The new sewing machine

It's been a while since my last post; the Sewing Bee was a success in the sense that I kept the class going and will be returning this week to take the Sewing Bee for the whole term. This time I've been able to plan and prepare a complete scheme of work for the whole 10 weeks based on re-using, recycling and repairing. New students will be able to discover traditional sewing skills and techniques within an interesting, exciting and contemporary context and returners will be able to continue their projects which are already moving into re-using materials and adapting from existing garments. I'll be working on my own project with the class making myself a shirt from an old dress aiming to demonstrate as many different processes and techniques  as possible in one garment. 

I'm looking forward to the first class on Friday, and to mark the moment  I've bought myself a new sewing machine. 

It's quite old and needs some considerable TLC though: ... .. ... ...

I saw it months ago in the window of the clock and watch repairers in Otley and I've been thinking about it ever since. The start of a new sewing project was just the right time to see if it was still there, and now it sits on my work table ready for refurbishment.

I've not abandoned ceramics, and will soon be getting busy in the pottery again. I've submitted proposals for three different short classes next year; if they all run it'll mean preparing lots (and lots) of examples and tests to practise and demonstrate the techniques I'll be teaching. Ceramifabricals indeed!!

A week in which a lot happened.

I mentioned some time ago that I have been feeling increasingly unhappy at my paid work and have been looking for ways to re-balance my life with more of the creative work that I love. Last year I gained my PTLLS qualification through Artworks Creative Communities  allowing me to teach and take workshops sharing my love of ceramics and making in general.

This time last week I was in the middle of my first Hive/WEA weekend workshop teaching coloured clay techniques.

I’ve been planning & preparing for this class since last autumn, so I was confident that I knew my subject well, but this was the first time I would be tested with a class. I was quite nervous to start with, and this increased when the WEA assessor arrived to see how I was getting on. In the event everything went well, I was quite overwhelmed by the talent and enthusiasm of the class. They made some wonderful pieces, everyone added their own different talents and approaches to the basic technique producing varied and exciting work, and I learned as much as everyone else did last weekend. If I can I’ll post pictures of the work when it is fired. In the meantime here are a few of my own coloured clay pieces.

I felt very privileged to be teaching, and I think other people thought I had done alright as well. On Monday immediately after the coloured clay weekend I was asked & agreed to step in to teach the Sewing Bee at Hive on Fridays at short notice. Sewing?, well I’ve always sewn, practically since childhood. My interest then was in making patterns; firstly for dolls and then for myself, soft furnishings and upholstery. 

 

Nowadays I use pattern making and fabrication techniques in model making, fabricating from sheet tin and soldering in place of sewing, and in clay when creating vessels and objects from rolled clay sheets. I've always been interested in print and fabric design, here I've taken inspiration from 1950's textile patterns and interpreted them in coloured clay.

 

I've applied to teach more ceramics courses at Hive next year, so watch this space for more news, and if the Sewing Bee is a success perhaps I could call myself Ceramifabricals. 

Tea Rex

I have a number of projects on the go at once, as one finishes and another starts and others roll on. Here's one that has just (nearly) finished.

It's been on the go for a few months - working slowly, looking for and finding just the right pieces and making custom accessories. 

Here it is:

And here is a look back at  work in progress.

Legs ready to go.

Taking shape in the workshop

Nearing completion and the pilot has been engaged

A few adjustments needed.

First test flight

Safe landing

Tea Rex

Random musings and connections

I like to work in a quite random fashion, flitting from one theme to another. Sometimes when I take a second or sideways look I see the most surprising connections.
 

I have been photographing a recent piece, my chicken dish, another coloured clay piece. 

Whilst I had my camera out I photographed the latest project taking shape on my work table.

And the connection? Which came first; the chicken, the egg or the dinosaur?

Coloured clay success

The experimentation with coloured clay is producing results. Above is a selection of pieces fired to earthenware, the colours of the clay brought out with clear glaze. Below is an inlaid clay dish that I am particularly pleased with.
 

 

The first pieces to be finished have generated more ideas to try. I made two similar shallow dishes decorated with inlaid clay and textured by drawing into the designs with sharp points. After biscuit firing both dishes were painted and the texture enhanced with cobalt oxide before glazing and firing. Above is a dish fired to earthenware, the glaze has brightened the colours and  the cobalt has produced a bright blue wash effect, and below is the other dish fired to stoneware, the colours are much  darker and more muted. I like both dishes for their different qualities and will be firing more pieces to stoneware.

 

 

 
Not all transparent glazes are the same. Above are two different transparent earthenware glazes. On the left is a traditional  recipe from Emmanuel Cooper, the brightness of this glaze is achieved using fritted lead, so work is not food safe. On the right is a commercially produced glaze which is food safe but has a tendency to be a little opalescent and colours are not as bright. The intended use of a piece will determine which glaze to use, and prompts much musing on the debate between beauty and usefulness. I want both, so will try to find a glaze that delivers both.  

And between working with glazes and other projects I'm still beavering away finding inspiration in fabric and wallpaper designs from the 1950's, like these from Lucienne Day and Marion Mahler.