Adventures in Textile Art

As mentioned in a previous blog, while in Ontario, I attended a workshop facilitated by Judy Eckhardt.  The workshop focused on various techniques to make your own fabric.  Our first two days were spent learning the techniques.  On day one we sewed on fabric samplers using our machine decorative stitches, practiced free motion stitching and stitching from the bobbin.  On day two, we practiced these same techniques but this time using water soluble stabilizer.  We did leaves, bobbin stitching, making our own shapes and making lace.  That night we took our pieces home and washed the stabilizer out.  Day three is when the real fun started.

We started by stitching all around the edge of our background sandwich of fabric and batting. Then we started adding stuff:  snippets of fabric, pieces of lace, threads and wools and finally the pieces we made the day before.  The idea is too put down layers of texture.  The whole thing was then covered with a piece of tulle which we stitched down using decorative machine stitches.  The pieces we had made the previous day could either go under the tulle or over the tulle.  It was such fun to see everyone's pieces developing.  Each piece was so different.  Here we are, everyone very focused on their work.

I wish I had had the time to see everyone's almost finished pieces but if you hop over to Judy's facebook page, you will see some of them.  The link is at the bottom of this blog. The intent was to make a book cover out of the piece but I decided to make mine into a wall hanging. Here is my piece, not quite finished yet.  I'm thinking of how to finish it:  maybe a beaded border ......  I will leave it alone for a few days and then get back to work on it.

Thank you Judy for a very interesting and educational workshop.

 Judy's Facebook Page