How to start Stage 6 Textiles and Design students

When you teach Stage 6 Textiles, you end up getting mixed bag  of abilities......

Some students have completed Stage 4 and Stage 5 Textiles. Some engaged with textiles through relatives. Some only completed Stage 4 Textiles and then you get the ones who have never sewn in their life.

                                     What do you do? 

image from: www.wisdomwordsppf.org/2017/02/10/stress-social-justice-american-psyche/

What I do:

I have a very brief heart palpitation as i read the "welcome to textiles" sheets i handed out (a great little form i created, that takes 5 mins of the students time, the first time you meet them, to fill out and tell me about themselves including their sewing experiences, whether they might have a machine or a sewing parent at home to help them, projects they have made, best email to contact them on etc). 

There is always a range of skills and abilities and experiences that the students have and it is important for you to recognise this before they begin to sew. 

The ones who have sewn before want the cudos. Make them feel like they are the elite group who you expect, will probably speed through projects. Make them understand that you need them to complete these activities so you can see what they really can do. 

The ones who are nervous or have never sewn before - explain they are in a safe place where they have the chance to develop some really great skills and that it is ok for them to ask the more skilled students to lend them a hand at any time.

PS. You will will be so grateful for the experienced student who jumps in and shows the learner how to fill a bobbin or change a needle when you are so very busy helping others!

First mini project- just to build skills and get the students familiar in using the machine is the Bobbin and Thread Pouch. Your skilled students will go that one step further and come up with something truly inspiring.

I did a few samples for the students to gauge their abilities and inspire them to develop and use the skills they currently have and may have not ever used!

I used one of the scraps, free-motion in green and then made a fabric flower to hand stitch on top. 
I keep this as a flat demo piece to show them how to add decoration and work with colours.

I get them to use the scraps box - box of donated fabrics, beads, lace, ribbons, buttons etc from the community including batting scraps.

(Good to have these available. If not then put the request in your school newsletter and let the local community know if loved ones pass on and they want to donate their loved one's fabric stash - your classroom will greatly accept these.)

PS If you have a sewing partner and you are not a teacher - 

the local school ALWAYS love donations!

Okay back to the pouch.......

I provide the pattern to the students on pre-printed on cardboard via my gorgeous print lady (we would be so lost without our SASS (as they call them here in Oz).

I hand the patterns out and set the students loose in the scraps. (This is after we have done basic machine threading)

After they have selected, the students learn the following skills through experience:

* how to use a basic pattern

* how to use pins

* how to pin patterns onto fabric

* suitable fabrics to use (you can guide them or do what i do and let them choose and work out why  

    knit fabrics are not good. Why you need fabrics underneath lace fabric.

* how to look at the fabrics they have chosen and work with the colours and patterns to bring out 

    extra design (see whale photo)

* how to drop the feed dog and use a free-motion machine foot and get a feel of how the machine 

   works and how they can use their own movement to create a decorative design.

The whale pattern was already in the batik print on the fabric. I thread a bobbin with thick blue yarn and after stitching around the whales in normal thread, i turned it over and bobbin stitched the blue on. Then sitting in front of the TV i added beads.

I keep this as a flat full piece to show the students that they need to think outside the box.

Once cut out, the students learn how to do straight seams, finished with a zig zag, overlocked edge and how to shape seams.

I was donated a roll of velcro and we used this for the opening/closure treatment.

To finish off they could use a button or some sort of decoration on the top.

Here is some of my students work from 2018.

This student is very creative. He took my pattern and modified it to be more useful to him.
We used a stiff interfacing and created inserts as well.
His inspired by the story of "Matthew Flinder's Cat".

The inside of his pouch.

Even the least motivated student can come up with something - she loved pink and still loves pink.

Working with pattern and using the bead donations and the lace donations.

Working with the jeans found in donations. Bit of an upcycle theme to this one.

Using a tartan weave 70's fabric. Then added strips of fabric ad doing
a reveal by adding an extra cut layer on the strips.

So feel free to use this pattern and enjoy the start of the next school year without the fear and intrepidation.

Feel free to use this design. Print it on an A4 sheet of cardboard.
You will need to increase it's size to fit an A4 page - Use of  snipping tool
 and pasting it in a word document may help.
Or use your wizard print lady!
You may wish to come up with your very own design.

By using this idea, you get your students excited and thinking outside the box about completing projects. 

But most importantly you are ticking off those dot points and outcomes in the syllabus!

Toblerone Cheesecake or Chocolate Dacquoise?

Every year I normally make a special way out cake for hubby's birthday.

Last year i made him a chocolate dacquoise that consisted of 7 layers. It took me a whole day to make it, but gosh it was so worth it. The look on his face was priceless. 

Chocolate Dacquoise (also gluten free!)

So after quizzing him for the 2018 cake of his choice, he said, "Don't go to too much trouble". So this year i made the toblerone cheesecake. He LOVED it. It did not take long to demolish even thought i made a huge one.

He has mentioned recently that he would love another chocolate dacquoise for 2019. But we will see if that changes.

