DESCRIPTION:
In this mixed techniques retreat, students will explore a variety of materials and ideas to enhance the possibilities and add interest to their work - focusing on the historic shirring techniques of: chenille, bias, pleating, and bundling, as well as the techniques of standing wool and coiling - that have become so popular.
Different from rug hooking with wool strips or rug punching with yarn, where the surface material is pulled or pushed through a foundation, this retreat’s techniques consist of strips or pieces of fabric manipulated and sewn to the surface of a foundation. They can be used singularly or in combination with other techniques and work especially well when combined with rug hooking.
Important to note: Most all the work will be done with hand sewing, so some hand sewing experience will be helpful. There is also hand cutting and/or rotary cutting of fabric.
Students will explore these mixed techniques with:
- A project you already have in progress (and you would like to incorporate one or more of these techniques)
- Select a pattern (8” square) - from Tracy’s collection
- Make a techniques sampler – as a future reference guide
Students should bring their own fabrics, and if possible, fabrics to share. Tracy encourages students to bring fabrics which may not be suitable for hooking: too thin, too thick or non-wool fiber content. Bring scraps and hooking leftovers, as they are particularly useable in some of these techniques. When she contacts students, Tracy will provide additional info pertaining to these fabrics.
Tracy will have some supplies to purchase, as in stretcher bars (12”) and foundation squares with borders of fabric that can be used with the stretcher bars, her original patterns that are suited for mixing techniques, and will provide an instructional handout, which will be a great resource for current and future projects, along with your techniques sampler.
As each student works on a different project it will be fun to see how everyone uses the techniques and materials! Part of the fun is learning from each other. There will be individual examples of how Tracy used the various techniques, so students can study them up close. She will also have examples of her work which incorporates a combination of these techniques to help trigger your own ideas.