Discover the fascination and versatility of tufting as a tactile and highly textured contemporary art form with tutors Lisa Woolfe and Jane Theau.
In this two-day workshop you will learn:
- the pros and cons of different fabric substrates, yarn choices and how to set up a tufting frame;
- the effects that can be achieved using loops, cut pile, contouring and height variation, and how to finish a work so it doesn’t unravel;
- how to use different tufting tools (punch needles, rotary tuft guns, electric tufting machines and pneumatic machines – this last via video);
- the relationship of tufting to other processes such as Rya, rug hooking, latch hook and locker hooking; and
- you will also be introduced to contemporary and traditional artists working in this field.
Day 1: Introduction to tufting tools, basic tufting skills and other related techniques. Begin work on individual hand-tufted piece.
Day 2: Presentation on contemporary artists who use tufting. Continue individual work.
Resources that will be provided: videos, books, list of suppliers, material stretched on a frame ready to work with. Frame can be borrowed to finish at home if necessary.
Please bring your own colourful wool/string/thick thread, preferably on a spool (balls OK too) and punch needles if you have them. Sayd’ Abdali’s excellent handmade needles will be available for sale on the day too.