Paper Manipulations with Velma Bolyard

In the past few days I have been tidying my 'sewing room', so called because it has a sewing machine set up and lots of sewing supplies in the cupboards. I do very little sewing in there unless I am wanting to work at the sewing machine or press something as it also has the iron and ironing board permanently set up. In reality it is more like a mobile project storage facility. It also has many boxes and bags containing projects and assorted class materials and works in progress. One of the boxes pertained to a class that I took a few weeks ago with Velma Bolyard, a well known paper and book artist. I follow her blog, Wake Robbin and was so pleased when I found out she was coming to Australia and even better one of the groups that I belong to were prepared to bring her to Geelong. I like to support the groups that I belong to and try to take advantage of the opportunities to take a classes with specialists tutor, particularly interstate and international even if the timing is not always the best. This was one of those situations, there were many other things happening at the time and the box containing everything pertaining to the class was put aside until I had more time to investigate and revisit the techniques.

My first piece of paper weaving. Shifu is a Japanese technique of spinning and weaving paper. 

Firstly the paper is folded and cut

And then cut again to form continuous piece of paper yarn

The paper is the spun using a drop spindle to form a thin yarn that can be woven.

Then rolled onto a makeshift spool

An improvised loom for weaving

Small tight weave and a larger more open weave and A  variegated hand dyed indigo thread for the warp and spun paper for the weft.

Experimentation was encouraged. There was some paper dyeing and distressing, the Japanese paper handled the process better

Than my brown paper lunch bag

Marks were made onto the papers using traditional Japanese inks and dyes and written text. These will add an element of colour to the spun paper.

Booklets were made

I really liked this one, the envelopes can be increased by adding more card or paper and tailored to fit any size

It opens out to reveal a series of envelope pockets that you put things into

There was some 'show and tell' to inspire and a little book for sale -  A Little Book About Shifu and Botanical Pressure Printing.

Many of my interests combined in one class.