During this three day workshop you will be guided in the creation of your own bird inspired textile sculpture. Bryony describes the process as ‘building with fabric and sculpting with stitch’

We begin by creating a stuffed shapes individually designed using your bird of choice as reference; using stitch to sculpt them in to fluid forms, whilst looking at techniques to suggest movement and poise. We use sculpting wire to add structural support for the legs.

Once happy with the form, we add features; eyes, beaks, talons etc. Instead of or in addition to the obvious ready mades, we can also use alternative media to create our features; beads, buttons, haberdashery, ephemera and natural objects -only limited by your imaginings.

To create the finished appearance of our birds we create wings and feathers applying carefully chosen fabrics, these are stitched directly to the body using a naïve version of appliqué. The properties of each fabric are explored and applied to add texture or colour, or because the motifs or pattern help to accentuate muscle or shape. The bird you decide to create is completely up to you, all birds will be standing with wings folded (spread wings is another workshop in itself) It is helpful to come with an idea in mind and to bring along a range of reference pictures of the bird that will help inspire your creation, it’s also important to allow that idea to evolve and develop as your work takes shape. Your birds can be based in reality or complete flights of fancy! We can also play with scale to make our vision achievable within the time frame. I will be on hand to help you create and nurture your bird into being.

This workshop is suitable for anyone with hand sewing experience. However; Textile Sculpture is a step by step process, it is intuitive and not entirely predictable; it does not provide immediate results. It can be fiddly, and requires some strength and dexterity in the hands. It is important to recognise that we do not use generic patterns and that we will need to problem solve as we progress. If textile sculpture is something that interests you and you are willing to get really stuck in, perseverance, patience and determination will see you through.

– MATERIALS – Provided – (included in fee)

– A selection of reclaimed and vintage fabrics – Steel Wire and Aluminium Sculpting Wire – A range of haberdashery bits and embellishments – Glass eyes, taxidermy eyes and beads (I can not guarantee species specific eyes will be available – if you wish to have species specific eyes please contact me in advance of the course and I can guide you on where to purchase them and the size you will need.) – Florists Tape in a range of colours – Embroidery Threads – Upholstery Threads – Upholstery needles

– STUDENT MATERIALS LIST – Although I provide lots of materials, the following is a guide to what would be useful to bring along yourself.

– A selection of fabrics that you would like to use to cover your sculpture. These can be small scraps or larger pieces. A mixture of patterned fabrics, plain fabrics and a variety of textures will be helpful. – Any found objects or ephemera that you could use for the features of your bird. Marbles, Buttons, Beads, Old Jewellery and watch pieces can work well for eyes, beaks and claws.– Polyester Stuffing. – Cheap pillows for stuffing, toy stuffing or wadding can also be used. – A selection of sewing needles, embroidery needles that are sharp, sturdy and long will be most useful. Needles will be provided, but it’s nice to have your own to choose from. – Your preferred range of threads or embroidery floss. I supply an extensive range of colours of poly-cotton 6 ply embroidery floss. This is brilliant for sculpting with as it is strong and has good traction. You may want to use your own favourite or speciality threads when it comes to and non-structural stitching and stitching details. – Fabric Scissors, Embroidery Scissors.

If you would like to discuss the sculpture you would like to make or if you need any clarification on what to bring with you, please email Bryony directly: bryonywings@yahoo.co.uk