Colour Activity

Tomorrow for the C+G Fashion course we are going to do a version of the colour activity that I did at the C+G training day. The students were given the assignment to bring a coloured accessory or coloured pair of shoes.

Coloured accessories - (the books in the background don't count.)

Because it is a smaller group, I have collected various accessories to take to supplement the ones the students bring. 2 things... 1. I don't really do coloured shoes. Apart from black, brown and white, I have blue...well, I have some spotty red flip flops, but they aren't fit for public viewing! 2. I don't wear scarves much. So, I have gone round and collected winter scarves, scarves my friend from Ethiopia brought me, some ties my husband doesn't wear. (He is definitely a play-it-safe-with-colour-and-don't-draw-attention-to-yourself tie wearer.) So, I rang up my friend, who found she doesn't really do coloured accessories either! But she brought a few things to fill some of my major gaps. A skein of orange wool, which we can pretend has been knitted up and a yellow towel, and one or two other things.

Actually, I may see what I have for a length of cloth in some of those colours, and they will do. It is about the colour really, not so much what it is.

Portfolio

Not too inspiring, but the paperwork for the second part of the Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector is now complete...well apart from about 3 more sessions of teaching. I hand it in tomorrow.

The next part begins after half-term, which is next week. It all finishes in July. (Crossing off days on calendar.) Theoretically, the next part should be easier. Well, we will see when we get there.

By the way, I get a chance to teach Tie-Dye in the beginning of June! I think the class is full already, but the previous tutor is unable to do it. Looks like an excuse to play in the half-term! I did quite a bit of dyeing when I was doing my City and Guilds, but it is always useful to refresh your memory. I haven't got much by way of samples, as I used bits and pieces for other things. I use the method taught by Val Bennett from Farne Designs. The topic has been up recently on the Dyer's list. They were talking about teaching dyeing to children, but a lot of the ways teachers found to make this easier will come in useful for a 2 hour session.

dragon study - tail Part 3

Here is the finished dragon tail and the doodle which I worked on to help me get the loops and patterning right. as you see, I decided to change a few directions. I thought it would be more positive to have the tail point upwards.
And now, off to do paperwork for courses and assignments for the teaching class.

State of Mind

I'm sure you don't really want to know, but I am making a PowerPoint presentation on Schemes of Work. I have to present a seminar for the teaching adults class tomorrow.

So, you get a glimpse of my state of mind. (how do you do strike through? anyone know?)

No, I mean a glimpse of my work table. Besides the Endless Possibilities which is at hand stitch stage, I am starting the third piece for the EquilARTeral Zoom piece. And then there are all the books I am trying to make some sense of. The bag on the cupboard handle is the finished altered dress. And just off to the top right of the photo, you get a glimpse of the overflowing ironing basket. and then you don't get to see the side of the studio with the sewing machine. I will leave it to your imagination.

My classes didn't have enough interest to run, or I would be teaching (and probably have even more of an archeological dig on my table.) But the samples for teaching are under the other part of the table. I was rather gutted that they didn't run. I know I will find the prep wasn't wasted, but I could have been doing other things.

So, as it is, I also have a meeting about the regional Contemporary Quilt Group on Thurs and a meeting with EquilARTeral on Fri. and have to finish prep for the course at Pangbourne next Wed. Oh, yeah, I need to get some photo or something to Simon to market the next Crafts@the Library. and I am meant to be writing an article, for which they have moved the deadline up.

I think I need to learn how to say No again.

The thing I am finding is that the past 6 years, the Spring was taken up with big projects...either City and Guilds: Fashion projects or Bernina garments. For relief, I did bits and pieces, like textile art pieces. So, now, it seems life is full of bits and pieces, and I am really on a learning curve about how to keep everything in order. Maybe I need to do a Big project so I can focus on the bits...HA. NOT.

However, I AM slowly ticking bits off the list and trying not to put more bits on. I think after next week I should have got back to a better state of mind. Cross fingers.

Alteration

Every now and again I do an alteration for this person or that. Mostly people who know me or who know someone who knows me. I don't mind a bit of one off, but I think I would go mad to do it all the time. My friend Gabrielle thrives on it!

Anyway, today I took in this dress around the high waist area to give a bit better definition. It looked a bit matronly hanging straight. The hanger does nothing for it, but when we were fitting it, we decided it looked better that way. I could have reconfigured the whole top to suit her better, but my time and her budget didn't go for that.

