Previous Meetings
This page is here to show a history of topics as well as any resources that the presenters may have shared during their programs.
April 18
Program
Monika Astera will be joining us to chronicle her inspiring journey of realizing her dream to create fun, fabulous, easy care clothing for women of all sizes. Over the last 27 years she has lived and created handmade wearable art pieces in some of the most beautiful places around the globe. She has assisted thousands of women from all over the US and all around the globe – including big name celebrities – to experiment and dress in innovative ways. Monika will talk about her approach in making women feel and look great through her flattering, casually elegant clothing and jewelry, and will also be demonstrating the effects that the colors, shapes and textures that we wear on our bodies have on the way we feel. Afterwards you can have fun trying things on and experiencing Monika’s approach to dressing.
So – get ready for a fun, fashion inspiring evening.
Recharge Zone
Sue Foss
Batik. Process, Color, Design
March 21
Program
In April 2009, Ann Meyer spent the month traveling miles to remote, mountainous, tribal villages researching textiles, costumes and ceremonial traditions of many different ethnic minority groups in the Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces of southern China. She visited villages to see the indigo plants, the dye vats, the ramie plant being harvested, separated, wound on spools ready for weaving and dyeing….. incredible hand embroidery work with brightly colored silk thread and silver foil used to embellish gorgeous costumes. She says of the journey: “It was an awesome experience to see the centuries old traditions still being practiced in today’s China.” Ann will be coming to speak to the Austin Fiber Artists about her travels and share some of her collection of Chinese textiles.
Recharge Zone
Quilling – Butterfly/Daisy, Rob Bartlett
The March Recharge Zone will be a hands-on demonstration of the art of quilling by Rob Bartlett. Participants will learn how to make the basic shapes and how to assemble some of them into a stylized butterfly and/or a daisy.
Materials List (you will need to bring or share the items in bold):
- 5×7 or larger card stock or stiff fabric (used for backing – plain or patterned, but something that won’t overpower the daisy or butterfly). Your origami photo album front cover would work.
- Scissors (I will provide paper strips, but you will cut them to different lengths)
- Round toothpicks – I will provide these (one with a slot cut in one end for each person) – used as quilling tools and for glue). If you have a quilling tool, bring that.
- Glue – Elmer’s works. I’ve also used Mod Podge. I have not tried quilling with glue sticks, though I have seen it done. I don’t know how well it holds.
- Paper strips (1/8 inch – I will provide this)
- Something to put glue in/on and rest the tools on (I use a plastic lid). A sheet of paper will work (I’ll provide this)
February 15
Program
Malissa Long uses fiber art as a medium to practice her techniques and is a founding member of the Austin Fiber Artists. She has been known to make dresses out of ties, jackets out of bottle caps, and recycle aluminum cans into embellishments for her pieces. All of her fabrics are recycled or sustainable; she is an eco-conscious designer. She loves creating work as well as helping other local designer by patterning, sampling, and even producing their collections. Malissa will be coming to speak to the Austin FIber Artists about her journey through the world of wearable art and fashion here in Austin.
Recharge Zone
Origami Photo Album, Dee Merrell
Materials List:
- 3 sheets of cardstock 12″ x 12″ – both sides will show. This is for the inside of the book, the pages will accordion out.
- 2 stiff tablet backs cut 6 ¼ x 6 ¼ (not as heavy as cardboard, but not flimsy either) (I will have cardboard )
- 1 yd of ribbon – no wider than 1 ½
- Book Cover: Either decorative paper 8 ¼ (2) Or fabric squares 8 ¼ (2)
- Double sided tape – I use Scotch 3M Permanent
- optional: If you have a bone folder (creaser) bring it, but not necessary to buy.
January 18
Program
Laurie Brainerd will be coming from the San Antonio area to speak to the Austin Fiber Artists group about the process of fine art quilts from beginning to completion. Laurie Brainerd is a full-time studio artist. She began creating art in 2005 after careers in corporate accounting and life
coaching. She has studied art at the Southwest School of Art and with Jane Dunnewold in her Art Cloth Mastery Program. Brainerd’s process begins with white cloth. She dyes the cloth in a painterly fashion and then stitches on it to create work rich in color, texture, and emotion. Brainerd has exhibited nationally; her work has been published in several books; and recently she completed a commission for the Baptist Health
System.
Recharge Zone
Diane Sandlin will be leading the recharge activity — working with Gelli plates. It’s a way to monoprint with imbedded designs using acrylic paints — on fabric, paper, notecards, etc. If anyone ever tried gel printing — you know, making the gel and chilling it until firm, then working quickly with paints and designs, all the while the gel disintegrated — well, this takes away the prep work and the disintegration piece of that process. For more information, go to www.gelliarts.com.
bring gloves to protect your hands and small pieces of cloth or papers that you’d like to use. In case you forget, not to worry– she will have extras.
Dec 14
Program
Holiday Party
Recharge Zone
N/A
November
Program
Jean Laman will be coming to give a presentation on her experience as the head of the Fibers department at Texas State University- San Marcos. Recently retired, she will be showing slides of and speaking on student work, as well as a personal career spanning over 30 years. This is sure to be a very enlightening program from a very unique and local perspective on the Fiber Arts! We are very excited to have her this month.
Recharge Zone
We will show how to make Artist’s Trading Cards at the recharge zone in November. We’ll have some supplies and two felters for participants to play on but they will need to bring:
- Embroidery needle
- Regular sewing needle
- Embroidery or regular thread
- Small scissors
- Embellishments of any type (buttons, trims, ribbons, etc.)(we’ll have some)
October
Program
Cobweb sale! Members and non-members alike will be coming together to clear our studio space and extra inventory to make room for new supplies and fiber habits. The idea behind the sale is to buy, sell, or trade for other artists’ raw materials, finished products, or anything in between. A good opportunity to get to know what the individual artists in our community actually do on a detailed basis, not to mention maybe even getting some early holiday shopping!
Recharge Zone
Shaving Cream Dyeing, hands-on by Jean Dahlgren
September
Program
Please note that we will be meeting in the Ministry Building this month. It is the solitary building in the back, some of you may have attended workshops there in the past. There is a sign in front of the building that says “The Retreat”.
Harriet Turner will be coming and doing a demo on various beading techniques including a 2 needle peyote technique. She will be bringing examples of unique applications that she has experienced, and will be talking about different ways to employ beading in many types of Fiber Art.
Recharge Zone
Zentangles led by Diane Barney, and as usual will start at 5:30 p.m. Zentangle or zendoodle is an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. She will describe and demonstrate how to draw a Zentangle from scratch, what materials are required, and also show you how to use the techniques imaginatively in your own work. You don’t have to be an artist to create these varied and complicated-looking doodles 
August
Program
Attention! One-Time Location Change: Meeting will take place in the Butridge Gallery at the Dougherty Arts Center, as the AFA group show ‘United in Textiles’ will be installed there. Nina Mihm from the Dragonfly Gallery will be speaking about the selection process and current trends in art. The location is 1110 Barton Springs Road Austin, TX and the phone number is (512) 974-4000. Come see what our group has been up to!
Recharge Zone
Due to the location, there will be no recharge zone.
July 2011
Program
Mary Beard will be giving a talk on ‘crazy quilts’. She will be bringing pieces and speaking about various processes and techniques that she employs in her work.
Recharge Zone (5:30 – 6:30)
Meg will be talking about Kumihimo: Braiding.
There are lots of kinds of braids and lots of uses for them.
Come explore and enjoy some hands on efforts!