Fabricate Magazine NZ

Cait from our new Fabricate Magazine has kindly let me publish pics from two articles in her new mag, one about and one by me.

This new Magazine is chock full of articles about all things textile with as few ads taking up space as possible. To order a copy do a google search for NZ Fabricate Magazine. She also has a Face Book page you can tap into. 

Making Paper Without a Deckle & Frame

So here I am in Australia with all this beautiful paper bark, knowing it will never get through customs home. What to do?

                                     






 

                                         



I bought a short length of gauze and lace net curtaining material. I then soaked the bark, some used paper towels, and some shredded paper in a container of water and household bleach. 

Then it was time for a bit of lateral thinking. Without a deckle and frame, I decided I would dollop the pulp out onto the material and roll it out as a thick sheet of card-like paper so that I could then lay it out to dry. 

Below are photos of the process I used, so I won't bore you with the details as they are fairly self explanatory.

 Below are a couple of pics of the drying paper, along with a dried sheet that I made earlier in the day, using exactly the same method.

So it does work as a make-do method, albeit a bit bulky and rough & ready. I will iron it with a hot iron and hopefully NZ Customs will be ok with me taking it through. If all pans out well, I can reconstitute the sheets once I'm back home, and re-make some finer paper for what I need.. ...Salut 

Sculpture Works

Years ago I bought a reel of fine copper wire and knit up several small cloak-like shapes with the thought that I would incorporate feathers and possibly some strips of tapestry weaving to make korowai type figures.

However they were sort of lost in translation, so were put in the cavernous stash black-hole. 

So after 7 -8 years I finally found a use for one of them in this sculptural work below entitled "I'm Not Available Right Now"

Work includes copper wire, 24ct gold &ivory beads, porcelain doll parts, and mahogany.