Tag: fibre art

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Dye colour using Wallflowers

Some years ago I spent much of the year living in small mountain villages in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco south of Marrakech. One of the houses I rented had an old garden behind it which hadn’t been tended for a good number of years. It had an abundant corner of wallflowers along with stunning hollyhocks. I was aware that local women use plants to make dyes for their wool which they make into beautiful rugs but no-one could tell me if wallflowers were one of those plants. Back home in Ireland, I planted wallflower seeds and now have a healthy patch to test my theory. Continue reading Dye colour using Wallflowers

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Solo Textile Art Exhibition

Next Wednesday marks the end of a momentous event for me. The end of my solo textile art exhibition in our local library exhibition space. It started on March 28th and finishes on April 24th. Mixed media textile exhibitions are still a rare sight in Ireland, especially down in the South West and even more so, a solo one, so I am feeling very grateful to have the opportunity to show such a large body of work in such a public place. Continue reading Solo Textile Art Exhibition

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Modge Podge photo transfer on silk fabric

As a textile artist I am often exploring ways to diversify and methods of reaching a desired look on my work. Occasionally I like to add some text, a few words or a piece of prose I have written. Modge Podge is a medium I came across during my Moroccan Art Escape Holidays with Katherine Soutar Caddick a few years back. I had read a few posts and articles that said it didn’t really work for text. I wasn’t that easily deterred. Continue reading Modge Podge photo transfer on silk fabric

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Wet Felting

As a textile artist, I am drawn to many types of fibres. Wool is perhaps the most ancient of fibres used to create something more usable. My grandmother was a potter and the idea of making pots intrigued me until I tried it and realised it was too rigid for me. Felting caught my eye many years ago when I was in County Galway but I didn’t get it together to try until the autumn of 2022. Oh my was I hooked, it feels like its deep rooted in my DNA. Such an ancient craft, so much a part of many cultures on a primal level for centuries. The ability to create a vessel out of wool using techniques also used for pottery just feels so good. So many gifted felters here and abroad gracefully giving their knowledge, what a gift. I am learning quickly and avidly, creating bowls, vessels and wearable pieces combining other fibres, silks and found objects. This is a love affair for sure. Continue reading Wet Felting

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Dyeing silks and things in the microwave

I had some fun experimenting this last week dyeing various items in the microwave. I use Dupont silk dyes for all my dyeing projects and these are steamed fixed in a pressure cooker which can take up to an hour plus the use of water to rinse. Some time back I learnt that you could fix dyes in the microwave… but I was reluctant to try not being a fan of microwaves anyway.
However… having seen another textile artist posting gorgeous pieces on Facebook and learning that she had fixed them in the microwave, I vowed to try the very next day. A bit of googling and I found some basic instructions which I followed. This was not enough for my enquiring mind though. I wanted to test other materials that I had previously steam fixed successfully. Continue reading Dyeing silks and things in the microwave

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Mixed Media Textile Bundles on Etsy.

These are a wonderful way of gathering gorgeous bits n bobs without having to invest loads in large amounts of things.

As a textile artist I use a large range of products and materials across my various projects and have therefore amassed a vast pile of goodies. I decided to make up these textile bundles as inspirational packages for mixed media textile workers, or anyone who might find them a great resource. They can be used for junk journals, jewellery, scrap-booking, bags, wall art pieces, clothing, needle books and whatever your imagination creates.
These are available to purchase from my Etsy shop. Continue reading Mixed Media Textile Bundles on Etsy.