Silk Paper!

We might be in exile from our usual meeting-place, but there can't be many guild groups who meet in such lovely surroundings! This was the view from outside Threlkeld Village Hall when we met for our silk paper-making workshop on Thursday.

We enjoyed a fascinating session; Lyn Armstrong showed us some examples of little bags made from silk paper, and some of her larger pictures, to whet our appetite for this technique, and went on to demonstrate her method of making silk paper. She managed to make it all seem very straightforward, and guided us through the process. I, for one, have been a little put off in the past, by quite complicated instructions in books, and it was good to have the de-mystified version, using  easily-available materials.

We were soon at work, laying down silk fibres, adding decorative threads, (and a sprinkling of gold leaf!)

Applying the medium,

Drying the paper with several hair-dryers,

Cutting it to shape,

Embellishing with beads and stitch.

A work in progress... nearly there!

It is difficult to do justice with a camera, to the delicious, delicate  pieces of paper made this way.

Until we have some pictures of the finished work we did on the day, here is some of the work Lyn brought along to inspire us;

So, a lovely workshop, with new skills learned.  And, as soon as I have pictures of completed projects to show you, I will post them. 

KEG February Newsletter

Greetings! The year has now got off to a good start, with a great day spent with Marilyn showing us how to create beads, jewellery and small items from felt. It was great to get together again after quite a bumpy couple of months; the floods in November and the snow in December/January seemed to curtail all sorts of get-togethers, but we (hopefully) are back on track now.

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PLEASE REMEMBER – the next few meetings will be at Threlkeld Village Hall, until the Friends’ Meeting House has completed its works after flooding. We’ll keep you informed.

The next meeting is at 10am on Thursday, 18th February (coffee available at 9.45am). It is an opportunity to make silk paper (a different technique to the one we tried with Sandra Kedzlie a couple of years ago), and then to embellish our work and even make a little item with the resulting ‘fabric’.

Lyn Armstrong is bringing the raw silk, detergent and setting medium and a pattern to make a purse, as a kit, and this will be provided at no extra charge. However, you do need to bring the following if you have them:

•  usual sewing kit
•  stuff to attach, i.e. beads, sequins or anything you fancy. The colours are going to be in the range of blue / green / pink
•  Any nice threads you have.
•  Bits and pieces you might want to add to the paper as you make it, i.e. tiny bits of cut up threads, tiny sparkly bits, dried flower petals, angelina, etc.
•  The messy bit will require:- a paint brush for the wetting of the paper with detergent about 1” – 2” will do
•  a smaller paint brush for the setting medium
•  some old nylon net (some will be provided, but you might have to take some 'wet' paper home on the net so you might want to bring your own)
•  a hair dryer will help to speed up the drying – we will provide a couple but you may have room to bring your own
•  some paper towels for helping mop up the water etc
• Your lunch!

An example of the silk paper we will be making.

Two examples of purses made from the paper

The 18th March meeting is to be a talk about costume making by Eleanor Paxton, and should prove very interesting. This will be followed by a demonstration of Lesley’s embellishing machine (following on from Marilyn’s dry felting by hand), and the opportunity to do some of your own work – perhaps bring along that Chairman’s Challenge sampler to catch up?

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Branch News

Sally Evans has asked us all to let her have any ideas, sketches, drawings, examples and explanations of fabric used, etc, for our motifs supplied to the KEG banner. She has kindly offered to create a file which will contain all the information, for posterity!

Regional News

The North West Region, Area 1 (which is us!) has set up a workshop in Sedburgh on 20th March. Contact Kathryn Thompson on 01253 882121 for further information.

The Regional Day this year is on 17th April and is in the Manchester Conference Centre. Information is with Pat if you would like to apply for tickets. As you know from the Rheged meeting we co-hosted, it’s a very interesting day, and worth the visit.

The Regional AGM is on 16th October, at Preston. I am letting you know this date very early, hoping that somebody will be able to attend on the club’s behalf. It would be great to show that Keswick is represented, and supporting the Region.

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Upcoming Exhibitions

9th to 20th March – Quilt Museum in York – The Celtic Fringe: Wholecloths of Wales and Scotland and Namad: A Persian Journey in Felt – Bita Ghezelayagh.

25th and 26th June (Friday and Saturday) - WOOLFEST 2010 at Cockermouth

19-22 August, NEC - Festival of Quilts

Pat Knifton 01768 779448

February Informal Meeting

A very select group gathered for our informal meeting today, and all manner of 'goodies' were 'rehomed.'

We celebrated Val's birthday, caught up with events and news since we last met, and still managed to get on with some work on individual 'works-in progress'

This is a detail of Val's crewel work , Jacobean Bell-pull, from Anchor.

Moira's Cross Stitch is from Bothy threads,   'Cut-through Castle'

There be dragons in this castle!

Pat experimented with needle-felting after Marilyn's workshop, and after reading an article by Gilda Baron, in a past issue of Stitch magazine. This landscape, felted, then embroidered, was the result!

The next blog will be the February newsletter, featuring among other things, details of Lyn's silk-painting and embroidery session, and pictures of what we'll be making.

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