Quilt n Flip Book Covers with Fun Seam Inserts

I'm busy preparing for teaching a class at Textile Arts and Mixed Media Inc. I'll be showing how to make a travellers journal from scratch with a fabric cover using the quilt n flip method. We'll be inserting all sorts of fun items into the seams. I've recently completed 2 samples for the class. This first book is the cover for my latest sketchbook that you have seen in previous posts. I used my fabric experiments, Gelli prints, lino prints and collage scraps to construct the cover. I like using the travellers journal because you can easily remove and re-insert pages; great for when you are doing wet messy work.

In this second example I wanted to see just how many different types of items I could trap in the seams. If you can sew through it then it can be trapped in a seam - fabric, paper and thin metal all work. If the item has a hole in it you can thread it on a ribbon or a string and sew that into the seam too (like the large metal washer). For non sew-able items that don't have any holes you can trap them under a sheer fabric inserted into the seam; I have trapped a delicate leaf skeleton this way..

If you are interested in coming along to the workshop (which is part of the TAAMMI open day) please contact the group through their website or Facebook page.

"Picture Perfect" Workshop

I recently attended the "Picture Perfect" quilt workshop with Phil Thomas from WAQA. This is my finished quilt. It's about A2 in size and uses fused raw edge applique. The pattern is one of Phil's designs but now I've got the hang of it I think I will use this technique again in the future.

Making a Sketch from a Picture - Top Cheat!

At the moment I am reading "Connecting Design to Stitch" by Sandra Meech. The book has some fantastic design and sketchbook exercises.

I tried out this one which helps you make a drawing from a photo. I used this picture of the Dubai spice souk taken by my husband. You can see that the picture is very complex and would be overwhelming to just copy as a sketch.

With this technique you draw the whole picture in small manageable sections at a time. First I cut some rectangles from the photo and stuck them into my sketchbook opposite the remaining piece with the holes in it. Then using the photo reference from the opposite page the picture is drawn back into the holes. Because the missing section is quite small and you also have the pieces around it, it is quite easy to pencil in the missing information.

I then took the idea in to book further by photocopying my finished drawings, cutting out the pieces and reassembling them into a complete sketch.

Of course I could easily and quickly get the same end result by simply tracing the picture, but by observing and drawing I have got to know my subject in much more detail than I ever would have by tracing. I'll definitely be using this technique again in the future, perhaps with pen and watercolour next time.

Gelli® Bookbinding

Today I have been experimenting with different ways to make my Gelli® mono-prints into books. I like this piano hinge binding which can be used to make an ordinary book or a zig-zag book. I like the colours and pattern on the spine. The binding uses sticks or straws slotted into alternate page hinges to hold the book together.

Here the piano hinge binding is used to make a long zig-zag book. It stretches about 2 metres!

These books are made from a single sheet of paper. Just a few cuts, no glue or binding.

Fibres West Part 2 - Class Displays

At the end of our fabulous 5 day retreat at Fibres West the 140+ delegates had a chance to show off their creations in class displays. This was a great opportunity to see what other classes had been doing. Above is our class display from our surface design workshop with our amazing tutor Mary Hettmansperger in the centre. Below are examples of what my fellow classmates had produced.

Other workshops included eco-dye, book making, printing, felting, brush making, sculpture, fashion and more. Below are a selection of works from other classrooms. Click to images for a larger picture.

During the week we also got to see artist Tania Spencer construct the Taj Mahal on the lawns.

We were also treated to lectures by each of the class tutors explaining their work and artistic practise. All-in-all a wonderful retreat - roll on 2021!