• 2010 - Cumbria (UK) and Canberra (Australia)
• 2011 – Turku (Finland)

Creative Textiles: Friday 22^nd to Monday 25^th May 2009

 

Learn how to create decorative textile surfaces from scratch in 2 and 3 dimensions without a loom.  Using minimal equipment you will be introduced to construction techniques such as wrapping and binding, twining, coiling and knotting working with a wide range of textile associated materials and fibres.

Initially you will be encouraged to create a collection of how to do it samplers to gain confidence with each of the techniques demonstrated to you. Moving on you will be given the opportunity to making a small vessel or pouch to contain or protect a personal treasure, which could be worn, carried or hung in the home.  For example an old book, a letter, a stone or piece of driftwood or a childhood keepsake.

Please contact the venue directly for further details, enrolment and course costs.

Higham Hall College

Bassenthwaite Lake

Cockermouth

Cumbria

CA13 9SH

Tel: 017687 76276

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Website: www.highamhall.com

 Tied up in Knots: June 13^th 2009  

Historically knots have been used for many different purposes, from something purely functional to tie things together, for recording and sending messages and keeping tallies or the functional and decorative knot-work of seafarers for example. Focusing on the distinctive features of a small selection of knots (half hitch and double half hitch), this workshop explores the potential of knotting in the round.  We will be working over a variety of temporary and permanent moulds suited to making small-scale objects such as bead-like forms and small pouches and bags or sculptural art textiles. 

Initial experiments are in 2D so that the workshop participants can gain confidence with knotting patterns before moving on to creating three-dimensional structures.  No tools needed other than the hands!  Moving on into three dimensions participants will be encouraged to work with various shapes of three dimensional permanent and temporary moulds, for example cardboard cones and tubes, hot-water-pipe insulation, florists’ forms and found objects such as driftwood and stones.  The latter can be incorporated into a piece of work (small-scale jewellery for example).

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery,

Castle Street

Carlisle

Ruth will be running a series of one- day adult workshops to coincide with her exhibition 'Let No Loop Down' at the venue on 25^th April, 16^th May, 18^th June 2009. 11am - 3.30pm.    A contemporary update on traditional knitting; these practical knitting workshops look at ways of interpreting the patterned gloves of the Dales into modern day accessories.  Of particular interest is the use of names and dates combined with geometric two- colour patterns.  Each of the sessions will have a different focus, beginning with boas and scarves, moving onto gloves/wristbands/armlets and then leg/footwear.  The workshops can be tailored to suit all levels of knitting skills just so long as you can knit and purl, cast on and off. 

Meet with Ruth in the exhibition gallery to discuss her work in person, on Sunday 5th April.  

Please contact the venue directly for further information, costs and bookings. 

Dales Countryside Museum

Station Yard

Hawes

North YorkshireDL8 3NT

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Tel: 01969 666210

Let no Loop Down

 Ruth will be exhibiting her work at The Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, and North Yorkshire from April 5^th to June 19^th 2009  

An exhibition of contemporary textile narratives the work is multi-disciplinary in approach and is inspired by objects and artefacts with a sense of history, time and place, interpreting them in a contemporary context through textile-related techniques and processes. The use of multiple images where each image is unique, yet similar, is an important part of my practice. 

Sources of inspiration included traditional knitting implements, museum examples of darned and worn socks, associated knitting texts, stories and counting songs from the Yorkshire Dales and further a field.

Although primarily known for her contemporary approach to knitting Ruth originally trained in printed textiles at Liverpool in the early 1970’s.  This body of work begins to explore ways in which printed textiles can be fully integrated into multi-disciplinary textile artwork.  For example, combining printed surfaces with computer-generated machine embroidery and knitting.  Techniques include stitched and felted machine knitting, printed and stitched wool fabrics.  

Dales Countryside Museum

Station Yard, Hawes, North YorkshireDL8 3NT

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Tel: 01969 666210

Fax: 01969 666239.