Beginning Silk Painting

FA105
Michelle Symeonides
Will repeat; Call us if interested
Saturday 12:00 - 5:00
1 Session - $55
No Kit Fee

Has silk painting enchanted you from afar long enough? Well, come and learn with a true artist. Michelle has many years in teaching and painting in this beautiful medium, and will show you how to get started. She will discuss what fabric and dye products are on the market and how they are used. You will learn about the use of the gutta resist and how to control your lines. Michelle will introduce you to techniques you can

experiment with such as, color shading and blending, salt effects, working with alcohol and watercolor techniques. Michelle also has an incredible eye for color and will teach you how to mix colors and color theory. Come share a day with us painting till your hearts content. Some silk is included with the class, but be sure to bring a hairdryer.

FA106
Michelle Symeonides
Will repeat; call if interested
Saturday 12:00 - 5:00
1 Session - $55
No Kit Fee

If you are familiar with the medium of silk painting and are ready to be introduced to more techniques, Michelle will show you what is possible with this medium. Michelle will teach you about antibleeding agents, the use of metallic which are soft to the touch, and introduce you to the use

of wax and batik surface designing. She has designed this class as a continuation of the Silk Painting Class I, for those who can never get enough of her instruction, and Michelle is always open to discussing any ideas you have on your mind. Be sure to bring a hairdryer.

FA123
Nancy Jo Smith
Will repeat; call if interested
Saturday 10:00 - 3:00
1 Session - $45

Shibori is the Japanese word for a variety of ways of embellishing textiles by shaping cloth and securing it before dyeing. The fabric is given a three dimensional form by folding, crimping or binding. The designs created by shibori processes all share a softness of outline and a

spontaneity of effect. This latter is shibori’s special magic, made possible by exploiting the beauty of the fortuitous things that happen when dye enters shaped cloth. If you are interested in Shibori on cotton, refer to the kids class section. You are welcome to join in with the kids.

FA123
Nancy Jo Smith
Will repeat; call if interested
Saturday 10:00 - 4:00
1 Session - $55

This class is designed to take you several steps deeper into the art of resist design through Shibori. Nancy Jo, has spent several hundreds of hours studying and designing surface textures and shapes using the shibori method of resist dyeing. She wants to spend the afternoon sharing them with you.

FA131
Nancy Jo Smith
Will repeat; call if interested
Saturday 10:00 - 3:00
1 Session - $45

This beautiful discharge textile technique is one more excuse to play with pattern and color at Common Threads. Nancy Jo's classes always turn into an adult's playground. Play with clamping, wrapping, tying, folding on rayon-silk velvet to achieve one of a kind pieces of art work.

The result is velvet shibori devore's which bear rich color and patterns which seem to pour across the cloth. The velvet has a sensuous drapablilty which, like silk allows any garment or scarf to flow around the body.

FA150
Nancy Jo Smith
Will repeat; call if interested
Sunday 1:00 - 4:00
1 Session - $25
Kit Fee - $10

Of all the ways to apply dye, bleach, paint, or resist to fabric, stamping is the most immediate and accessible, Here is an opportunity to design and make your own stamps. Nancy Jo will show you several

different fabirc dyes and paints that can be used with your newly made stamps. Block printing with stamps is an art form imported from Asia and often used in batik fabric. What will you do with yours?

FA151
Nancy Jo Smith
Will repeat; call if interested
Saturday 10:00 - 4:00
1 Session - $55

No matter what you have done with textile design in the past, photocopy transfers will expand you repertoire, allowing you to incorporate imagery into your work that you might not otherwise use. Tell a story by combining photos with textiles and make a vest, or wall hanging, If you feel you lack drawing skills you can use this method to transfer non-copywritten material available throughout bookstores and libraries,

and then paint, embroider, or embellish the transferred design in any way you think suits you.

FA142
Cassandra Shepard
Will repeat; call if interested
Sunday 10:00 - 5:00
1 Session - $55
Kit Fee - $15

Understanding the use of dye as color is perhaps the most important factor in the silk painting process. This class is a hands-on learning exercise and introduction to the method of layering dyes one over the other to create new colros directly on the silk. Guided by Cassandra, students will execute and dye their own color wheel chart and become familiar with the basic elements of silk painting.

