Old joke: what’s black and white and red all over?
Ans: a newspaper
Or
THE ANNUAL CHAIR’S CHALLENGE
This years challenge will use the colours Black, Red and White. You are asked to make a scarf and it must display, wholly or in part, one of the guilds core skills: weaving, spinning, or dyeing. Please do not add in any other colours; however you can mix and blend the 3 colours together to create shades and tones. Other than that it’s down to you. It could be rectangular, square, circular, frilly, a cowl, or a dickey for fitting under a coat. It can be made for an adult, child or even your favourite pet.
Here are some ideas:
- Blend some red or black fibre with the white, spin and then construct your scarf.
- Blend the colours optically in a weaving/ knitting pattern.
- Tie – dye a silk blank or purchased scarf.
- Felt it in 2 colours, cutout shapes and needle weave the third colour in the voids.
- Use one colour as a warp and pattern with the two others
- Thicken dye and print onto fabric and then construct your scarf.
- Mix dyes in various ratios to dye a gradient.
- Weave a totally white scarf and dye with red and black using folded techniques.
- Weave small squares on a weavette, or make small round weavings ( borrow the guilds circle looms) and join into a scarf.
For those of you who wish to take the challenge further try using the idea of the newspaper to inform your design:
- Use the shape of the columns to inspire a pattern of blocks of colour or texture.
- The crossword may inspire a checkered pattern.
- Photos in print may may you think of grainy or pixelated patterning.
- Print or fonts could be used to create patterns and ideas.
- Make a bold statement with a large ‘ headline’ pattern at one end.
- Maybe different layers inspired by folds/ pages.
- Graphic colouring, ie starkly black and white with red highlights.
Nervous about joining in our challenge then join forces with someone and create a joint project. Nothing to stop a group of you getting together and making a scarf for the BFG!
Have fun.