Dyeing Workshop with Wendy Koolhof

Last Saturday - 16th April - I joined with five other lovely ladies to work with Wendy in her southern Tasmanian studio for a workshop on textile dyeing.  [Wendy Koolhof and Mahdi Chandler are those super creative Text-isle Tarts and very involved with Stitching and Beyond in Tasmania]. Woking with Landscape dyes we created rainbows of colour using the yarns and fibres of our choice together with a foray into shibori (I thought is was tie-dyeing but we are not allowed to call it that any more apparently !!). The day was fantastic - gorgeous blue Huon Valley skies and surrounded by bird song and Wendy and her husband's hospitality - together with that undercurrent of creativity that occurs when you get a few fibre fanatics together.  Here are some pics of our results :

I played with some of my hand spun superfine tasmanian merino and was thrilled with the results......something woven coming up! And, I created a lovely silk scarf for my mum for Mother's Day using shibori techniques...never done that before!
Thanks Wendy !

Creating Again!

Whew and am I glad...finally got enough organised to be able to sit down and DO something. 
The spinning wheel is in the shop and has currently 3/4 bobbin of Tasmanian Superfine spun....wool on knitting needles making a square for fulling for a needle fleted bag...the little loom set up ready to warp tonight for a new wrap....and the big loom under threat for a sample using Wendy Koolhof's hand dyed laceweight silk and Mahdi's embellishing threads!
Whew!

SICK SICK SICK

Master 2 has passed on his lurgy to his Ga Ga and she is MISERABLE!  Hacking cough like croup, runny dose, sore, itchy and weepy eyes - my germs are innumerable!!  It's dreadful being sick when you have to look after yourself.  And I need to stay away from Mum as she doen not need this cold.

SigOther keeps ringing up from the wilds of Vic and asking "are you dead yet ?"  well...lovely eh?  But at least he rings up and asks.  Men sometimes have funny ways of expressing care don't they LOL

So, plenty of paracetamol, lemon and honey and tissues  :(

I've been printing cards all day (thank you Isis) and at least that's kept me busy and now they are dry, I will label and pack them.......getting ready for next month. 

I did this one on lovely heavy recycled card stock
from Regal Crafts.  He looks beautiful on brown!

To Market, To Market.....Latrobe Truly Tasmanian

Well I braved the wind, the rain, the thunder and lightning and piloted Ronnie Rav down to Latrobe on the Sunday of the longweekend of craft to check out the Truly Tasmanian Craft Exhibition and Fair!  Never having been before, I was anxious to see what these rebelious lot were up to. Fonz (aka Fonz's Woodcraft 354 Main Road, Spreyton) started the Truly Tas Exhibition several years ago as a reaction to not being accepted at Deloraine.  A small group started off and this year there were almost 40 stalls offering a wide range of handmade Tasmanian art and craft exhibiting at the Latrobe Memorial Hall.

Despite the apalling weather, a steady crowd patronised the event and by just after lunch, the rain had gone!   I bought some beaut soap from Natures Force from Kimberley, some lovely silver grey fleece, a paca batt with bling, some bunny and some hoppy fur from Cheryl of Fibres & Threads, a beaut brooch from Rita and a pair of stunning maille earings from Lyn's Maille. 

I had a great time hanging out with the girls and enjoyed looking at a wonderful new range of Tas handmades.

Standouts : Rino and Howard up from Geeveston in the deep south of Tasmania with their stunning sterling silver and glass bead serving wear and jewellery!

To Market to Market - Deloraine

Well, what can I say about the 2010  Deloraine Craft Fair ?   It was great to go after a rest of a couple of years and see the veritable host of Tasmanian designers and makers once again showcasing their talents and wonderful wares.  Yes, there were a few from the big island, but that's OK - it pays to keep up with what they are doing "overseas" - but the percentage of Tas exhibitors who were also demonstrating heartens me. 

The intention of the organisers to return to a "working" craft fair (see website and 2010 entry criteria) is commendable and appreciated by the patrons : crowds gathered everywhere an artisan was demonstrating which goes to prove the point.  "....exhibitors will display their finest wares and share their techniques"  

The providore lines were great too, but don't take it too far and turn the occasion into a food and wine show !   The mission and vision of this magnificent event - The Tasmanian Craft Fair is the largest working display of arts and crafts in Australia.- must be the guide !!

My purchases from 2010

I spent two solid days tramping the aisles and talking to some stunningly interesting people!  Hello to all of you that took the time to chat to me.  Thanks to all of you whose wonderful craft I brought home! And to those who missed out when I ran out of $$$s - next year !!!

The Ashford rigid heddle looms (yes there are TWO now) are eagerly awaiting these gorgeous materials :

Wonderful hand-dyed merino wool and silks from the vats of Mahdi and Wendy, those terrific Text-isle-Tarts

Paca Bling Batt from Sue at Tasmanian House of Fibre

Print Making with Isis

The lovely and talented Isis ran a print making workshop at The Mill Providore And Gallery in Launceston.

What a fantastic time we had !

                                 Day One - Screen Printing on Monday 25th October

Day Two - Block printing with lino cuts on Tuesday 2nd Nov

There were just three of us in the class !   (Our teacher believes in small classes and individual attention.)

Louise and her lovely daughter Asher came and me.

We made lots of mess but Isis didn't mind.

......we learned how to cut stencils and remembered everything we'd forgotten about lino blocks

.....and then we made some beautiful prints. 

These pics are from Day 2 with the lino blocks.....

It was great!   

And then Isis got her Hillbarn Box delivered to The Mill and we ooohed and aaahed over the wonderful fresh produce...and she got ROSES TOO !

I had a terrific time, learned heaps and made some beaut cards I was really pleased with. 

THANKS ISIS & BECKY and SAM!!!  

Waiting for the NEXT workshop.