Starting from Seeds
Inspirational seedpod shapes to develop for your textile art designs.
Duration
4 to 6 days
Materials and techniques
Drawing and design techniques, metals, paper, materials, wires, hand and machine stitching.
Skill Level
Hand and machine stitching
Outcome
Explore, sample and create
You will examine the myriad structures in seed pods through easy, free flowing drawing and designing techniques to develop either a textured sculpture for the wall or a free standing sculpture or a hanging.. Begin your journey by ‘playing around with metal’, learning the basics of handling, manipulating and colouring metal shim and woven metal fabrics. Learn to create many textures and patterns, surfaces and forms using textile techniques with metal, wire and metal cloth; including colour, texture, stitch, weave, wrap, fold, distress and more. Explore the properties of Lutradur (a non-woven, spun bond fabric which is heat reactive), delve into the glittering world of Angelina fibres and distress sheer fabrics. You will learn how to combine sewing machine techniques with the metal and the metal fabric; add hand stitch and wire embellishments. You will combine these materials in a personalised design to develop further subtle and textured surfaces. The combination of these skills and some simple design consideration will gently lead you to be able to create fabulous forms with reflective and structural elements based on simple repeated elements derived from the shapes and forms of seeds and nuts.The use of a sewing machine is recommended for this course, though instruction and help will be given if you are less confident.