29 August 2011
27 August 2011
Meet the Tutor - Karen Selk
Introducing Fibre Festival 2012’s second keynote speaker, internationally renowned silk specialist, Karen Selk from British Columbia, Canada.
Karen has been a textile designer and artist since 1972. Her primary focus has been weaving, and fusing felt with silk. A quest for knowledge of the many aspects of silk has taken her throughout Asia, researching the history and heritage of silk traditions. She travels worldwide, sharing her experience through lectures and workshops, and has also organised and led textile and cultural tours to India, Bhutan and Laos.
The cloth, culture and people of other countries, as well as the life in Karen’s garden, are the source of her creative spirit. She is the author of numerous magazine articles, an education poster about the life cycle of the silkworm, and a silk fusion video.
Karen has spent many years as managing director of Treenway Silks, designing and developing new yarns, fibres, kits and colour palettes, but she has recently sold the business after 35 years’ involvement. She can now concentrate on her own creative work, as well as continue to give workshops and lectures.
To quote Karen
“Delicate, strong, dyed a thousand colours and woven into the fabric of history. Who can resist the lure of silk?”
Karen will deliver two keynote addresses at Festival and conduct a workshop after Festival. Details will be posted soon.
Creative Fibre members are very fortunate to have this opportunity to be entertained and informed by Karen, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Ashford Handicrafts Ltd.
Chris
The cloth, culture and people of other countries, as well as the life in Karen’s garden, are the source of her creative spirit. She is the author of numerous magazine articles, an education poster about the life cycle of the silkworm, and a silk fusion video.
Karen has spent many years as managing director of Treenway Silks, designing and developing new yarns, fibres, kits and colour palettes, but she has recently sold the business after 35 years’ involvement. She can now concentrate on her own creative work, as well as continue to give workshops and lectures.
To quote Karen
“Delicate, strong, dyed a thousand colours and woven into the fabric of history. Who can resist the lure of silk?”
Karen will deliver two keynote addresses at Festival and conduct a workshop after Festival. Details will be posted soon.
Creative Fibre members are very fortunate to have this opportunity to be entertained and informed by Karen, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Ashford Handicrafts Ltd.
Chris
* All photographs used with the permission of Karen Selk. *
22 August 2011
20 August 2011
Introducing our Sponsors - Ashfords
My father Walter founded our company in 1934 and since then we have become a world leader in the manufacture of quality spinning wheels and weaving looms and textile equipment. Today my wife Elizabeth and I, together with our loyal team, have produced over 600,000 wheels and looms in our Ashburton plant.
We use only the finest native New Zealand Silver Beech hardwood, sourced from sustainably-managed forests with Forest Stewardship Council approval.
Our wheels and looms, the result of more than 75 years’ experience, customer feedback, research and development, are designed to be simple, easy and fun to use.
The government has recognized us with awards for excellence in design and exporting.
My mum, Joy was one of the co-founders of the Ashburton Spinners and Weavers Guild and over the years we have enjoyed working with Creative Fibre to sponsor and promote the textile crafts. We are delighted, therefore, to sponsoring this year’s Creative Fibre Festival in Blenheim.
Richard Ashford
We use only the finest native New Zealand Silver Beech hardwood, sourced from sustainably-managed forests with Forest Stewardship Council approval.
Our wheels and looms, the result of more than 75 years’ experience, customer feedback, research and development, are designed to be simple, easy and fun to use.
The government has recognized us with awards for excellence in design and exporting.
My mum, Joy was one of the co-founders of the Ashburton Spinners and Weavers Guild and over the years we have enjoyed working with Creative Fibre to sponsor and promote the textile crafts. We are delighted, therefore, to sponsoring this year’s Creative Fibre Festival in Blenheim.
Richard Ashford
13 August 2011
Kim Thittichai Post Festival Workshop: Extreme Surfaces for Stitch
Enjoy experimenting with many layers of texture and colour to create amazing surfaces that can be developed into sculptural forms, hats, bowls, tassee heads, beads, boxes – whatever you think would be suitable. Scale will be left up to you but on a 2 day workshop we could construct something on the large side or you could choose to work small. Layers will be key to this workshop to build strength. Whether they are thin, translucent layers or thick colourful layers that are burnt back – we will just have to wait and see.
