Carole Redlich "Shadowlands" Workshop

My friend Margaret was unable to attend a workshop on Sunday with textile artist Carole Redlich which had been organised by the 84 Group so suggested I go in her stead. I had a ball. Carole had created some 3D pieces using fabric, yarns, plastics, stitched acetate, transfers and various other transparent or semi transparent "stuff". The "stuff" was trapped in a laminating pouch which was cut into shapes and then machine-stitched with loops of various weights of fishing line. The loops and shapes were manipulated into pleasing 3D shapes and then joined together on the sewing machine. We also did some free-style weaving of the fishing lines to create some structure to attach the laminated loopy bits to. I thoroughly enjoyed myself even if I was slow and didn't actually produce much on the day.

The images are of trapped invisible sewing thread with white polyester and rayon sewing threads, trapped feathers with large-bubble packaging plastic, the one loop I created during class using small bubble wrap, and the free weaving of the heavy weight fishing line. Not having done any woven basketry before I concentrated on learning the technique for this on the basis that I could stitch on plastic anytime at home alone. It was a great class - thank you Carole (and Margaret of course).

Wrapping, wrapping, wrapping...

The wire framework for this took me about 8 hours and the wrapping with thread has taken ages although I haven't noted exactly how long. Because the wrapping takes so long I'm debating whether to complete this with papier mache or to continue wrapping. The original idea was to wrap with yarn/fabric and then use some sort of waterproofing polymer to make it hard and paintable. I'm using the time it takes for this initial wrap to decide. I'm making this initial wrap so that there is some texture for the papier mache (or the sucessive wraps of yarn if I go that route) to cling to so that it doesn't slip around on the armature once it's dry. I'm using fine yarn for this stage because I want the finished work to be quite thin. I think papier mache might be quicker because the strips would be much shorter and therefore easier to handle. Comments and advice from anyone who has done anything like this previously would be welcome.