The color chart will be a valuable and indispensiable guide for students when choosing schemes for future designs. Bring a sack lunch.

FA126
Nancy Nelson
Will repeat; call if interested
Saturday 10:00 - 1:00
1 Session - $25
Kit Fee - $5

If you are like us, you love the way hand-dyed fabric looks and feels, but dyeing it yourself seems intimidating, I wanted to dye fabric for a long time, but it just seemed too complicated. If this is how you feel too, then this class is for you. We will work with cottons using the MX procion dyes to create many color families and visual textures.

Come join us, it really isn’t as complicated as it seems.

FA129
Nancy Nelson
Will repeat; call if interested
Saturday 10:00 - 1:00
1 Session - $35

If you haven’t been in the store in the last few months then you haven’t seen the beautiful yarns that Nancy has been painting. Nancy will teach you how to paint your own yarns to fit your own color style. You will be painting with MX Procion fiber reactive dyes which work best for cellulose plant type natural fibers like cotton, rayon, linen, and hemp. She will show you how fun and easy it really can be. Just like finger painting.

FA130
Nancy Nelson
Will repeat; call if interested
Saturday 11:00 - 4:00
1 Session - $35

Have you been admiring those beautifully hand painted mohair, wool and silk yarns, wondering if you could ever learn how to make your own? Well here is your chance. Nancy, a fiber enthusiasts, also has her education in

fashion design. She loves to play with dyes and colors to get just the right color combinations . Acid dyes are great for yarns and fabrics alike, so why not dye them together and have a coordinating outfit.

FA131
Nancy Jo Smith
Will return with interest
Sunday 10:00 - 3:00
1 Session - $48

Many Common Threads friends have told us they are eager to take a class in which the sole purpose is to talk about color and how to make it sing. This class will cover some of the technical sides of color but only long enough to get everyone comfortable to start diving in and playing. Once you start to play with the elements of color and design, then, you will discover

its endless possibilites. The old adage which says "The more you know, the more you relaize you don't know", is certainly applicable here. Just remember, this only means the door of possibilities is as structured or as open as you decide them to be. With lots of people sharing their color stories, this class should be lots of fun.

FA132
Nancy Jo Smith
Will return with interest
Sunday 10:00 - 3:00
1 Session - $48

Now that dying and painting are more in fashion, everyone wants more education in how to mix colors. If you are just not sure how to mix your primaries to get just the shade you want, Nancy Jo will explain the makings of color. She will explain all the basic

elements that make up all the colors in the color wheel. Your color education starts with mixing it yourself. So dive in and join us for a fun filled day of color and play.

FA133
Cassandra Shepard
Will return with interest
Saturday 10:00 - 3:00
1 Session - $55

Discover the secrets of old masters and the many possibilities of shading and blending dyes on silk with a centruy of old techniques. Beautiful effects can be achieved with a process that combines the usage of ombre washes and colored linear resists. Students will learn how to build layers of color with the use of

gutta and over dyeing techniques as well as using permanent ink fabric pens to accent and clairfy designs. All techniques combined will culminate in an exceptional piece of richly colored and patterned silk yardage ready to be made into a Kimono.

FA134
Cassandra Shepard
Will return with interest
Sunday 10:00 - 3:00
1 Session - $55

Expand your silk painting techniques with the application of colored pencils to your designs. Traditional methods of applying dye directly to silk are combined with pencil work and opaque drawing ink to

highlight and create patterns on the painted surface. You may create contemporay or realistic compositions with a broad range of subject matter adapting the mediums to achieve exceptional color, shading and detail.

FA125
Nancy Nelson
Will return with interest
Sunday 1:00 - 3:00

In the last decade of this century, we are seeing a renewed interest in fabric design. Like a flashback to the late 1960's we see tie-dyed T-shirts, batiked blouses, and hand decorated skirts and dress. A few American designers are beginning to experiement with marbled silk, as well as cotton, working small bits and strips of these fabrics into kimonos, dresses and

quilts. In this class you will learn the simple process of floating colors, and then making different patterns with various tools. We will go into different variations on this simple principle. Bring a pair of old cotton tennis shoes or a cotton visor to experiement with in class.