As you saw in a previous post I have completed the teaching session at KLAC, I felt it time to review the whole process as too how I thought it went.
On a whole I was very pleased with how the morning went. Jenni took the instructions on very well and she didn't appear to have any issues with understanding how the process went. Something I would change if I would do this workshop again is too have a better plan in my head as too how the morning will pan out.
I would also have better resources with me and a wider choice of fleece as I felt that if I had anymore people to teach, my resources would have been inadequate. I would also have liked to have a small pair of carders with me in order to demonstrate how to make blended batts and how to make a raw fleece softer.
Overall though I am pleased with how the day went and I look forward to having the opportunity to do it again.
Thats all for now
Meghan
Thursday 20 September 2012
Planning the teaching session
A part of this arts award requires me to undertake an arts project. This could take the form of an exhibition or teaching day. I have chosen the teaching day. As you all know I am doing my silver arts award through Kings Lynn Arts Centre, this is where I shall be teaching. I have been talking with Nick Neal from KLAC and we have arranged a date for me to teach a member of staff from the arts centre. In this post I intend to plan the teaching session and address and issues that may arise. The purpose of this project is for me to pass on these skills to others.
As I have been doing my silver arts award in textiles, I found it appropiate to make my teaching session about something relating to textiles. I have chosen to teach spindle spinnning. I intend to start the morning with a demonstration on how to draft the fleece in preparation for spinning it. Drafting the fleece means to very gently pull apart the fibres in order for spinning it to be a lot easier.
When this stage is complete I shall move onto spinning. I shall explain that to start spindle spinning off you must attach a piece of yarn to the spindle to act as your "leader". The leader is simply a small loop of yarn attached to the end of the spindle, in which you can start spinning your fleece.
After demonstrating how to attach your fleece I shall move onto how too spin the fleece. Start by very gently pulling the fleece out to create a thin length of fleece and then start spinning your spindle in a clockwise direction. This enables the spin created to come into the fleece making it into yarn.
Thats all for now, I'll let you know how the teaching goes.
Meghan
As I have been doing my silver arts award in textiles, I found it appropiate to make my teaching session about something relating to textiles. I have chosen to teach spindle spinnning. I intend to start the morning with a demonstration on how to draft the fleece in preparation for spinning it. Drafting the fleece means to very gently pull apart the fibres in order for spinning it to be a lot easier.
When this stage is complete I shall move onto spinning. I shall explain that to start spindle spinning off you must attach a piece of yarn to the spindle to act as your "leader". The leader is simply a small loop of yarn attached to the end of the spindle, in which you can start spinning your fleece.
After demonstrating how to attach your fleece I shall move onto how too spin the fleece. Start by very gently pulling the fleece out to create a thin length of fleece and then start spinning your spindle in a clockwise direction. This enables the spin created to come into the fleece making it into yarn.
Thats all for now, I'll let you know how the teaching goes.
Meghan
Wednesday 5 September 2012
Teaching at Kings Lynn Arts Centre
I wanted to tell you about the last part of my arts award, the teaching. I went into the Kings Lynn arts centre the other day to teach spindle spinning to a few people. I had talked to Nick before and he had told me that it was going to be very informal so no need to worry. I had planned it before and made some notes on how I was going to teach and a materials list as to what I was taking. The planning is below.
Teaching Notes
1- Start with explaining how the spindle works and what the leader is used for ( it attachs the yarn to the spindle).
2- Then go onto explaining how to draft the fleece and why it is so important ( it loosens the fibres and makes the fleece easier to spin).
3- Show the process of spindle spinning from attaching the fleece to the leader, to drafting out the fleece into a yarns width and spinning the spindle to let the spin go into the yarn.
4- Next hand out the spindles and let them choose the fleece they wish to start off with.
5- Talk them through the process again whilst spindle spinning with them.
Materials List
Spindles
Fleece
Notes
Instructions for them to take home if its something they wish to look at further
So that was the planning sorted. Then I felt quite confident about it.
When I arrived, Nick took me down to the box office where a lovely woman called Jenni Rayner introduced herself and told me that I was going to be teaching her to spindle spin. So I got everything out and we got started. I was looking at my notes and talking her through the process. Once we got the fleece attached, Jenni quickly picked it up and ended up producing a sizeable amount of yarn. This was something Jenni is thinking about taking further so I gave her wingham wool's website address for her to order a spindle if she wants to. When we had finished, she wrote me a comment to put on my blog for how well she thought I did. This is what she wrote.
