Fieldway Centre - 9 -12 -09

Dorothy held a workshop at the The Family Centre, Field Way, New Addington on 9-12-09 with 10 participants (3 mothers and their children). Below is a summary of their feedback to her of the session:

The mother’s were pleased that the children had been involved in something different but they thought the children were too young for the making activities

The bubble wrap “popped” when the children stood on it to make the felt. This was intended to be fun for 4 – 5 year olds. But the popping frightened the young children and they were very tentative about threading the felt.

The mother’s  said that they enjoyed making the daisies. They found this was soothing and creative.

They were suprised and impressed by the final result and suggested having a felt making session “ just for the mums”

Dorothy's own reflections on the session were as follows:

An event at the school meant that the mothers with the older children – 4 – 5 year olds – did not come to the centre that day. The children who did come were too young for the making activities on their own. But when they did help their mothers they were curious about touching the dry and then wet fleece tops. They did get involved in adding the water and soaping the felt.  But their interest was not sustained for long.  The mothers enjoyed the session.

Dorothy also asked the mum’s about future workshops and received following suggestions:

1.Textile items such as felt covered building blocks or pom-poms s intended  to be touched, sorted, counted could be designed and made to  provide soft textile things to explore.  These would have to be washable and safe to handle.

2. They asked for “just mums session” to make more things with felt.  

Katherine Low Settlement AGM 7 Oct 09

Today Viv, Dorothy and I attended the Katherine Low Settlement AGM. It was great to see the finished pieces from the weaving project hung up in the cafe area. These will take pride of place at the Settlement and as one of the members of staff remarked - it was great to see a variety of groups that use the Settlement all working on the same project. Dorothy and Viv received praise for the work they had done and we are looking forward to keeping in touch with the Settlement in the future. One participant, part of the older people's group, mentioned how the skills she had learnt making a textile flower she was now teaching to her grand daughter - good to know skills are being passed on! I was reminded whilst looking at the excellent display of work that it would be good if we could bring all the various pieces we are planning to make in the four boroughs into one space for an exhibition (and/or do a traveling exhibition?). The exhibition could take place at a public library or other public space and include video and photos of the workshops and a display of the workshop workpacks that we are currently planning. We may even be able to include a few public workshops as part of this. 

New Artists for Shared Heritage

Following a Shared Heritage meeting on Sunday 23rd August we were able to invite three new artists who will hopefully be able to join us from this Autumn. All three submitted CVs and proposals and each has attended a workshop to meet either Dorothy or Viv. We are really excited to have new talent on board and hope it will be the start of a strong and fruitful relationship which will be of real benefit to local communities in south west London who we currently serve. So you maybe asking who they are...watch this space we can't give everything away immediately...

Junior Club 18 Aug 09

Dorothy held an excellent workshop today at the Settlement. The variety of ideas and things to make were very exciting ranging from the meadow to bugs, snakes and flowers. The 10 or so young people engaged in the activity kept focused for the whole 2 hours traveling from table to table to participate in the various activities. By the end of the session Dorothy had created with them a 'dry felt' piece which had all the various items they had created attached on. As their key worker pointed out: “You can take the learning from the weaving looms and do something else such as make scarves, t-shirts. They can take skills learnt from your weaving session. Fantastic, Creative.”

Katherine Low Older People's Group - 11 Aug 09

Viv delivered a session with the older people's group some of whom were amazed that they were able to make things such as textile flowers which they could proudly display in their home. Others felt excited that skills they had from childhood were being rekindled which benefited their sense of confidence. The general consensus was a fun and rewarding afternoon had by all. Talking with the main organiser we discussed how workshops such as these could help bridge generational gaps between the different groups hosted by the Settlement. The possibilities for intergenerational work and fostering new relationships where volunteer tutors from a young persons group could teach skills to older people's groups and vice versa were something we could explore. 

New Horizon Centre, Pollards Hill Merton Sat 1st Aug 09

Just returned from the open day workshop at Pollards Hill at the New Horzion Centre there. Viv has designed a very manageable and appealing workshop and many young people were popping over to the table to take part. i took a number of photos as they got stuck in which you should be able to see with this blog.  Viv provides participants with all they need including fresh towels to dry their hands with after the have been using the soap and water to make the felt. With the large loom/ small looms and the threads/ felt and  other materials it can be quite a bit to bring along - feels very well prepared. The participants also made the flowers on the mini loom. it maybe in an earlier blog i recall Viv telling me that she was going to experiment with this. it works well and participants pick it up quickly and can see the benefits of their efforts. Viv has a vision now of how her workshops will produce the end pieces - she envisages participants making the large felt piece using shades of green and then working with them to create flowers and bugs/ insects which will make a panel that can be shared at the various centres we are working at. Viv may also like to create similar pieces using blues to create a water based panel. watch this space!

First workshop at Katherine Low Settlement in Wandsworth - 24 July 09

Today’s workshop was excellent. A great energy. The weaved felt looked great and the young people loved it. I loved the way they adapted the activity into a game and started counting who could weave the felt fastest on the loom (one for the worksheets when we make them). Viv also made flowers with them so that had an individual creative activity to be getting on with. Despite the early protestations of one of the boys that he could not sew with gentle encouragement from Viv he overcame his shyness and ended up really enjoying the sewing and doing a good job. It is something we need to keep in mind however as we develop our textiles work that boys and men need to be integrated into the projects. I know Viv is thinking of doing insects and bugs if another workshop can be set up. Viv looked very happy with the way things were going when I left and suggested that it would be good to do an additional session with the group to finish of their work. Viv also suggested that this maybe good to have with the other groups we are working with this Aug. 

Pilot workshop for Tana Bana - 24 June 09

Following the first test workshop Viv reported a number of things. She suggested that it maybe better to have a looser take on the weave idea. That weave could also been seen as stitch. That we could take photos of a product making process (not necessarily related to weaving), which we could weave together into a display. Some did weave the bookmark Viv had designed, enjoyed the process but said that would not want to do it again!

The group Viv worked with were comfortable doing card making and when Dot presented her ideas for the 8^th July there was the possibility of merging these card making skills with Dot’s ideas. One thing we may develop is by way of identifying groups particular interests and finding ways of integrating our artistic visions to incorporate their ideas/ interests. So the idea that a group likes card making and that in any project they would want to use this – the challenge for us would be to see a way of extending their use of this basic skill and making this into something more.

The idea for the 1^st August Fun Day at Pollards Hill and the 10^th  birthday celebration on 28^th July at New Addington could be to make a frame and ask the kids to weave through this. This could also be a solution for the adults. The idea for adult workshops could be that we ‘warp up the loom’ so that participants would just need to weave. The option could be there for participants to learn warping if they wanted.

In terms of delivering this project we may find that with some groups we just produce a product and with others we focus on an artistic piece and do not try and integrate the two? Viv was suggesting that there was a weave element to the felt making we have done and that this could be introduced.

At the end of our conversation Viv said she has found a flower loom in her shed and that she would be testing out with this. I think we both recognised that the brief set is not easy in the time we have and the groups we are working with but I for one am confident that Viv and Dot and hopefully other artists we engage will come up with something good!!