Reflecting on a creative August

I’ve really enjoyed creating in August. The month started off with the Helen Dardik workshop in Rotterdam which was beautiful and inspiring. The month and art has flourished from there.

I created an illustrated map, an instructional illustration for #PortfolioClub, an illustrated Recipe prompted by Flow Magazine’s book 50 Ways To Draw Your Beautiful Ordinary Life. I also created a party invitation book cover and stitched/painted self portrait.

I added new items to my Folksy shop as we start to get ready for the busy festive period.

To learn more about this latest work follow these links❤️

Illustrated Recipe – Buns

Brushed Blooms

How to plant a tree – Instructional Illustration

How to plant a tree – Instructional Illustration

Visit my Folksy shop here to own and enjoy an original inspiring piece of art.

Thanks

Kim

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Textile Art – Appliqué Embroidered Illustrations

Home – where we are safe to restore and recharge.

Textile illustration in fabrics that I have dyed, painted and printed. Hand and machine stitch. Appliqué art.

Scroll to see the development of the work right back to dyeing the sun fabric with crocus flowers grown in our garden.

Tulips line the garden and colour and energy radiate from the creative studio at the top of the house.

The images show how the project developed.

#textileart #home #house #design #textileillustration #illustration #sew #embroider #stitch #berninauk #garden #rainbow #creative #artistsofinstagram #sewersofinstagram #sheffield #dye #ink #draw #creativeprocess #lancashireartist

Tiny lavender bouquet brought by bluebird, delivering relaxation and sweet slumbers.

Textile illustration using hand and machine stitch with appliqué.

First sketched as part of the #illustrationworkshop process before being made in paper, then fabric.

Inspired by the lavender at #dawnirelandtextileartist group

Poppy stages embroidery inspired by our morning walk.

Saw this pretty poppy on our walk yesterday morning so I decided that it would be my subject for an appliqué embroidery. It’s not quite finished, a little hand sewing to follow, please pop back to see the completed work.

Created at @dawnirelandtextileartist workshop at #stitchedupandfleeced

Other work which relates to this is:

Fabric Design Highlights

Passion for Textile Flowers

Embroidered Dog Portrait

Instagram Highlights

Berry beautiful breakfast.

#berry #waffle #strawberry #raspberry #breakfast

Reflecting on a busy, beautiful June.

#artistsofinstagram #applique #freemotionembroidery #poppy #strawberry #illustrator #textileart #tennis #prillustration #pr #bake

Bright blooms watercolour

#painting #art #watercolours #watercolors #flowers #illustration

Home – work in progress.

Machine and hand stitching this work as a book plate.

#textileart #dyedfabrics #stitch #embroider #berninauk #hone #freemotionsewing

Tiny lavender bouquet brought by bluebird, delivering relaxation and sweet slumbers.

Textile illustration using hand and machine stitch with appliqué.

Inspired by the lavender at #dawnirelandtextileartist group

#textileillustration #textileart #freemotionembroidery #bouquet #bluebird #lavender #sew #stitch #illustration #makeartthatsells #artistsofinstagram #sheffieldartists #textiles #flowerbouquet #lavender

I’m joining #portfolioclub one illustration assignment a month. This month’s theme is circus.

#🎪 #circus #illustration #aerials #draw

Thanks for being here. Pop back to see the final pieces.

Instagram Highlights

Delighted with my latest furniture restoration. This mid-century G Plan Astro table designed by Victor Bramwell Wilkins. I love how the teak sings when it has been cleaned and oiled. Turning back time for this stunning table.

The table changed somewhat from the original prototype drawings, scroll to see.

Wanted one of these since seeing the table in Wendy’s office in the TV programme Billions.

#teak #gplan #furniturerestoration #wendyrhoades #billions #table #victorwilkins

Design prototype sheet

See additional images at the Instagram post.

Poppy stages embroidery inspired by our morning walk.

