Alysn Midgelow -MarsdeN

Workshop: "Instinctive Textile Explorations – Draw and Stitch Permutations"

Tutor: Alysn Midgelow-Marsden

      
Break free from overthinking and dive headfirst into instinctive, playful textile art creativity. Embark on an improvisational journey that begins with fluid, exploratory mark-making and effortlessly transitions into textured, multi-dimensional works inspired by natural or observed forms.

Together, we’ll experiment with:

• Free-flowing drawing to spark spontaneous ideas and create shapes and marks as designs.

• Appliqué using translucent metal fabrics creating delicate, light-catching details with simple stitching and couching to add layers of texture and movement.

• Ripping, cutting, and burning for bold, organic edges and intriguing textures.

• Wires and other stiffening methods for structural surfaces and sculpture.

Taking visual inspiration from rusty, encrusted and peeling surfaces or natural forms such as geology and seed pods. Explore the colours and textures using a combination of paper, metal, metal cloth, wire and colouring techniques such as sprays and patinas; techniques including layering, wiring, stitch (hand or machine), applique with translucent metal cloths and more. Play with pens, paint, paper, ripping, gelling, layering, spraying, on paper, card and fabric. Then adding applique and stitch. Starting from our inspiration photos, we will play with a simple and free flowing (if a bit wacky) drawing technique guaranteed to make you smile and develop your ideas.

You will develop your own unique piece/s which could be for a hanging or a three dimensional form, filled with layered stitches, expressive lines, and translucent elements. We will work towards a piece by discussing the choices of materials, techniques and designs you want to use, allowing your involvement in the process to aid your decision and the path you take.
The techniques are straightforward and accessible to everyone—no prior experience in drawing, stitching, or textile arts is necessary. This workshop is perfect for anyone eager to create intuitively, whether you prefer hand stitching, machine work, or a blend of both.

By embracing spontaneity, you’ll produce stunning results that reflect your instincts and the joy of making. 

Materials:

Materials and equipment use fee: $30.00 includes metal fabric, wires and various materials and equipment

Participant Needs

(*) denotes materials and equipment Alysn will have available to use/borrow/buy

(!) denotes materials included in your materials fee, however if you have more of these or wish to bring similar to use in addition, you are welcome.

As these sessions are flexible, you may not use everything on the list, or you may want to get more of certain items as you go. It’s hard to predict what will take your fancy! So, bring what you can. 

Equipment

·       (*) Inspiration images of your choice such as such as tree bark, leaf veins, flowers, seeds, and fungi (or we can use my images or online searching)

·       General sewing requisites, especially including a variety of needles from very large to small.

·       General scissors.

·       (*) Hammer 

·       (*)Hard metal block to hammer onto.

·       Sewing machine if you want to use one, free machining foot and spare needles/other requisites.

·       Iron 

·       (*) Few brushes. Flat, cheap paint brushes are fine. 

·       2 safety/tea light candles and matches/lighter

·       1 pair small pliers and wire cutters

·       (*) Baking parchment

·       (*) Masking tape

·       2-3 kebab sticks

·       1 soda drink can (or similar)

Note: I tend to stick with neutral colour schemes to match the papers and metal fabrics, if you wish to use colour, it is probably a good plan to choose a limited scheme from a tight band of the colour wheel.

Drawing / Painting Materials:

·       (*) A selection such as drawing pens of various widths and shapes of nibs; pencil; charcoal; pastels; Inktense etc (and spray fixative if you bring pastels or charcoal). 

·       (*)1 or 2 colours of car spray to suit your colours (optional)

·       Drawing ink (Indian ink is great)

Papers:
As large a format as you can bring such as A3/A2.

·       Basic:
Cartridge paper drawing pad
Watercolour paper approx. 300gsm (2 – 3 sheets is sufficient)
(*) Layout paper (a few sheets is sufficient) (30gsm)

·       Other:
A few sheets of other papers to try out would be great, see what you have of the following:

Handmade papers such as Thai mulberry 120gsm, Khadi paper (cotton rich), Packaging paper etc. 

Fabrics:

·       (*) Interfacing (Vilene ‘medium weight’ iron or sewin or similar) ½ m maximum

·       (*) Bondaweb/Vliesofix. ½ m maximum

·       (*) (!) Metal fabrics. Copper, bronze, brass or stainless steel. Approx. ½ m max. 

·       An alternative to metal fabrics is to use nylon chiffons/organzas

Threads:

Sewing: Standard (cotton/polycotton) sewing machine sewing threads in at least 3 colours to suit your colours, plain and/or variegated. As base colours to stitch with, the metal cloths colours suit the use of grey/tan/aubergine for stainless steel and blue/copper/tan for the copper/brass and bronze fabrics. However additional colours can be introduced to suit your colour preferences.

Beading: Neutral coloured beading thread or machine embroidery rayon to blend with your colours.

Hand stitch: Heavier threads to emphasise your design in your colour preferences

Beads:

A Selection of beads (optional)

Metals:

·       (*) Knitted wire 0.1/0.2mm wire, approx. 20cm (optional)

·       (*)(!) 1.5 - 3 mm diameter aluminium wire (sold at craft shops as sculpture armature wire and at florists, often brightly coloured) Approx. 3-5m

·       Other craft wires/scrap wires 

Workshop Cost: $480