The lady is the mother-in-law of a young lady whose wedding dress I altered last summer ...I used to work with her mother at a Junior School. The young lady married in Greece...without family. This son is being married in Antigua in March...with family...thus the dress for the mum. She rang me last week...not too easy to find dresses for Antigua weather at this time of year, and especially trying to get something that fits well enough for a wedding. She says she has a few others for some of the other events, but they have little light jackets that cover up the bits she isn't happy with, so they will do.

I was a bit concerned about the part where I had to unpick part of the side invisible zip to take it in. But, as I was only taking in part of the area and tapering to the original seamline above and below, it wasn't too bad.

We have an extension on the Stretching Art deadline, so that means tomorrow I can concentrate on my studies for the session I have to present about "Schemes of Work" in my teaching adult course. Unfortunately, the two courses that I was supposed to start teaching next week are not running...not enough interest. I guess leisure courses are not such a priority when people are losing their jobs. Fingers crossed for the courses I am to do towards the end of March.

Bargain!

Well, we won't say any more about the Cricket, except to say I should have watched/listened to the Rugby on Saturday instead.


But I went to Reading to the Hobby Craft for a some bits and pieces for the Library workshops on Tuesday and Wednesday. I intended not to get swayed by any deals. However, when these were in a bin for 97p each and they are normally £3.99 each. I realised I better get them when I could! They had the ink versions, but the dye based ones can be used on fabric...or so I have been told. I really had to rummage for the red ones and the green and blue, as they had loads of the other colours. But, I am looking forward to trying them out.

I also got a few bits for some of the other classes coming up that I will be doing.
And now, back to assignments.

Distracted

Trying to do assignments today. The trouble with being willing to teach 4 or five courses plus workshops, means you have 4 or 5 times the paper work. And besides, I have to have the relevant paperwork for at least 30 hours teaching in order to fulfill the requirements for the teaching training course. So, I have been trying to filling in schemes of work...in between being distracted by the cricket.

Not a "real" cricket, but Cricket.

Photographer: Ian Britton

England are playing the West Indies. It is a test match, so it lasts 5 days. I did have it on the digital radio, but it keeps cutting out, so I have it on the computer. Well, at least I haven't been tempted to veg in front of the telly to watch it.

I still need to do lesson plans, but I guess it won't happen today.

I'd rather make art Thankyouverymuch.

Inspiration Tuesday

Here is something to make you think. Have a guess and leave a message! Tomorrow I will post what they are. I think the symbols would be awesome for stamps, stencils, silk screens, etc. I can also see them as beaded motifs! What would you do with them?

Assignments:

I have been writing up a Research Rationale this week. Tonight is college. It took me a couple weeks to get my head round what one was so I could work out how to do it! Come to find out, in the terminology of the ordinary person (me) it is a research PLAN. Only you have to write why you decided to chose to research certain of the topics connected to teaching/learning. I guess it is more than just, "I chose to research these because I have to for the course."! After they explained things last week, it made more sense. There are a few topics you get the impression you should NOT leave out. But the rest are topics you decide on 1 - because you want to know more or 2 - because it will help you with teaching in your subject area.

The Ofsted inspectors are there this week. One good reason not to regret my courses for the Autumn term didn't run! They, in their wisdom, have chosen to inspect our Visual and Performing Arts department, although it had good comments last time. So, my boss has tons of work. However, she is confident the department is great, so is not worried. They have invited the inspectors to come to our teaching training class, though. Why? Because a large percentage of the class are new teachers in our department! It will be weird if they come, but I hope they do come to see that the department is forward looking and trying to make available the type of courses the public wants.

What is interesting is that all the teachers (we have 3 this time) are teachers with backgrounds in theory type subjects rather than activity/skills based subjects. They have noted that, but it will be interesting to see how they manage to "adapt their teaching style to that of the learner" as we are often told to do. No wonder with so many Kinaesthetic and Visual Learners, we sit there with glazed looks when they are waxing eloquent about the theory side of things.

Inspiration Tuesday

Today I'm typing up assignments for my course tonight. It is called Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector. (PTLLS). After Christmas I will go on to do the Certificate to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector. (CTLLS) I will be teaching at New Directions which used to be Reading Adult Community College.

A few weeks ago, I had to do the first micro-teach of something from my chosen subject. So, I taught them how to make the boxes I mentioned the other day that I will be teaching at the library. I am glad that is out of the way.
I have been trying to get assignments done a bit ahead. Next week will be half-term, and they have set 2 assignments to be due the following week. Of course, I won't be doing assignments while I am in Houston, so I want to try to get them in this week.

So, here is an inspiration for you. What would it inspire you to make?

If you are interested in inspiration from everyday objects look at a blog by Virginia Spiegel.
It is called The Garbage Day Project. Makes you think about what we throw away!