May 2017 Toss ‘n Tell
Demo and talk
Soosie Jobson gave a talk on Shrinkage Rates when felting and explained why estimating a percentage produces an inaccurate result. In order to calculate how much a project will shrink one has to first make a sample. Then you divide the initial laid out size of the sample by the finished size = the correct rate of shrinkage for that project. For wearables a minimum shrinkage rate would be 1.7 – 1.9%. Nancy advised that for nuno wearables she would use 25g wool for 1 m of silk fabric for a good drape. Soosie has lots of information on her website.
Meeting
The President , Virginia , thanked Soosie for a most informative talk.
Visitors welcomed : Sandra from New Zealand, Kim from Tasmania, Stacy, Suzie Sheppard.
Information regarding The Retreat was discussed.
Sue Eslick’s bag workshop is open for bookings. Later in the year there will be a leather workshop which may be very useful for finishing items e.g.straps for handbags.
Members are requested to complete an online survey which will help with the planning of a 5 year vision for the group. Members are invited to attend the meeting on 25th June from 9 – 12 noon.
The next Retrospective issue will be delayed until September/October. This will be a special “birthday” issue. Members are invited to join a committee to prepare this publication.
Toss n Tell
Marion made a nuno scarf using silk dyed in a workshop with Heather Davis.
Marie had works in progress viz. little birds and badges that she is making with children she is teaching at an art elective in Darlington.
Stacy showed us her beautiful blue wearable art vest/scarf that she was wearing, as well as a scarf and bag. She attended Nancy’s workshop where she learned to make a colourful striped mat and a grey and white striped one .
Sara has been doing an online workshop with Pam de Groot where she learned interesting 3D techniques – 3 of which she showed being : Splash, Twistie and Spiral.
Linda showed us her piece that started off as a vessel but changed into a cuff that she was wearing.
Karen is a new member who has an art and fashion background. She has been trying to combine the techniques from different workshops and brought numerous garments that she is working on to develop her own style in wearable art.
Katrina brought a collection exotic items that are all works in progress using horsehair and red dyed goat hair.
Alison showed her latest project that she has just completed. She explained her procedure of work from concept to execution. Her colours and design are quite unique and admired by those present. Although it is a large wall hanging she only used 250g wool for this project.
Liz is a new member and brought samples made in Alison’s beginners workshop. She also made various vessels which she learned 
from Soosie’s online workshop.
Nancy showed her blue striped nuno scarf using silk mesh as well as a fine striped one in neutral shades which she used when teaching her Stripe Sequencing workshop.
At Pam McGregor’s workshop Nancy made a felted boab tree /teapot/sculpture .
Susan Sheppard ( visitor) had made a lovely wrap in blue and brown.
Sue Swain showed us a very sculptural piece of sea sponge that she found on the beach.
Pat showed us her latest knitted jumper she had made in a geometric design in shades of grey, black and red.
Soosie Jobson made a vessel demonstrating differential shrinkage and explained the process. She has a free tutorial on her website.
She also made an intriguing 3D multi-ribbed Eucalyptus tree .
She accessed a website : Redbubble.com that will print any designs you submit. She printed her “synchronised fish” design onto a bag, a scarf and another design onto her mobile phone cover.
Judith Shaw showed us a pair of warm woollen slippers , a bag in progress and a necklace of dyed seedpods, as well as the jacket she was wearing.
Vimol used a combination of wet felting, needle felting and embroidery to make 2 wonderful, whimsical hats, 1 with a face of a cat in relief. She also needle felted a head with a face in relief for a hat to be displayed on.
Report by Marion, Photos by Nancy