Meghan gave me a short lesson is spindle spinnig this morning. Her instructions were concise and clear and she showed great enthusiasm for her subject. I managed to produce a short piece of yarn (to my delight) and have been given instructions and information by Meghan should I wish to carry on. In all it was a fun and informative session.
Jenni Rayner
Her are some photos of her at work.
So now the teaching is done the only thing left is the moderation.
I will let you know when I know when the moderation will be.
Meghan
Wysing Arts Centre
A few weeks ago I discovered the wonder that is Wysing Arts Centre. It is situated near Cambridge. They do a young artists talent programe which consists of a 3 day intensive course followed by a session every month. It also includes trips to place like the TATE modern and a chance to meet the TATE modern's young artists. The course ends with an exhibition of all the work.
A few weeks ago there was an open day which was a chance for the artists to look at your application and give advice as to what could be changed. I have chosen to do the digital course in photography but will also have a chance to take part in film making and various other digital opportunities.
For the application you need to make a statement of 100 words as to why you want to be on the course and 3 images or other material . The artist Simon gave me plenty of time to talk over my application and what 3 items would be best. I had prepared a presentation on my holiday to France with photos which although he liked he thought it was to much like holiday snaps.
I took a few photos at wysing arts centre which are pictured below. They are of my felted piece taken in the grounds of wysing arts centre against a backdrop of different works of art.
I took a few photos at wysing arts centre which are pictured below. They are of my felted piece taken in the grounds of wysing arts centre against a backdrop of different works of art.
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| My felted wall hanging taken at wysing arts centre. It was taken on the door handle of an art house made entirely out of recycled materials. |
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| This was taken layed on top of a rusted metal sculpture, again at wysing arts centre. |
I will let you know what the feedback is and whether I got onto the course as only 12 people are allowed on.
Speak soon
Meghan
The finished pieces
I have now finished all of my silver arts award pieces and they are ready for modaration. The finished pieces are :
So, all my pieces are finished and the only thing left to do to complete my silver arts award is a teaching day which is scheduled in for the 7th October. I need to teach a couple of people something to do with my chosen art subject which is textiles.
Seen as spinning has been the base for the whole project I am going to take in a few spindles, a spinning wheel for everyone to have a go at and a bag of various fleece bits.
( For those who don't know a spindle its basically a small portable spinning wheel but it is hard to do bulk spinning, its more meant for little bits of spinning out and about or just round the house. For larger skeins of yarn a spinning wheel is recommended. A picture of my spindle is above.)
This spindle is a bottom whorl which means the yarn hangs from the top and you spin the bottom. You can also get top whorls where the head is at the top, the difference is merely peoples preferance.
This spindle was actually made for me by a friend but you can easily buy spindles online and they don't cost a lot. One possible stockist if you are interested is wingham wool works, their website is www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/eqp_spn_dropspindles.php This will take you straight to their drop spindle page.
I will blog again and tell you how the teaching day goes.
Finally I wanted to tell you about Wysing Art Centre. They are in Cambridgeshire and they do a programme for young artists to complete their silver/gold arts award. I am trying to get in and this Saturday students can go along for constructive critiscm on their application. It would be amazing if I got in. Anyway I will tell you how that goes.
Thats all for now
Meghan
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| A woven cushion made entirely out of hand spun yarn |
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| A felted wall hanging made from finnish fleece and linen |
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| A crocheted scarf made with hand spun yarn and a dorset button to finish |
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| A crocheted handbag made from hand spun merino and jacob yarn with a olive wood button to give the flap some weight |
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| And finally my needle felted picture on a wet felt background |
Seen as spinning has been the base for the whole project I am going to take in a few spindles, a spinning wheel for everyone to have a go at and a bag of various fleece bits.
This spindle is a bottom whorl which means the yarn hangs from the top and you spin the bottom. You can also get top whorls where the head is at the top, the difference is merely peoples preferance.
This spindle was actually made for me by a friend but you can easily buy spindles online and they don't cost a lot. One possible stockist if you are interested is wingham wool works, their website is www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/eqp_spn_dropspindles.php This will take you straight to their drop spindle page.
I will blog again and tell you how the teaching day goes.
Finally I wanted to tell you about Wysing Art Centre. They are in Cambridgeshire and they do a programme for young artists to complete their silver/gold arts award. I am trying to get in and this Saturday students can go along for constructive critiscm on their application. It would be amazing if I got in. Anyway I will tell you how that goes.
