Winter Workshop at the Cottage

Went to the most amazing workshop yesterday with Carol Wilkes, the workshop requirements list stated that students would be introduced to "Free Motion Embroidery", no mention of the danger of being totally hooked, and yes we all were.
Carol presented us with a huge range of possibilities, her samples are varied and stunningly beautiful, but more than that, there were so many instances of wonderment when Carol would show the most beautiful thing and explain its ordinary everyday components, some being rather ugly in their pre-Carol life. Who would think of bringing home a rather sad for wear toy from the op-shop in the hope that it would be full of slightly worse for wear polystyrene beads??? and what she did with them was a real eye opener.

This pic shows a wall hanging, two of Carols stunning bags and a wearable collar, just the thing to dress up a simple frock or jumper (sweater), all with loads of created cords.
Carol created this vest with fabric layers, created cording and suffolk puffs.
We started our workshop by creating cords, the technique looked deceptively simple, but it requires fingers like an octopus's tentacles and I managed to nick the side of my finger with the needle, it was just a tiny nick, but add to that the story Carol told of a needle 'run in' and I surely found a new respect for sewing machine needles. Mind you I wasn't the only one to fall foul of a machine needle on the day.

Some of the cords the girls were creating.
Helen decided to work on her name tag, after creating the cord she added beads and feathers as part of the exercise.

Carol told us a little of the work done by a past student of hers, Svenja, who if you went to the Textile Art Show recently in Brisbane you would probably remember seeing, bit hard to forget a stunning lass with bright pink hair and a lovely smile.

Carol and Svenja are having an exhibition at Gallery 159 in Brisbane in August. They have named the exhibition "Morphology", will post complete details when I get them, but sharpen your pencils in preparation of writing this one into the must do diary.

Below are a few sites that feature Carol and her work.

http://www.thethreadstudio.com/files/gallery/gallery.htm

http://www.thethreadstudio.com/features/event1.htm

http://www.internationalmillineryforum.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16:carol-wilkes&catid=1:tutors&Itemid=5