Saw this pretty poppy on our walk yesterday morning so I decided that it would be my subject for an appliqué embroidery. It’s not quite finished, a little hand sewing to follow, please pop back to see the completed work.

Created at @dawnirelandtextileartist workshop at #stitchedupandfleeced

#poppy #remembrance #applique #sew #freemotionsewing #embroideryart #berninauk #fabric #craft #make #red

Sew in the sunshine. Completing the poppy embroidery. Now what to make with it☺️? #poppy #embroidery #textileart

#applique #appliqueart #garden #sewalfresco

Hydrangea embroidery. Added these beautiful hydrangeas to our garden a few days ago. Decided to embroider a flower, then created a design in @pixelmator.

#embroidery #pixelmator #surfacepatterndesigner #sew #hydrangea #handsew #alfrescosewing

After providing the tools and ingredients I was delighted when my niece used them to make beautiful cupcakes. Pretty and delicious.

#sweetmoments #cupcake #buns #baking #homebaking #stawberries #icing #inspirebykim

My appliqué embroidery poppy made into a design.

#poppy #pixelmator #flowers #pattern

I was support baker this evening for cheesecake. Never knew all what goes into a cheesecake until this evening.

#baking #cheesecake #homebaked

Playing with a forecast image to promote the tennis club event.

🎾Tennis forecast for Sunday when the gates will open to the community for Mini Tennis, Adult Coaching and Free Play.

10:30-12:30 Sunday 30th June

More info and to register

http://bit.ly/2WvdPg5

#bigtennisweekend #sheffield #tennis #sport #familyfun #ridgeway

You’ll discover my Instagram feed at this link and here are related posts:

Tennis Club Promotion Part Two

Fabric Design Highlights

Thanks for being here and to my wonderful subscribers.

Fabric Birds

I’m loving birds at present and after 18 months of construction disruption close by, I feel blessed that they are now returning to our garden.

Their song is like a sweet heartwarming tonic after the din of demolition and the intrusive vibration of ground working and construction.

Bird activity is recommending with the sweet joyful chorus of this busy beautiful season for the birds.

Inspired by their uplifting song and always fascinated by flight I’ve created a number of fabric birds.

Designed and printed from plants in and around my garden using heat sensitive dye techniques, then embroidered and embellished before stitching the birds.

The birds have developed from work for a customer’s commission, in which I was asked to produce a bespoke cushion design of a bird with flowers.

This led on to a tulip stocked window boxes design for a draught excluder for our home, which featured a bluebird.

If you’ve enjoyed this these related posts may be of interest…

Fabric Design Doll

Fabric Design Highlights

Reflecting on 4 Colour Full Years

Workshop – Final Places Available

Make a fabric bird, or two, or something else that makes your heart sing at the fabric design. workshop on 2nd June. Book now with Sue of Stitched Up and Fleeced, Sheffield’s leafing textile studio.

For more details about the workshop click here . To see inspiration for what you might like to make visit this link. There really is no limit to what you can design and make.

Here are some examples of workshop attendees designs.

Hope to see you on 2nd June. If you’re too far away let me know where you are and how you like to learn and we can find a solution for you to try these techniques.

Book the workshop and enquire now by contacting Sue at Stitched Up and Fleeced using this contact form.

Reflecting on 4 Colour Full Years

It is four years since I decide to push visual arts to the top of my priority list.

Major knee injury meant I had to pass on the opportunity that I’d been hankering for years, to manage the PR for Meadowhall. Facing months on crutches and unable to drive, life was taken up by the countless rehab exercises and everything normal took three times as long. With a recovery period quoted in years rather than weeks time began to feel different. I had so little time spare that I had to get to the nub of spending time how my soul needed and what emerged from valuable sessions with my wonderful life coach Heidi-Mai, was art… making… creating, colour, I felt like there was a whole lot of colour and creations inside me that needed to be let out into the world. And so my visual art journey changed up a gear and I began to prioritise this work, moving it from the ‘indulgent, blissful hobby’ to the ‘if I don’t have much time available I’m going to spend it on what feels great’. And with a feeling of naughty delight I signed up for an Art Foundation course.

