the geometry of gathering

bagstories :: the geometry of gathering

Much of the joy of working with plants comes from wandering about and gathering leaves to play with. The gentle walking is good for our health, the paying of attention to the environment is good for our souls. Having something beautiful to collect leaves in is, I think, vital to the experience. For me, printing with leaves is a practice I engage in with reverence, and I love that every aspect of that work has its own particular beauty.

I love having a selection of beautiful hand-sewn bags in which to gather up found treasures.

I also think it essential to have accommodation for notebooks, pencils and watercolours while following dried bits of marmalade across the map.

I have been fascinated by Japan's beautiful tsunobukuro bags for many years, and discovering (through explorative play) some of the intriguing shapes that can be built on this deceptively simple form. Beginning with the magic that can be constructed from a handful of squares; the course takes you through several variations, offers neat mathematical formulae for calculating size and length, and proposes useful guidelines for further experimentation.

We will also look at the respective merits of dyeing before or after construction, and enjoy the delight of a little 'preservation dyeing' along the way.

'The geometry of gathering' also embraces several versions of the "wanderbeutel" (a class I have taught a number of times in person but that is so much more rewarding when given the gift of time) as well as bags built on möbius strips and a hands-free Mama Roo bag that fastens comfortably around the waist when you absolutely need both hands to be free.

This course will help you find a use for all of those piles of ecoprint samples you've been hoarding for a rainy day. Those that do not become bags might be stitched together as beautiful wrapping cloths for gifts, books or lunch.