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Workshop Description:

Fiona will show you how to create your own piece of “lunar lace” with free-motion machine embroidery  on  water-soluble stabiliser. You will then create a beaded edge (picot edging) around your lace, and complete the necklace with a beaded spiral rope.

NB: This workshop can also be taught without requiring participants to make their own lunar lace piece – if the venue is unsuitable for sewing machines, or if participants do not have an interest in making their own ‘lace’ on sewing machines, the ‘lace’ pieces can be supplied by the tutor, and participants will create the picot edging, bail and beaded spiral rope necklace.

This workshop is for all skill levels. Kits are available for this workshop.

Topics covered in this workshop:

• Free-motion machine embroidery on water-soluble stabiliser
• Picot edging
• Peyote stitch bail
• Spiral rope technique
• Attaching appropriate findings to complete the spiral rope
• Beadweaving basics: starting and finishing your threads; keeping good tension in the work; conditioning beading threads

Workshop Description:

Bead embellishment is easy – if you can use a needle and thread you can bead! Experience the pleasure of stitching beads onto fabrics, using an array of techniques.

This technique-based workshop is designed to teach you a collection of bead embellishment methods that you can use in your textile artworks, quilts, jewellery, art to wear, or other items such as handbags, pillows, etc.

In this workshop you can make samples, or perhaps one beautiful beaded item that can be used in jewellery (e.g. brooch or necklace), accessories (e.g. evening purse), or other textile art pieces.

The focus is on embellishing various textiles, including quilts. This workshop is for all skill levels. Materials are available for this workshop – a set fee covers all materials needed. Participants can also bring their own materials from home.

Once you  have learnt the basics of bead embellishment your textile creations can enjoy the extra bling that beads bring!

Topics covered in the workshop:

• Seed stitch
• Bead stacks
• Regular fringing and branched fringing
• Beaded backstitch
• Bead couching
• Beading with bugle beads
• Beaded picot edging
• Peyote stitch beaded bezel around a cabochon
• Appropriate materials to use in bead embellishment, including useful interfacings, and suitable beads
• General beading information – beading threads and beading needles; how to start and finish off threads; how to condition threads

Workshop Description:

Do you have a stash of buttons that you’ve thought would be useful “someday”? Well, this is the workshop for you! Buttons are often as gorgeous as beads, and they make wonderful components in jewellery. With simple knotting and a few seed beads to finish off the toggle clasp, this necklace works up quickly, and is blissful to wear.

This workshop is suitable for all skill levels. Kits are available for this workshop.

Topics covered in the workshop:

• Creating a design layout for your necklace
• Selecting appropriate colours and sizes of buttons
• Creating a toggle clasp from button and beads
• Knotting the necklace together

Workshop Description:

Fiona’s Curvaceous Squares technique involves piecing squares together to make two new pieces of fabric, which are carefully layered, and then cut using freehand rotary cutter techniques to create curves. Add insets of contrasting fabrics in colours that work with your two colourways. Make your own continuous bias tape to cover the cuts and add drama to your quilt. The result is a quilt with curvaceous flowing lines but no curved piecing!

In this workshop you will make the quilt top only, but there will be discussion of finishing techniques, including suggestions for machine quilting.

This workshop is for all skill levels.

Create a unique pendant from farbrics with exotic prints. Begin by hand-stitching a little “pillow”, then frame it in an embellished right angle weave chain. By using different fabrics on each side you can create two looks in the one piece of jewellery. This simple and achievable project is perfect for those who love to combine beads with fabric!

Suitable for all skill levels. Kits are available for this workshop.

This presentation covers tips and tricks for reducing pain and discomfort in hands and arms.

Presentation duration: 45 minutes to one hour

Fiona Hammond ran a successful natural therapies clinic in Goulburn, NSW, for 12 years prior to turning full-time to teaching the crafts she has been so passionate about all her life. Besides her teaching qualifications, she holds diplomas in Remedial Massage and Aromatherapy. She also ran her own aromatherapy college, where she taught Diploma of Aromatherapy courses for 5 years.

