My “Intermediates” started their new set of workshops by learning a little about fabric construction, and the difference between “fabric” and “fibre”. We unravelled some calico, and talked about cotton fibre, and how you can make cotton towelling, denim, calico and velvet; that they’re all completely different despite being made from the same fibre… I gave out lots of different samples of knit fabrics, showing how different they can be – some much more stable (and easier to sew) than others. Not knowing how long things would take, I had 3 possible projects lined up, but there was only time for one – and everyone made an eternity scarf, consisting of two different fabrics. Knits can be hard to handle – even cutting out accurately can be tricky. Most used a woven fabric and a knitted fabric – again, working with fabrics that behave differently can be problematic. That said, all the scarves were beautiful!
