Irene Manion

1. Totems and Talismans

 

3-day Workshop

Run by Stitching

and Beyond in

Tasmania

 

 

This course allows you to go on a fun, experimental journey, using accidental and deliberate application of painted dyes onto paper, to coax out hidden, mysterious, ‘spirits’ and 'sprites' that emerge seemingly by magic as the dyed paper is manipulated in various ways.

 

The image dyed onto the paper is then retained permanently through a heat transfer process onto polyester fabric.

 

This 3-day workshop invites participants to explore the full potential of transfer dyes and their versatility.

 

These talismans and totems will be further embellished with a range of free-machine embroidery techniques including my trademark long-stitch technique. For those who prefer to hand embroider, the dyed fabric will be enhanced with hand stitching similar to the machine stitching patterns, which are designed to capture light and enhance the underlying colours and forms of the fabric print.

 

Dates:       15th - 17th March 2024, 9.30am to 4.30pm

Location: Whitewater Room,

                  Kingborough Community Hub

                  7 Goshawk Way

                  Kingston, Tasmania, 7050

 

Log into the Stitching and Beyond Tasmania website to apply to attend this class.

https://www.stitchingandbeyond.com/events/category/workshops/

 

What you’ll learn

  • explore the marvelous versatility of these dyes through a range of application methods.
  • ways to develop personal imagery of totems and talismans
  • The advantages and disadvantages of working with polyesters, including recycling materials that permeate our environment.
  • Using a particular way of stitching that is designed to enhance the underlying coloured fabric and capture light.

 

This course is beneficial to both experienced and those new to these techniques, however, if you intend to do machine embroidery, experience in free-machine embroidery is required.

 

In this course :

All dyes and papers for dyeing will be supplied.

A range of fabrics including transparent polyesters will be available for printing on.

Additional digitally printed sample papers will be provided for printing using a heat press.

Threads will be chosen to enhance light capturing patterns.

This new way of approaching stitching in embroidery is learned in a step by step process.

All course notes will be supplied.

 

About the tutor:

I have worked with transfer dyes extensively for over 20 years, exploring diverse ways in which these dyes can be used to achieve effects from the ultra realistic through to loose abstracts resulting from spontaneous mark making. The possibilities are limitless.

My printed designs are invariably embellished with machine and hand stitching to capture the    3-dimensionality of form, sometimes to create realistic trompe l’oeil effects, or alternatively to enhance the dyed surface expressively.

 

I have exhibited my stitched work in many exhibitions both as a solo artist and in selective state and national exhibitions.

My work has been featured in various books and magazines including textile Fibre Forum magazine, and recently in  Art Quilting Studio(US), and 'Stitched Journeys with Birds', by Martha Sielman.

Finally, I have a teaching background having taught Secondary Visual Arts for many years. Since retiring from full-time teaching I have enjoyed presenting workshops in my favourite media and techniques to fibre enthusiasts and practitioners around Australia.

 

2. Creating Light Patterns with Stitch

 

2 day workshop in machine-embroidery

The NSW Embroiderers’ Guild

 

Celebrating Paris, in this workshop we try to capture some aspect of the magic of France in our subject matter, and in my sample design, the Stained Glass Windows of Notre Dame Cathedral are the inspiration.

In this workshop, we start by collaging various fabrics onto a backing surface to create a stained glass window design. Once these are adhered to the backing we proceed to stitch over the collaged areas in various stitch patterns in an attempt to reflect facets of light that enliven the surface.

Whereas, traditional free-machine embroidery embeds the thread more deeply into the surface of the fabric with small, rapidly applied stitches, this new approach aims to sit large stitches on the surface of the fabric so that they are able to capture the light to the fullest extent.

 

Pre-requisites for this course:

Experience in free machine embroidery is essential. This means being able to lower feed dogs and move fabric around using a hoop or stiffened fabric.

 

 

Dates:                13 – 14th January 2024

Location:           NSW Embroiderers’ Guild

                           76 Queen Street

                           Concord West NSW

 

About the tutor:

I have developed a unique way of machine embroidering that takes a step beyond conventional techniques. My long-stitch technique aims to place blocks of ‘long’ stitches on the surface of the fabric, varying the direction to catch the light as it reflects off the stitches.

I have taken this technique to an extreme in my feather studies of birds such as the rainbow lorikeets, magpies and Regent Honeyeaters.

 

I have exhibited my stitched work in many exhibitions both as a solo artist and in selective state and national exhibitions.

My background is in teaching, having taught Secondary Visual Arts for many years. Since retiring from full-time teaching, I have enjoyed presenting workshops in my favourite media and techniques to people interested in fibre and embroidery around Australia.

 

What you’ll learn:

A way of collaging a range of fabrics onto a plain backing.

Working with different types of stiffening for fabrics.

A new way of machine-stitching that is employed to enhance the underlying coloured fabric and capture light.

Step by step exercises that lead to the effective employment of the ‘long-stitch’ technique.

 

 

Supplies provided for participants:

All fabrics for collaging.

all notes for the course

adhesives and stiffening required to complete the unit.

 

You will need to bring:

Your own machine embroidery threads

Bring along your own sewing machine.

Sharp scissors for cutting fabric.

Notepaper pens etc.

 

To find out more about this workshop and all the others on offer for the NSW Embroiderers' Guild  Summer School "Perspectives of Paris" go to the following link:

 

https://www.embroiderersguildnsw.org.au/Education/SummerSchool2024/Summer_School_2024_Index.htm

 

The booklet containing details of each workshop is a downloadable .pdf