What an exploration it has been, and continues to be. I’ve  always enjoyed a steep learning curve and staying on such a curve keeps me interested and motivated.

In the first four years I’ve had a solo exhibition, had work in four public exhibitions, have begun teaching fabric design techniques, have shared art skills in school, created commissioned artworks, designs, infographics, videos, animations and have made products from miniature pot plants to fabric birds.

I don’t know where the work is leading and when I’m in the creative moment I don’t think it really matters where or whether it leads. For me creating and making is calming, rejuvenating and present. It’s my antidote to the harrowing stories that the media try to intrude into my calm.

Here are my favourite pieces from the past four years. I look forward to seeing what will emerge from my work in the future.

I’m not stopping here. I’m busy preparing for my next workshop on Sunday 2nd June at Stitched Up and Fleeced, Sheffield.

I’m working on personal projects and strategic commercial communications. I’ve a plan for a book, watch this space, and have some exciting collaborations ahead.

Here are my favourite posts from the past four years:

Fabric Design Doll

Satin Cheese Plant…

Drawing With Silks – Cute Dog

Animating paper pictures

Here are anniversary stories from the years you may have missed. I’ve always worked on the proviso that my work will improve, although I’ve a good way to go to be at the level I aspire to, when I reflect I can see the progression. Practice makes better…

First Birthday and Art Exhibition

3 Years and Beyond

Sew, design, stitch

Fabric Design Workshop Sunday 2 June 10 – 4 pm

This one day workshop gives the opportunity to bring stitch into the fabric design process. Stitching before and/or after transferring designs onto the fabric gives some beautiful effects and is fun to explore.

You can bring your own sewing machine or use one of the studio’s machines.

Book this lovely workshop @stitchedupandfleeced

#sewstitchdesign #fabricdesign #textiles #sheffield

This fabric design was created from a wax relief print of free machine embroidery, I then stitched into the printed fabric.

The above fabric became the body of this doll. She combines fabric design dye techniques, stitch and my favourite things including tulips and butterflies.

After hand painting and printing this design I placed a fleecy layer behind it and a titched details

Stitching fabric waves onto this fabric print to add texture and depth to the sea.

This small fabric bird was printed using plant sample from in and around our garden. Then stitched to create the pretty bird.

Come along and try these techniques and enjoy creating something truly unique.

Book at http://www.stitchedupandfleeced.com/workshops

Related posts:

Fabric Design Steps

Fabric Design Workshop, 2nd June, Sheffield

Workshop – Testimonials

Products from Colourcraft

Fabric Design Steps

This image shows the three key stages of fabric design that I’ll be demonstrating and sharing at my workshop on Sunday 2nd June in Sheffield.

Step One is a design worked out on paper.

Step Two is to create the design in heat sensitive dyes on paper.

You can apply the dyes to paper using paint brushes, or you can collage painted papers or you can stamp the dyes onto paper. No drawing skills are required but some thoughts on composition are worthwhile.

The colours in this stage of the process are very different from the final outcome, as demonstrated in this short colour sample video.

 

Like any art work you can spend as much or as little time on your design as you wish. You can print your design and then move the design and over print if you like.

You can print a number of times from the dyes, although each later print will be slightly unique from the previous one, but we experiment with time and colour during the workshop.

Step Three is to press the paper with the heat sensitive dyes together with your desired fabric at high heat for a few seconds. This will activate the dyes and make them turn into gas, to wrap around the fabrics fibres and thus transferring them.

In seconds you’ve got your designed fabric and it can become whatever your imagination will allow.

If you’d rather watch than read – See this process in less than 40 seconds in this video. https://youtu.be/xnt9NKFmhKo

A second example

As a recap on the process here’s an alternative design, a small coastal landscape design made by collaging torn papers which had been painted with transfers dyes.

