Tutor: Galina Kofod

Students will go through all the stages of creating flowers from silk and leather. This will include the preparation of materials, dying them, making patterns, assembling and finishing techniques.

In this workshop, the students will have the opportunity to learn a famous Japanese flower making technique, Somebana. This enables the students to individualize each and every flower. The flowers made using this technique look much more realistic than flowers made with traditional flower making techniques. Based on the  Japanese silk flower making technique, students will learn how to apply this knowledge and skills to leather.

On the first day of the class, students,  depending on their progress, will create one or two flowers from leather. The students can choose from the range of flowers.

On the second day of the class, students will make a silk Old English Rose (David Austin Rose) in Somebana technique.

They will also learn how to modify existing patterns and design their own flowers.

Depending on their progress will make 1-2 different leather flowers.   So they need several thin (1mm thick leather or less is the best) pieces of leather (goat, sheep, dear, kangaroo, pig). At least 2 pieces of different colour leather   (30 cm square each min) , one is for petals, other one is for leaves and stem.

If students choose not to bring their own leather, they   will be able to use Tutor KITs. It will cost $ 20 for each leather flower.

The Tutor will prepare for the class pre-cut kits of stiffened silk for flower-making in Japanese technique.   The KIT will cost US$30, the price also includes the dyes that students will apply, Japanese glue and other Japanese materials that the students need for making a silk flower in Japanese Somebana technique.   Payable to instructor in class.