2018 toblerone cheesecake

Toblerone Cheesecake Recipe by Philadelphia cream cheese

WHAT YOU NEED

Base

• 1 cup plain chocolate biscuit crumbs (i used gluten free gingernut bikkies- gave a little heat as you consume-so perfect)
• 80g butter, melted
• 1/4 cup ground almonds (forget these, you do not need them!!! Instead chuck in a 1/4 cup of chopped toblerone chocky)

Filling

• 500g PHILADELPHIA Block Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 200g TOBLERONE* Milk or Dark Chocolate, melted (or a bit extra cos who does not love chocky)
• 1/2 cup thickened cream

Topping

• 200g TOBLERONE* Milk or Dark Chocolate for shaving

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. COMBINE biscuit crumbs, butter and almonds (extra chocky), press into the base of a lightly greased 20cm springform pan. Chill. (use the freezer for a quicker firmness)   
2. BEAT PHILLY and sugar using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the melted Toblerone and cream until well combined.
3. POUR onto the prepared crumb base and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours until set, or overnight. Serve topped with the Toblerone* shavings. (get a bit extra so you can go over the top.)

A Fascination with Rust Dyeing

Rust dyeing is an exciting way to colour fabric. 

I collected a few items including some metal hubby dug out of the ground. I soaked the fabric in some white vinegar and water and then removed the fabric.

 I wrapped the soaked fabric with the metal items and placed them in the yellow bucket.

***Special Note- don't use a bucket you like using elsewhere because the rust stains the bucket as well.**

Pour the remaining liquid over the top and top up with more water.

The longer you soak it, the darker and more distinct the colour.

My fabrics below were soaked over a few days.

Anything left to oxidise produces a distinct dark black colour. This is not a burning of the fabric.

Once desired colour and shapes and markings achieved, wash fabric in cold water. 

Wash your fabric in a cold machine wash with some wool wash detergent to remove any remaining vinegar or rust smell.

first fabric and the yellow bucket as well as the colour it comes out after soaking.

Such amazing colour and distinct patterns.

Close up.

The whole fabric.

Smaller fabric piece i also created. 

I love the reveal as you unroll the "snake" of fabric.

Close up of the corner piece which was wrapped around a piece of metal that had holes in it.

These will be fabulous to stitch. Lots of markings to play with!

I intend to use these fabrics as a base and then add machine embroidery and beads to accentuate the finer details. 

Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe with homegrown bananas

Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe

This recipe is from the Officially Gluten Free blog. They have other awesome recipes on there too.

I have made this for the second time now and it is still great.

 I added a handful of dried craisins in this banana bread.

My banana tree has given us stacks of bananas as you can see. 

There are TWO branches of these wonderful and sweet bananas!

The banana flower is huge and AMAZING!

Smells so good, fresh out of the oven.

What happened? Hubby got hungry and stole a piece. He said it tastes so good!

Follow the link above to get the recipe.

Before toasting. (warm and put butter on it - still yum.

                                After toasting - verdict - SO YUMMY!!!

Revisiting journal covers

I love journal covers. I have made several over the years. Here is my most recent one.

Journal Cover for Sam's Kitchen Tea 

I made this for my friend's daughter who was having her kitchen tea.

I like to use a smaller version of "The Chook Shed"s "Never Trust a Skinny Cook". I make these for loved ones as gifts only. Each one is styled differently depending on the person who is receiving them. 

I dye the fabric - this one is indigo dyed. Then i hand embroider some of the cover.
Wooden Rolling Pin button was purchased from Embellish and Trim .

A Journal Cover for my friend, MT

What do you get the friend who has everything? A hand made gift of course. I dyed, block printed and machine embroidered this cover for her 60th birthday gift. I placed a journal inside since i knew she loved having note books to write in. It is removable so when she needs a new book, she just pulls it out and places a new one inside around the same size.

It's been way too long............

I have been very busy with teaching over the last few years and neglected my little blog. But hopefully now with my newer laptop I will be able to improve my efforts to update my blog.

So here are the posts i have wanted to do, but just didn't get around to doing:

Weekend Bag

I made a fabulous weekend bag designed by Janelle Kent from Pieces to Treasure. This is the smaller of the 2 bags. I am keen to make the larger one as well. It's a great pattern and is easy to follow.

Available here: Weekend Bags Pattern

Yarn Dyeing

I have found i have several cotton Perle yarns just sitting on the shelf gathering dust. So during school holidays, i have been dyeing them using Procion dyes and ziplock bags and the colours i have ended up with are so delicious.

Before dyeing begins.

Perle cottons sitting in the base colour of Procion dye.

In order to dry them properly, i wrapped them around the old clothes drying racks.

Beautiful colours soaking up dye.

In order to store the yarns, i use the empty yarn reels from my sewing threads.

Caroline Sharkey Course

I had the opportunity to do a course at the Berry Quilting retreat in September 2012.  It had the fabulous tutor - Caroline Sharkey. This is my work which I have almost finished. I just need to add some hanging loops and binding. I get the chance to do another course this year at the Berry Quilting Retreat in August. Caroline is a wonderful tutor. She is not only patient with beginners but has a true passion for her work. If you get the chance to do her class, sign up straight away!