Keepsake Legacy Album
Ruth Rae

Class Description

In this class, we will start out by learning fabric dyeing and discharge techniques. I’ll show you how to combine personal or found photos with small tokens, mementos, and paper ephemera to tell a story. I’ll leave you to your own devices to decide whether your story is personal or fictional. Learn innovated ways to create pockets to house mementos or various small objects. Machine sewing on various surfaces will also be covered in this class along with fabric and paper altering techniques that add extra texture and drama to the pages of a personal journal. I will show you how to use a sewing machine to sew words or pictures onto fabric. Delight in the details as we learn about the joys of hand stitching to create texture and drama into your pages. Lastly you will assemble your book by way of Japanese Stab Binding.

Students Should Bring:

• StazOn® ink (I will have some in class)
• Rubber stamps (deeply etched)
• Muslin, natural – 2 yard
• ½ yard each of two different complementary colors of felt wool or craft. (If you would like you can wash your wool felt and place it in the dyer on high and it will pucker up for a nice texture.)
• ½ yard Organza, assorted colors
• ½ yard decorative fabric (such as a brocade)
• Trim, lace, buttons, and jewelry or any mementos that you would like to incorporate into your album.
• Photos or images
• Mica
• Japanese screw down punch (if you have one)
• 3 yards of ribbon for binding
• a stick or similar object around 8 ½ inches for binding
• Perle cotton # 5 or embroidery floss in a few colors
• Scissors
• Embroidery needle
• Awl
• 2 large binder clips
• Assorted ephemera such as book text, sheet music, old letters.

Instructor will provide:

Use of heat guns, Japanese screw down punch, inks, and rubber stamps, dyes and bleach. Sewing machines will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own if you would like.

Artist Bio

Ruth Rae is a classically trained jeweler that some how found her true creative calling when she discovered a sewing machine. Best known for her mixed media fabric work; Ruth’s pieces are recognized for there time worn appearance that she archives by altering textiles leading the viewer to believe that her creations were created centuries ago. When one is viewing Ruth’s work you are instantly transported to the past.

Ruth Rae teaches her jewelry and fabric techniques extensively in the USA. Her art and articles have appeared in numerous publications and juried shows.  Ruth’s first book, “A Charming Exchange”, brought new ideas for collaborative jewelry. Her second book, “Layered, Tattered and Stitched: A Fabric Art Workshop” will provide you with the inspiration and techniques in order to create fabric-art with incredible depth and personal significance. Ruth has filmed many instructional DVDs as well as appearing on Quilting Arts TV. Ruth aspires to motivate others to follow the inner passion to fuel their own artist inspirations with her art and musings at www.ruthrae.com