Thats all for now
Meghan
How to Wet Felt
I recently decided to learn how to wet felt properly so following a felting book learnt a really easy way to make felt. I have tried to make the instructions as clear as possible.
Start with laying the colours you want in a horizontal direction in a quite thick layer of fleece making the piece as big or as small as you wish; then lay white merino fleece in a vertical direction to cover the previous layer; then another layer of white in the horizontal direction but make this layer very wispy fleece; finally another layer of your chosen colours in the vertical direction. When all that is done put the fleece on a large piece of bubble wrap and use hot soapy water to saturate the fleece ( using olive soap to dissolve in the water is best but just a bit of fairy liquid is perfectly fine). When the fleece is fully wet lay another piece of bubble wrap on top and pour a little more water on the outside bubble wrap to prevent your hands sticking to it. Then starting rubbing your hands round to agitate the fibres and start to make them felt. After twenty minutes of this action turn your piece over and do the same to the other side. You know your piece is done when you can pinch the felt and individual fibres don't lift up. Then just rinse and squeeze as much water out as possible, your wet felt is done.
Just an extra note to say that I have finished crocheting my scarf and it is currently drying after being washed. I have decided to make a wet felted piece to needle felt onto my scarf which one end will go through, the felted piece is a mix of pink, yellow,blue and purple which goes really well with my red scarf.
I have also washed my handbag as the flap was starting to curl in one corner but washing seems to have sorted it out.
Meghan
Start with laying the colours you want in a horizontal direction in a quite thick layer of fleece making the piece as big or as small as you wish; then lay white merino fleece in a vertical direction to cover the previous layer; then another layer of white in the horizontal direction but make this layer very wispy fleece; finally another layer of your chosen colours in the vertical direction. When all that is done put the fleece on a large piece of bubble wrap and use hot soapy water to saturate the fleece ( using olive soap to dissolve in the water is best but just a bit of fairy liquid is perfectly fine). When the fleece is fully wet lay another piece of bubble wrap on top and pour a little more water on the outside bubble wrap to prevent your hands sticking to it. Then starting rubbing your hands round to agitate the fibres and start to make them felt. After twenty minutes of this action turn your piece over and do the same to the other side. You know your piece is done when you can pinch the felt and individual fibres don't lift up. Then just rinse and squeeze as much water out as possible, your wet felt is done.
Just an extra note to say that I have finished crocheting my scarf and it is currently drying after being washed. I have decided to make a wet felted piece to needle felt onto my scarf which one end will go through, the felted piece is a mix of pink, yellow,blue and purple which goes really well with my red scarf.
I have also washed my handbag as the flap was starting to curl in one corner but washing seems to have sorted it out.
Meghan
Tuesday 11 October 2011
Evaluation of the silver arts award
The time has come for me to evaluate the silver arts award and how I think it has been. Whether I would have changed anything or improved on anything.
Overall I think the arts award has gone very well and I am pleased with the results, however it hasn't been without its mistakes and downfalls.
Take for instance the warping disaster which resulted in me having a smaller cushion than planned, it turned out ok but something I would have done differently is I would have been more careful with pulling the warp in at the edges when weaving so the warp may have been fine. Having said that, I did end up with a cute little flower on my cushion which people have commented that they like.
There have been a few changes along the way to my projects, for example, I was going to knit a scarf but after discovering that knitting is a lot harder than it looks, and my scarf was more holes than yarn, I decided to stick with crochet. This did work out for the better as my scarf would have probably looked a lot worse had it been knitted.
Of course, my original plan was to make a crocheted bowl but I then decided that a crocheted handbag would look a lot better and would have a much better use. Going back, the one thing I would have changed about the handbag is I would have made a longer strap and sewn it all the way down the two side seams which would have made the bag bigger.
The felted picture was a bit of an impromptu decision to make but I am really glad I did as I think it completes the collection of pieces nicely.
Overall I have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the arts awards. It has lead me into different areas I had not done before (felting) and now I want to take that further. It has shown me where some of my weaknesses are, and I have to say, at this time, I am not interested in knitting!!!! I love that it has given me a push to explore new ways of working (the weaving piece was a really steep learning curve) and consolidated my love of all things fibrey.
So, it is now official, my silver arts award is completed. Nick said he would email me as to when the moderation date is, it should be sometime in November. I will let you know when it is and how it went.
Speak soon
Meghan
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