Two workshop days on the 1st and 15th October 2016, to introduce weaving to those wanting to try it for the first time and those new to this technique for creative, experimental weave designing on a rigid heddle and back-strap.

These are the first weaving courses to be run by me at The Bothy; a newly created flexible event space next door to Vanessa Arbuthnott’s shop in Cirencester.

Introduction to Weaving, day workshop at The Bothy on 1st October 2016

My pieces have now been hung in the Mall Galleries, London ready for the SDC show opening to the public on Friday, 12th August. I will be travelling up for the Private View tomorrow evening, 11th August.

For anyone who may be in London on Thursday 18th August, I would love to see you as I will be stewarding on that day.

Countdown to the Society Of Designer Craftsmen summer show at the Mall Galleries, London. Opens on 12 August. Exhibiting with them for the first time! More details here.

Work still in progress, winding wool warps destined for soft furnishing fabrics.

A full-on weekend leading and teaching on a special ‘Creative Weekend’ course to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Cotswolds AONB, which they titled: Weaving the Wonderful Cotswolds.

Day 1 was at Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park, near Bourton-on-the-Water. I took the students on a farm walk to meet the rare breed sheep and be inspired by the colours and textures of their surrounds. They watched a shearing demo, then learnt the techniques of carding and spinning, turning white and coloured washed fleece into fabulous yarn with the Northleach Spinners and Weavers.
We then dyed wool yarn (which had been mordanted with Alum), using hand-spun from the Farm’s Cotswold sheep and commercially spun British Wool from Laxtons in Yorkshire. Using plant matter picked at the start of the day, we made dyes from Hawthorn, Cow Parsley and Nettle and produced a range of yellows which were over-dyed with colour from dried natural dyestuffs in blues, purples, reds, pinks and browns.

Day 2 we relocated to the Cotswolds AONB Discovery Centre at Northleach, where we got creative in the Old Victorian Court Room, weaving with the student’s fabulous hand-spun wool and the wool yarn they had dyed the previous day. Visual sources of inspiration were translated using card windings and paper weaving for colour and proportion into weave patterns using the rigid heddle and back-strap technique.
Amazingly creative beautiful pieces from these absolute beginners, don’t you think…

As a member of the Creative Forum, a group of multi-discipline creatives and artists in Gloucestershire, I was encouraged to do a presentation on ‘my textile practice’ at the last group meeting.

Not having done this before, I prepared 4 A4 sheets, headed: Background, Milestones, Current Practice and Future.  The Milestones one was illustrated with samples which included my first weaving, my first exhibition piece, and my Bradford Textile Society competition successes.

One of my milestones, The Cambrian Mountains Wool Challenge, where I got to talk to HRH Prince Charles about me and my work!

My audience was very supportive and I really enjoyed (and found useful) the process of looking back and analysing my creative journey, and having to think about what I want moving forwards.

One of the lovely comments I had on Facebook:

Thank you Rebecca for a great talk about your weaving practice. It was really interesting and certainly you didn’t talk too long! Looking at all the different samples was a joy. Beautiful colours and textures! Seeing how other craftspeople and artists work and their experiences towards a creative line of work is, I think, very relevant to everyone even if they use a different approach or medium. Enjoyed it immensely!

 

Yes, I’m there! (well I will be there)

As a new Graduate Licentiate Member, I have been invited to exhibit at The Society of Designer Craftsmen’s show in the prestigious Mall Galleries in London.

The Society is undergoing some social media updating to give them a presence on Twitter and Facebook, so please follow.

Also the improved website will enable us members to promote our activities, show images of our work and to be contacted directly from the SDC web site, so watch this space as they say!

A very personal commission completed for the percussionist who has occupied the studio next to mine since I moved in last year. He will leaving shortly for a new job and travelling to exotic destinations! It has been truly magical to hear his music practice whilst I work. I designed this strap for a special Brazilian whistle he uses and hand-wove it on an Old English Inkle loom – I hope he will take pleasure in using it and telling the story of its origins.