Fiona is keen to share her expertise in self-treatment for muscular aches and pains with her fellow crafts people.

Most crafts involve repetitive movements and stationary postures which often result in aching hands, fingers, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, back and legs. In many cases such pain and discomfort can be alleviated by self-massage techniques, stretches, heat packs and improved posture.

Fiona will describe and demonstrate a number of simple and safe methods for reducing the aches and pains often experienced by crafts people. She will then guide those who are interested through several self-massage techniques, and some simple stretches. However, participation in the practical section of the presentation is not a mandatory exercise for all audience members.

Topics covered in the presentation:

• Brief overview of how muscles work and what causes them to experience pain
• How to improve posture during craft activities
• Simple stretches for arms, legs and neck
• Using heat packs to ease aches resulting from chronic muscle tension
• Simple techniques for reducing shoulder tension
• Self-massage for hands and arms

 Workshop Description:

The project in this workshop uses a zigzag chain technique that is found in Zulu beadwork as well as Native American beadwork. The technique works up quickly, and makes a great bracelet. I have made a couple of changes to the technique – mainly adding extra beads along the edges to give a straighter edge and to enhance the design layout. This workshop is suitable for all skill levels, and can be taught to adults and also children over 9 years of age.

Topics covered in this workshop:

• Zigzag chain technique
• Fiona’s variation – embellishing the edges of the zigzag chain
• Creating the clasp using a shank button and beaded loop
• Beadweaving basics: starting and finishing your threads; keeping good tension in the work; conditioning beading threads

Workshop Description:

These quick and achievable earrings are designed to teach you two threadwork techniques (using beading needle and thread). You will use brick stitch to create a triangle, then add fringing to mirror this shape and complete the look with small drop beads or crystals. This results in diamond-shaped earrings with plenty of bling. This workshop is for all skill levels. Kits are available for this workshop.

Topics covered in the workshop:

• basic brick stitch technique
• regular fringing technique
• beadweaving basics: starting and finishing your threads; keeping good tension in the work; conditioning beading threads
• attaching appropriate findings to complete your jewellery

Workshop Description:

Fiona Hammond will show you how to make her bead-embellished brooches. You will create one brooch in the workshop. Several bead-embellishment techniques, and construction techniques for the brooches, are taught during the workshop. Fiona will also explain how these techniques can be used in other jewellery (e.g. necklaces and earrings) and on your quilts or other textile art pieces. Templates will be provided in the class notes, but you may also create your own shapes and designs if you prefer. Come along and have some fun with beads and fabrics, and let your creativity soar.

Topics covered in the workshop:

• Several bead-embellishment techniques: beaded backstitch, bead couching, bead stacks, and picot edging
• Beading techniques for fringes and branched fringes
• Full instructions on how to construct/create the Bead-Embellished Brooches
• Ideas on how to incorporate similar bead-embellished shapes or techniques into jewellery and textile pieces/quilts

Workshop Description:

Fiona Hammond will show you how to make her bead-embellished brooches. You will create one brooch in the workshop. Several bead-embellishment techniques, and construction techniques for the brooches, are taught during the workshop. Fiona will also explain how these techniques can be used in other jewellery (e.g. necklaces and earrings) and on your quilts or other textile art pieces. Templates will be provided in the class notes, but you may also create your own shapes and designs if you prefer. You will also create your own display quilt for your brooch. This is a small quilt-as-you-go style skewiff log cabin, made in fabrics to complement your brooch. Come along and have some fun with beads and fabrics, and let your creativity soar.

  Topics covered in the workshop:

• Several bead-embellishment techniques: beaded backstitch, bead couching, bead stacks, and picot edging
• Beading techniques for fringes and branched fringes
• How to construct/create the Bead-Embellished Brooches
• Ideas on how to incorporate similar bead-embellished shapes or techniques into jewellery and textile pieces/quilts
• Construction techniques for mini display quilt: quilt-as-you-go onto batting; skewiff log cabin technique; colour layout ideas for display quilt