Workshop & Instructor Information

Carol Shinn

"Painting" with Freestyle Machine Embroidery

October 30 - Nov. 5, 2011

5-Day Workshop

All Levels

Students of all levels explore imagery and surface design using freestyle machine embroidery. Cotton canvas is used as a base, but other materials are incorporated as well. After a few exercises designed to help students understand the process, students work on individual projects.

Students should bring designing materials for their projects. Design materials will vary with each individual. Supplies might include such things as paints, markers, colored paper, magazine pictures, colored pencils, glue, etc.

After designing, students will sketch out their designs on cotton canvas with acrylic paint, and then develop their idea with thread. In addition students may work with fabric collage, and/or dissolvable stabilizers, and may use other materials according to their wish.

We will work with a heat-transfer image using an image that I provide. (I will not have a computer and printer on hand to print additional images for participants, but will bring extra heat-transfer paper if participants wish to purchase it or bring computers and printers of their own.) Emphasis will be on creating a surface saturated with layers of thread. Individual styles of “mark-making” through shading, hatching, and visually mixing thread colors will be stressed. Cotton canvas and paint will be supplied, but students may experiment with other materials.

Techniques for accommodating large pieces, techniques for troubleshooting and options for finishing and mounting will be discussed. There will be informal discussions about developing ideas. Students may work either three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally.

Students should bring their own sewing machines. The machine should be in good working order. The machine should be able to lower its feed dogs and needs a darning or a free style embroidery foot.

Materials supplied to the class ($20 lab fee per student):

10 oz cotton canvas

Acrylic paints

Wonder Under (fusible web)

White poly/cotton broadcloth

Photocopied handouts

Dissolvable stabilizer

One image printed on heat-transfer paper per student

Materials I bring to share (no cost to students):

Some fine and regular weight thread

Books, samples, and pamphlets relating to machine embroidery

Screw drivers, pliers, tape, tracing paper, glue, machine oil, fabric scraps, yarn, and markers

Materials that I can bring for sale (at cost) in the classroom:

Extra machine needles

Several styles of generic darning feet

Extra heat-transfer paper