite green shades.

The reason for the tough warp is WEAR. The cloth is going to be used to make a skirt and a cute one at that I hope!

It is more warp faced than I expected but I like it. The skirt will have two tiers, the next cloth to be woven being a darker shade.

Alpaca project

This wrap has been made by Georgie. It’s extremely soft, thick and luscious. The warp is wool whereas the weft is handspun alpaca.

Experimenting by Jill with alpaca roving. This was intended as a scarf but became too thick with the felting. It morphed into a sash for the waist line.

100% alpaca yarn beautifully knitted by Jill (of course). These beanies are incredibly comfortable to wear – soft, light weight and cozy.

More experimenting by Jill, this time of the weaving type. The yarn used here was alpaca plied with hand spun silk. It is a twill weave with lots of body.

I generally lust over all the goodies that keep being produced and this is no exception. Dyed and woven by Jeanette Tollerbond. Jeanette used Landscape dyes and commercially spun alpaca yarn. This wrap drapes beautifully.

And this is similar but different colours – differing shades of red ochre from the Landscape dyes.

Alpaca Project

 

 

Remember this. It is now this colour. A blue-purple. Jill wasn’t too thrilled with the results but once it is worn it is quite striking, amazingly so.

Prolific Jill has knitted a scarf using bits of handspun and undyed alpaca fibre. The scarf has been knitted on circular needles horizontally. I can’t remember how many stitches she cast on but it was a shite load.

 

Maybe the Alpaca Project should be called the Jill Project. Here is more of Jill’s knitting. Short length scarves that work really well, like a cravat – knitted from commercially spun alpaca fibre and dyed with Landscape dyes.

Dye colours from left: wheat, kelp, red ochre (removed from dye pot early) and mountain blue.

Introduction to Botanical Illustration with Fiona McKinnon

A little while ago I spent a totally enjoyable weekend being taught by Fiona McKinnon, a well known botanical artist. Fiona is an entertaining and skillful teacher who works with the Botanical Art School of Melbourne.

The workshop was organised by South West TAFE. My only complaint is it didn’t go long enough.

Below is some of the resulting art works by other students.

Space dyeing rovings

DEFINITIONS

“SPACE DYEING is a technique used to give yarn a unique, multi-colored effect. While a typical skein of yarn is the same color throughout, a skein of space dyed yarn is two or more different colors that typically repeat themselves throughout the length of the yarn.”

“A ROVING is a piece of fibre which has been combed, drawn into a clump, and then twisted slightly to hold the fibers together and to prepare them for spinning and/or felting. SLIVER and TOP have a similar meaning to rovings.”

After confessing to Jude about taking a tiny piece of her space dyed roving ( and spinning it ) I received a slight dressing down, and then she agreed to try and replicate the same colours in some of the commercially spun alpaca fibre.

 

The end result of the furtive spinning of pilfered roving. A tiny piece of roving goes a long way.

 

Judy, the master dyer at TAFE, at work.

The alpaca yarn soaking in hot water.

The first addition – black.

The second addition – red.

The third addition – yellow.

Just a slight stir to meld the colours.

Let it simmer gently until the water runs clear which means all the dye has been attached to the fibres.

Almost the end result. It was decided that it needed a bit more oomph so it was returned to the pot with a little more black dye.

Still to take the photograph of the finished product.