Friday, I spent the day learning to marble on fabric and paper. A very thin layer of acrylic paint is floated on top of a layer of carageenan. You drop the paint with an eye dropper and then pull long combs through it to create the patterns. I had a great time in class – it was so much fun to just be a student for a change.

These are scans of fabric pieces that I did. The fabric is alot easier than the paper and I got better results, but the alum (mordant) in the fabric contaminates your carageenan tank and the way to get it back in balance is to do a couple of pieces of paper in between your fabric pieces. I mostly cut up my paper pieces in to small bits to use as thank you cards.

Some more beautiful work by my students in Idaho.

(I didn’t bring the camera cable, so you will have to use your imaginations on this one!)

I have arrived in Idaho. It is beautifully sunny and warm enough to go walking without a heavy jacket – pure bliss. I taught wet and dry felting today. The day flew by and the students were all fantastic! (Hello students!) We made beads, sushi, flat inlay pieces, needle felted surface embellishment and a flock of needle felted birds. Plus we did a little bit of koolaid dyed wool just for fun.

I have to say that I would come back and teach here any time. The house and classroom are great.

Shibori dyes tomorrow. I am off to put the scarves in the laundry now. Photos when I get back.

Look what I found:

Teens can learn two fun Japanese crafts in one evening at this unusual workshop offered by the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.

Becka Rahn, Education Director at the Textile Center of Minnesota, will show you how to use shibori, a traditional form of tie dye, to design and dye your own bandanna. She’ll demonstrate four or five traditional patterns that you can combine as you wish to create your own one-of-a-kind wearable art.

While the dyes set, you’ll learn kumihimo, the art of making an eight-stranded braid used to accessorize a kimono or decorate a samurai sword. Warning: Kumihimo is highly addictive—make a bracelet or two and you’ll be totally hooked!

Guest instructor Becka Rahn is a self proclaimed jack-of-all-trades when it comes to textile art. She has taught classes in everything from felting to tie dye to beginning tatting (that’s lace-making, not tattooing!). Becka has taught at the Textile Center of Minnesota for more than four years, making art with everyone from toddlers to grandmas. In her spare time, she specializes in creating puppets and whimsical embroidered pieces. You can see more of Beckas work at www.beckarahn.com.

Teen Workshops are designed to be fun, creative, artistic activities just for teens. All Teen Workshops are done in partnership with Yak!

Thank you Sun Valley Online! If you are visiting from there, I hope to see you in one of my classes!