George Weil Blog & FAQs

Transparent fabric paints are very effective when used to create sun prints. Here we demonstrate prints made using Jacquard Dye-na-flow and Deka Silk paints in the evening sunshine using leaves as the mask. Sun Prints using Fabric Paints Creating the Sun Print First make the fabric wet by spraying or brushing water across the surface and then appl

The glorious sunshine has given me a chance to use the Fibrecrafts Cyanotype Blue Printing Kit which contains enough chemicals to make up to 1 litre of solution, a 1/2 metre each of silk and cotton fabric, and a step-by-step instruction leaflet. The chemical solution of the iron salts (ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide) is sensitiv

For many people the idea of buying a loom, then weaving on it sounds complicated and confusing. Something perhaps best left to professionals and textile artists? This is how I felt whenever I contemplated the practical use of ‘heddles’, ‘warp and weft’ and many other weaving terms. However this week I found myself surrounded by opportunity

Here's a quick fix for a plain and boring lampshade. These lampshades were bought from a well-known bargain value high street store, and we have made them more interesting by decorating them with skeleton leaves. The skeleton leaves are available from the George Weil website as are the PVA glue, glue spreader and paint brushes needed to complete

A great atmosphere here today at George Weil as we share ginger bread men, wear Christmas jumpers and surprise each other with a Secret Santa. Here are some of the staff enjoying the Christmas 2015 festivities Left to right are: Julie who is a member of the sales department and often the voice you will hear when you call us, Allison and Liam (mothe

Thank you Kathe for posting the following about her book "So Warped" in the Tapestry2005 yahoo group: "My books have been available in Europe through Amazon and Fine Fiber Press for years, but because they were sent by US Mail it sometimes doubled or almost doubled the cost of the books. That problems is now solved because www.georgeweil.com GEORGE

Thank you to everyone who joined us for coffee and cake on Friday. We managed to raise £90 for Macmillan Cancer Support and got to meet some very nice people and eat lots of lovely goodies while doing it! Cake certainly does taste better together. We hope to arrange this event again next year and look forward to meeting more of our customers - you

These exciting soluble indigo natural dyes are derived from fermented natural indigo and alkanet. The Turquoise Blue natural dye gives a good blue and at lower concentrations provides a fine teal green. The Forest Green, which also contains fermented pomegranate, produces a deep green. Just 10g will dye 100g of materials to the full colour achieva

Need something fun to do in the sun? Make the most of the bright sunshine to create detailed prints without a camera! Jacquard Solar Fast dyes are used to create photograms, continuous tone photographs, shadow prints, and ombrès on fabric and paper. They develop their colour and become permanent upon exposure to UV light, most easily sourced from

Double dyeing devore fabric involves using two distinct and different colours in one dye bath, and a fabric made from two different fibre types which take up the two dyes independently. The image below shows how the silk net on the devore cushion cover has taken the silk/wool colour while the pile has taken the viscose/cotton colour. The fibres (f

An Art Clay Silver project by Sue Heaser Art Clay Silver clay is made of pure silver powder, water and binder. It can be modelled like modelling clay or polymer clay and is easily fired at home using a gas hob or a blow torch. Here is a beginners’ Art Clay Silver project by Sue Heaser to get you started; These little frames can be displayed in a

Polymer clay is an ideal medium for doll making. The smooth finish and ease of working means you can create lifelike dolls of all kinds - from baby dolls and full size dolls to fairies and miniature dolls. Beginners find polymer clay easy to use because it does not dry out as you work so you can take your time to develop your skills. Polymer clay

Disperse dye can be used with various techniques and will readily colour synthetics such as polyester, nylon, cellulose acetate, vilene, viscose, synthetic velvets and PVC. They can also be used to colour plastic buttons and fastenings. Their effect is less potent on polyester, due to the molecular structure, allowing only pastel through to medium

Prepared Wool Fibres Wool fibres that have been washed and carded into a roving are commonly known as Wool Tops. The fibres are prepared so that the wool tops are consistent in their staple length and count. The Bradford count of fibre fineness is sometimes used in the UK to define a wool top: the higher the count, the finer the top. The staple len

What is Wax-Out! Wax-Out! offers an alternative solution to removing wax from finished Batik items. It is a mix of products which, individually, are already in commercial use in the textile industry for removing oils and waxes from fibres, yarn and fabrics. These contaminants arise both as from the original raw materials, wax in cotton and lanolin

Understanding Weaving Loom Shed The shed is the space between raised and lowered warp threads in which the weft passes through. Floor looms have a range of mechanisms for creating the shed; each has its benefits and disadvantages. The shed shown in the image right demonstrates how the warp is lifted and separated. This small loom creates a shed usi

The best way to paint fabric or apply Batik wax, is to suspend the fabric on a stretcher frame. The fine weave of the silk fabric makes it ideal for painting, and silk paints or dyes give vibrant results leaving the silk with a soft handle. Silk paints can also be used on cotton fabric, although the results are not as bright as on the light transmi

by Allison Holland These effective beads were made using FIMO Soft polymer clays. The white coloured clay is FIMO Soft Translucent and the photo does not show its full ice-like effect. Combined with the Peppermint colour and the Opal Green. I created a rough cane by laying logs rolled from the three colours (divide a 56g block into 6 and use one pi

with Sue Heaser This project shows you how to decorate a round bead with slices from a spiral cane made with polymer clay. The technique works equally well with slices from a millefiori cane. You will need a spiral cane, polymer clay in a contrasting or matching colour, and a tool, such as a darning needle, to pierce the bead once it is made. The b

Susan Litton shows us how to prepare a silk hanky ready for spinning. A silk hanky is produced from a silk cocoon and is made up of one continuous gossamer thread. The sericin (the glue that keeps the cocoon together) is removed from the cocoon by simmering it for 30 - 45 minutes in a solution of water, soda ash and synthapol. When the cocoon has