Step One: I had a seaside composition in mind to fit into a greeting card window.

Step Two: I collaged torn paper to compose the picture. Note I have not drawn anything in this piece. For many people drawing skills, of their perception of their skills can be a barrier to them enjoying art. That’s a shame as there are many other ways to make marks and create. This is just one suggestion.

Step Three – I heat pressed the design onto one, then another piece of fabric.

I’ll be sewing into the design next before mounting it in into the greeting card for a unique, handmade, frameable gift.

If you’d like to try these techniques for yourself you can book at the Stitched Up and Fleeced website. Stitched Up and Fleeced is a lovely studio with great facilities which are ideal for our workshop.

The workshop will be from 10am to 4pm giving chance to learn techniques and enjoy exploring them and developing your ideas using these new possibilities.

Whether your a textile artist, crafter, designer, or just fancy trying something new you’ll be creating in no time and will have a number of fabric designs by the end of the day. Your fabric designs could be framed, appliqued, made into accessories such as zip bags, glasses cases, cushions, home decor, gifts and so on.

You can see more details of the workshop day at this post. When you’re ready to book you can do that here.

See more fabric design ideas to spark ideas of what you might like to create:

Fabric Design Highlights

Heat Press Inspiration

Don’t just take my word for it, want to hear how other people found my live workshop:

Workshop – Testimonials

And something cute to complete this post:

Fabric Design Doll

Hope to see you on 2nd June.

Bye for now x

#fabricdesign #sheffieldartist #surfacepatterndesign #textileart

Fabric Design Doll

With an idea to create doll I drew sketches then began assembling pieces of fabric that I had created through exploration with free machine embroidery techniques and heat sensitive fabric paints.

I’ll be demonstrating how to design and colour fabric in this way at a workshop on Sunday 2nd June. More details here and to follow.

I arranged the fabric pieces I’d created and stitched them together on my beloved Bernina before free motion embroidering further details of my favourite things, swimming fish, tulips, spiral shapes, hearts and flowers.

Fish and clams inspired by exploring the coral reefs of Egypt

Once I had the assembled and embroidered a length of fabric I drew pattern shapes and then cut them from the fabric thinking carefully about the placement of the different designs, details and colours, so as to create a striking bright design and balance where the colours popped against each other.

I stitched the legs and arms front to backs and she started to take shape.

My optician had asked me to capture my colourful Johann Von Goisern frames with my artwork so this seemed a good opportunity for a shot for this. The optician called it ‘frames and threads’ and shared it on their social media.

As the doll has two facial expressions one eyes open and one in calm restful bliss I needed only a little hair. I had a small piece of the bias binding leftover that I had pressed with magenta coloured heat sensitive paints, and wax relief of Passion flower tendrils, for the draught excluder project.

Turns out she’s a sun lover, I spotted her relaxing in the sunshine as I rethreaded my needle.

This work gave rise to the idea of placing supportive words and phrases on a doll to reassure and inspire the owner when life feels its most challenging, I’m going to develop that idea further.

Try it yourself:

All of these pieces of fabric were plain white when I began this project. Using heat sensitive paints I added colour and design to the fabrics to create something unique and original.

You can learn and explore these wonderful dye and stitch techniques, creating with colours and designs that you love to make something beyoutiful and uniquely you.

Join me on Sunday 2nd June at Stitched Up and Fleeced in Sheffield. 10 – 4 pm, £60. A wonderful day, no experience necessary.

You can book now by messaging your interest at this link.

Thanks for reading and I hope you’ve enjoyed this work.

I’m off to draw the doll now in different poses and develop a story around her.

If you’ve enjoyed this post these are other projects that you may enjoy seeing…

Bird and Flowers Cushion Design

Fabric Design Workshop – 2nd June, Sheffield

Fabric Design Project – Window Box Tulips

The Inspire Bear

Heat Press Inspiration