Ending my blog

I've decided to call it a day for Material Girl.

I've completed A Creative Approach (the course I set the blog up for) and I want to give myself a chance to make a better presentation.  This blog was set  up  in such a rush and I've never really fully explored it's possibilities.

I'm starting Exploring Ideas shortly and I plan to start a completely new blog for it.

http://exploringib.blogspot.co.uk/

If you've dropped in to Material Girl I think it will be more of the same really.

Thanks for looking.

Wire weaving with Helen Meakin

I've looked forward to this workshop ever since I saw Helen's work at the Dome in Buxton earlier in the summer and I wasn't disappointed.

Helen weaves in wire and yarns and uses beads and sequins as embellishments.

https://www.google.co.uk/#fp=238ebefbc6aa347e&q=helen+meakin+textile+artist

A friend and I shared a day long workshop and in the morning we both had a look at what a dobby loom is all about (I understood just a little) and made a sample using our chosen color scheme.  I chose blues, lilacs, dark grey and cream yarns of various textures.  I used a pale pink pearl bead along with a clear larger bead and a pale blue ribbon. All this went onto a .02 mm brown wire warp.  There were many, many more warp threads than I'm used to. The loom was set up to work in a six row cycle - one open weave and one much closer that gave a satin finish.  This can be seen clearly on the cream boucle yarn. The lower rows are open and the top much closer together.

My sample

I decided that I needed some pizzaz in there so my final piece included a deep plum ribbon

After a good lunch at the Wharf Cafe we each took about an hour to make our weaving.  It grew quickly but only because I welcomed help every step of the way.

My finished piece is 20 x 45 cm 

Showing the variety of yarns and the way the beads separate the warp and add extra texture

The inclusion of the dark red makes such a difference

I can't see a way that I could use wire warp with my Kromski harp loom but I could use a wire weft and see what happens.

I had a lovely day and I think I produced something really worth framing.  Thanks Helen.

More weaving

I worked this in cotton and silk.  The cotton was a selection of  Wendy Supreme 100% luxury cotton DK and the silk was a lovely variegated yarn in roughly the same colours.  I chose to do a plain weave so I got lots of tension practise.

I warped up using multi colours and for the weft used my yarns doubled (two colours).

I inserted some merino tops for a bit of variety.

The finished piece measures  87cm x 29cm and will make a lovely table runner.

This is anything but boring because of the array of colours.  Variety was achieved  with the multicoloured warp and the decision to use two colours of thread for the weft.

The space between courses

My loom

Sending off my final piece of work felt like a real milestone but it left a gap that being the person I am I have had to fill.  And I've missed writing in my blog; it's become something of a habit. Yes, I know I have to prepare for assessment but I have become the proud owner of a 24" Kromski Harp loom so I have been having a play. Whilst it's not exactly course connected I think it's worth recording. 

My 29cm x 67cm sample

Considering the problems I had with tension on my tapestry work I'm quite pleased that the width of this is much the same throughout.

I warped up with some 4 ply wool and found it very stretchy and I had to keep tightening the warp threads or the heddle fell down constantly.  I have used several types of yarn in the weft; more four ply wool, some chunky synthetic yarn (some variegated) and a small amount of cotton.  As with my tapestry I found the weft showed best with the chunky yarns.  I have the Ashford Book of Heddle Loom Weaving (Hart, 2002) and I have used this as a guide.  As ever, I'm impatient to get a good result so I wasn't happy with my first rows.

Difficulty with turning - it got better

Various yarns and patterns

"Bronson" as described in my book

All in all I pleased with what I have made.  However, I'm itching to use a few more adventurous yarns and see what happens.  Running before I can walk again.

Warping up the second time was easier

My husband fashioned a lovely oak stand and this has made life easier because I am more comfortably positioned.

Masson Mill

I spent a lovely day in the White Peak.  The aim was to show Richard Masson Mill which I visited a few weeks ago.  He brought his engineer perspective to the Museum and was as fascinated as I knew he would be.  For me it was a chance to take more photos which have generated some ideas.

I liked the colour and texture contrasts here

Spools

We also had a walk.  We parked in Winster and took in farmland, moor, woods and almost anything else you can think of.  Again I was looking for opportunities for photos with possibilities.

Debris at the quarry

Cat Rock.  I love the carved initials.

If I imagined that the end of my course was going to provide a holiday I need to re-evaluate.  The looking and thinking I've been encouraged to do over the past year has got into my bones and its influence pervades throughout my life.  I'm reminded of my therapy training - you can't "un know".

Hart, R. (2002) The Ashford Book of Rigid Heddel Weaving.  Ashford Handicrafts Ltd.  New Zealand.

Assignment 5

Reflective commentary

My reflection has been done at regular times throughout the course so it will be no surprise that I’m overjoyed at what has happened for me over the last months.  I'm excited by everything I've tried.  I have developed a short memory – I always like the thing I’ve just done the best!

I’m happy with the way the course has taught me new skills and gently guided me into being able to create from scratch.  What I’ve been able to achieve in such a short time has amazed me.  Only the best courses can do that.

As I've said in previous reflections I’ve learned lots about myself.  I’m a pretty contained sort of person but I have been learning to let go through this process of creativity.  I’ve referred before to my unwillingness to be “lost” but I’m finding if I lose my way creatively good things can fall out it.

I have appreciated the way the course is itself open to interpretation.  I have found that if I make a good enough case most interests can be accommodated.  This is very liberating.

I’ve even upped my game with IT – but there’s still a way to go there I’m afraid.

