Alysn Midgelow-Marsden – ***Subject to be Advised***
Includes homemade lunch and refreshments
About the tutor
Alysn Midgelow-Marsden is an experienced freelance artist in fine art textiles, an author of several
books and numerous articles, a tutor and a gallery director. Awards include the Bernina Award for
the most Innovative use of the sewing machine, NZ, 2015. In addition, Alysn has professional
qualifications in Textiles and Embroidery, Professional Arts Practice, E-commerce. Alysn lived in the
Midlands of England for most of her life, and developed the Beetroot Tree Gallery, moving to New
Zealand in 2012.
Tutor Statement:
Alysn says: “I have an experimental and curious nature leading to continuously evolving works and
media; investigating new dimensions as they develop. The history and meaning of the materials I
choose is often critically important to the development of the pieces. Currently I am working in
copper, bronze, brass, stainless steel and pewter in the form of metal shims and woven metal fabrics
and wires, combined with a variety of papers, fabrics, pens, paints, threads and natural objects. I find
that it is a continuing pleasure to adapt my ideas into formats which can be taken on by fibre artists,
embroiderers or other creatives”
What you will need to bring
‘*’ denotes materials which are available to buy on the day.
‘#’ denotes materials or equipment which I will have available to use on the day if you do not have your own.
- Materials Fee: If you choose to use materials I have brought to share there will be a fee of up to £5.00, dependant on the amount you use.
- Choose a range of colours which you like or suit a project you are working on, generally 2 or 3 colours which blend and one to contrast works well.
Equipment:
For needle felting:
- A firm foam pad at least 2” thick, size at least 15cm sq. or bristle brush as needle felting base.
- A needle felting tool with medium needles (size 36 or 38 preferably) *
- An individual fine needle or a multi needle tool if you have one.
- An embellisher machine if you have one. # (1 to share)
- Hand and/or machine sewing requisites including needles, sewing scissors.
- A large sharp needle such as a chenille or upholstery needle/ mattress needle #
Materials:
- 1-2 sheets A4 copy paper #
- Pen or pencil
- Tape measure
- Up to 3 Polystyrene balls/shapes between approx. 3 and 10 cm diameter. You will probably achieve 1 or 2 complete in the time. *
- 15 x 20cm each of base fabrics: I suggest 3 fabrics as bases, include a velvet and a felt. #
- Fusible web (Transfer adhesive/bondaweb/vliesofix) approx 10 x 15cm *
- Scraps of (in your colour choices ): Sari silk ribbon; fine/thin fabrics or sheers, silk, banana, soy, wool type loose fibres, fine chiffons, Angelina fibres. #
- Up to 2 sheets of Dutch metal leaf.
- Standard machine sewing cottons. Plain and/or variegated.
- A few hand embroidery threads in colours to suit you.
Chiffon ribbons. A selection to suit your colour choices. Approx. 5 x 7