May ~ Screenprinting Workshop

Having enjoyed the workshops at the start of the year, when a friend said she was going to a couple being run in South Queensferry I said sign me up too!  They were being held at the Harbour Lane Studio in South Queensferry.  It is a really lovely little gallery that is a rather like the tardis, it is stuffed full of lovely art and crafts all handmade/painted/produced by Scottish artists, but then stretches to include enough space for half a dozen students.  Owned and run by Tori Grey and enthusiastic illustrator, artist, and tutor, there is a fabulous liveliness about the place and a great vibe.

Harbour Lane Studio photo by Tori Grey

 I arrived an hour early for the workshop - excitement getting the better of me - but it meant I had time for a cup of tea and wee wonder about South Queensferry, stretching my legs after the long drive from Argyll.  I have crossed the rail bridge many times over the years, it's such an iconic bridge.

And I took the chance to put my feet up and enjoy the breeze and study the new Forth Road bridge.

The screen printing workshop was taken by Ellie from East End Press, (who also brought along little Frida, her five-month-old fluffy puppy, who had a taste for licking my bare toes and ran off with my fitflop!) 

​She explained that we were to do a simple drawing of something we would like to print.  There was a lot of inspiration about, and we quickly decided on our images.  Then we drew our designs out on to the paper back of sticky backed plastic/fablon.  Using a scalpel, we cut out our patterns then stuck them to the center of a silk screen, covering over the excess screen with parcel tape.

Then we got printing … a tea towel, cotton bag, a cushion cover and a couple of feet of calico.  I was really pleased with the way mine came out, and hope to use this technique for future projects.  Especially as completely coincidentally the lovely mum of one of my Junior Needlesmiths gave me a couple of screens and a squeegee that had belonged to her late mother-in-law and wondered if I could make use of them!  I think that Tori could have heard my squeaks back in South Queensferry!