With specific reference to the course material I still think Part 2 should be split into 2 parts.  As a complete beginner this was such a lengthy stretch without tutor input. If I was going to drop out this would have been the point where it would have happened..  I hope this doesn’t sound too negative; it’s meant to be constructive.

My Theme Book

My Theme book hasn’t changed at all since the end of Part 4.  Instead all my Part 5 work has been done in my big sketch book even though it has developed from my Theme book.  It didn’t really occur to me that Part 5 should continue in my Theme Book.

Assessment criteria points

Demonstration of Technical and Visual Skills

Part 5 has given me the opportunity to bring together both the practical and theoretical elements of the course in a creative way. I am now on the way to knowing with some certainty what will look good visually even if I’m not always quite sure why.  The technical skills I have learned have opened my eyes to the wealth of skill both past and present.  Whilst I’ve always admired art/craft I’m now much better informed to make my own judgements.

Quality of Outcome

My new skills base gives me a far greater repertoire from which to select and I think I’m starting to apply them in context.

I like to be organised and this sometimes conflicts with the apparent chaos of not being sure where I’m going.  I’m learning to cope with it..

I think my work shows quality.

Demonstration of Creativity

I'm much more comfortable taking creative risks than I expected and I’m feeling more confident that I “can do”.  I’m starting to think of alternatives if the first idea doesn’t work.  It helps having a bigger repertoire.

I’m learning to let things unravel a bit.  I’ve found that in the tangle little gems can lurk.

I'm constantly surprised at what I can do.

Context

I have been extending my knowledge base by visiting several fairs, exhibitions and courses.  I am becoming more discriminating.

I need to go to some more exhibitions.

I am placing value on my work.

I still find it hard to identify my strength and weaknesses.      

My hopes - reviewed

At the start of this course I listed my hopes.  I have referred to this list occasionally but it's crunch time; now I have to check if I've managed to fulfil my hopes.  This is what I wrote with my comments in blue

I hope:

to learn all I can

Yes this has been fulfilled  The course has given me the opportunity to become acquainted with new skills and develop old ones in new ways.  There has also been the option to go  a bit further with things I'm particularly interested in...

to become more confident in my creative ability

Another yes. I am much happier that I "can" rather than being diffident.  I have yet to sort out the difference between confidence and arrogance.

to be able to follow through from inspiration to finished piece in a mindful and consistent way

Yes again.  I have learned that ideas have to be developed from somewhere, they don't just happen.  Project 10 gave me the opportunity draw everything together to create a design from start to finish and I think what I made is cohesive.

to find fulfilment in what I produce

Yes, yes, yes.  I'm addicted and I'm told there's no known cure

to receive knowledgeable feedback so that I have the opportunity to improve

After making the very hard decision to change my tutor at the end of Stage one I have felt confident and happy with the balance of the feedback I've received.  I got a lot out of the asides my tutor has sent, the book suggestions, articles and so on.  I've not met her or even spoken to her but I feel she knows me pretty well.  Thanks Liz.

to develop my skills base

There's no doubt about it I'm much more skillful and much more aware of so many new things

to be proud of my achievements

I'm learning to recognise when my work is good.  I'm proud of the distance I've travelled and the work I've produced.

I feel like I do at the end of a good book - I don't want it to end because I've enjoyed it so much.  Good job there's a sequel.

At

Project 10 Stage 4 reflections

For me this project has been about the process and I've learned so much.  My tutor sent me a most useful article about the creative process and it helped enormously as I struggled towards an idea.  It's by Gilkey (2008) and this is how it starts;

We’ve known for a long time that the creative process can be broken down into four distinct processes, most of which can be fostered and augmented. The processes are:

Preparation

Incubation

Illumination

Implementation

Importantly for me it says that the "preparation" stage may not be enjoyable.  I really found starting my project hard especially with life events at the time.  It was very marked, and can be seen clearly in my work, that as I felt better so my work started to develop again.

My topic of "water melon" took me to many places and I can see the way the design was born very clearly.  Even the tricky bits played their part. This must be the "incubation" period I think.  

Once I had the basis of my design my major initial decisions were sound.  For instance felt was a good choice because  it's waterproof qualities were useful, it is strong and can be made to look very attractive.  My decision to use confetti applique worked well as just  a little bit of glitz on a utility item.

Less successful were initial thoughts about decoration.  I was intending to decorate everything but it pretty soon became apparent that not only would I be wasting my time (it would be over fussy) it would look awful as well.  

I ended up by scrapping lots of work because I wasn't happy. It's not that it was bad, just not good enough.  Currently this seems to be part of my process. Fortunately my course manual indicates that as work progresses there is often the need to change so I'll take comfort in that.

I feel my interpretation worked well.  I wanted to stick loosely with the watermelon colours because they are so beautiful but the rest is only recognisable if you follow my process through.  But that's not a problem.  I was surprised that my rope handle didn't work, the yarn looked so good initially.  

I like the mix of techniques and the way there are few rights and wrongs if ideas can be justified.

I suppose in the grand scheme of things this work isn't inventive, it's just a bag.  However, the process I have been through has made me think about the practical application of some of the things I have been learning; it has made me "invent".  How to attach the pieces together or how to fasten the bag for instance.

I said earlier that I saw this work as the equivalent of a prototype. If I was wanting to produce this bag as something marketable I would now be in quite an informed position regarding what is feasible if a profit was needed.

http://www.productiveflourishing.com/demystifying-the-creative-process/