Using heavy iron-on interfacings and the fairy like qualities of Vilene Spunbond/Lutradur you will be able to experiment and develop new ideas in a fast paced and above all enjoyable workshop. Heat guns and soldering irons will used to distress and create amazing textures on which to stitch –or not!
This is the 2 day Post Festival Workshop with Kim Thittichai
Monday 30th April and Tuesday 1st May
St Johns Rooms, Seymour St, (right in the centre) of Blenheim
Workshop fee $150 (includes refreshments) with $80 material fee paid to Kim at the workshop.
This will be the only workshop Kim holds in New Zealand.
Christine says, “We are so lucky to have Kim come and teach her ‘Extreme Surface for Stitch’ workshop here for 2 full days. The number of spaces available is limited. Registration forms are in the September issue of the Creative Fibre magazine and on the Creative Fibre website. Those registered for the Festival will be given preference.
"I know that this topic doesn't fit nicely into a box of particular interest to a spinner, or weaver or felter, but it is intended to extend your horizons, make you use materials that you haven't used before, and ‘think outside the box’. I can assure you that you will!
"If you want a sneak look into what you might be doing, go to Kim's website and see what she teaches, and the what she creates."
Joan
Using heavy iron-on interfacings and the fairy like qualities of Vilene Spunbond/Lutradur you will be able to experiment and develop new ideas in a fast paced and above all enjoyable workshop. Heat guns and soldering irons will used to distress and create amazing textures on which to stitch –or not!
This is the 2 day Post Festival Workshop with Kim Thittichai
Monday 30th April and Tuesday 1st May
St Johns Rooms, Seymour St, (right in the centre) of Blenheim
Workshop fee $150 (includes refreshments) with $80 material fee paid to Kim at the workshop.
This will be the only workshop Kim holds in New Zealand.
Christine says, “We are so lucky to have Kim come and teach her ‘Extreme Surface for Stitch’ workshop here for 2 full days. The number of spaces available is limited. Registration forms are in the September issue of the Creative Fibre magazine and on the Creative Fibre website. Those registered for the Festival will be given preference.
"I know that this topic doesn't fit nicely into a box of particular interest to a spinner, or weaver or felter, but it is intended to extend your horizons, make you use materials that you haven't used before, and ‘think outside the box’. I can assure you that you will!
"If you want a sneak look into what you might be doing, go to Kim's website and see what she teaches, and the what she creates."
Joan
* All photographs used with the permission of Kim Thittichai. *
08 August 2011
06 August 2011
Meet the Tutor - Kim Thittichai
We are most fortunate that Kim Thittichai will be with us for Festival as keynote speaker and to conduct a workshop after Festival – details will be posted soon.
Kim has given us this understated bio for the blog:
“I am a textile artist, tutor and author based in Brighton, East Sussex. I lecture and deliver workshops internationally from Alaska to Australia. My workshops tend to promote the safe use of heat tools and heat ‘distressable’ products such as Tyvek, Vilene Spunbond and Bondaweb. The exciting exploration of new textile techniques is at the heart of all my workshops.
"I have written three books, Hot Textiles, Experimental Textiles and the latest – Layered Textiles, which will be published in August 2011.”
Marlborough Guild has Kim's first 2 books in the library, and they have been very popular with the Guild members. We look forward to her third.
What a treat it will be to hear from such an inspirational artist in person.
Christine & Joan
* All photographs used with the permission of Kim Thittichai. *
“I am a textile artist, tutor and author based in Brighton, East Sussex. I lecture and deliver workshops internationally from Alaska to Australia. My workshops tend to promote the safe use of heat tools and heat ‘distressable’ products such as Tyvek, Vilene Spunbond and Bondaweb. The exciting exploration of new textile techniques is at the heart of all my workshops.
"I have written three books, Hot Textiles, Experimental Textiles and the latest – Layered Textiles, which will be published in August 2011.”
What a treat it will be to hear from such an inspirational artist in person.
Christine & Joan
* All photographs used with the permission of Kim Thittichai. *
