Product Description

This is an inspirational and practical guide to the potential of heat tools for textile artists. Soldering irons, heat guns and household irons can add texture and variety to textile work - whether it's hand embroidery, machine embroidery, quilting or felting. Stunning work can be produced with these tools: hot and cold foiling; painted and plain Bondaweb (fusible webbing) on wood, paper, fabric and pelmet Vilene; making beads from synthetic fabrics, Tyvek and Kunin felt; melting and distorting plastic bags and cellophane; working in 3D; and embossing powders. With step-by-step instructions, full health and safety advice and stunning photography, the book contains: an outline of the main heat tools with safety notes; Soldering irons: a range of techniques using media from synthetic and natural fabrics to paper and safe plastics; Heat guns: a range of techniques using media from synthetic and natural fabrics to paper and safe plastics; Household irons: a range of techniques using media from synthetic and natural fabrics to paper and safe plastics; Heat and other materials: glues and texture gels; and, Putting it all together: using a number of tools and fabrics in different layers on the same piece. This is an important book for all textile artists, following on from the bestselling "Fusing Fabric" (ISBN 0713489561) and "Surfaces for Stitch" (ISBN 0713489073), showing the latest techniques wanted by all those involved in textiles.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22406 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

About the Author
Kim Thittichai is a major textile artist who specialises in teaching experimental textiles. Her popular four-year course has a two-year waiting list and she also runs shorter workshops to meet the demand. She regularly travels to the International Craft and Hobby Fairs (ICHF) and has an international presence. She lives in Brighton. Reference: Fusing Fabrics 0 7134 89561

Customer Reviews

Some like it hot
This is one hot book. Here you will learn heat techniques used in fibre arts. Burn, layer, distort and shape to create unique works of art. Create textured embellishment using beads, sequins, grasses, petals or eye-boggling 3-dimensional vessels.
Kim Thittichai is mistress of the art of hot textiles and offers instructions and techniques using simple, easily obtainable household items, heat guns and soldering irons. A variety of materials are used including plastic, cellophane, felt, thermogauze, bark cloth, Bondaweb, Lutradur, Tyvek and Pelmet Vilene to create innovative work. Clear instructions are given for safe use of materials and equipment as care needs to be taken with some of the techniques described, for example to avoid fumes from melting plastic. Alongside Kim's own work is a selection of work from other textile artists. This practical book will help you to develop your own ideas if you already have a grounding in working with textiles and heat tools.
The book is divided into two parts: Tools and Techniques followed by Practice. Each section is comprehensive, looking at for example, what you can achieve with a heat gun. The large vessels made by Kim from painted Pelmet Vilene and Bondaweb are breathtaking. Another stunning vessel is shown by Sarah Hawkins, made by melting plastic bags. This book gives you the know-how but not step-by-step instructions to create similar works of art of your very own. There are many examples of work to offer inspiration. The book follows on from the techniques explored by Margaret Beal in 'Fusing Fabric' (see review) by introducing new materials with which to work. The book is lavishly illustrated and a must for any textile artist pursuing this technique.

A welcome addition to any textile artist's bookshelf.
This is a comprehensive guide to using heat to alter your textile creations. The first section deals with tools and their safe use (essential in this context!) and the rest of the book suggests wonderful projects using all kinds of material, including a lot of recycled ones. The illustrations are an inspiration in themselves, and Kim's style is delightfully conversational as well as clear. Well worth it's cost.

Very Inspiring!
This is a lovely book - it's very well presented and the pictures are truly inspiring. I originally purchased this book after doing a 'Textiles Taster' class. Prior to the class I had always (incorrectly) associated textiles with only sewing, which isn't really my thing! During the class we covered various things like dyeing and fabric manipulation although nothing on using heat apart from batik. I started doing my own research on the web to find out more about textiles and eventually came across this book - what a great find!!

The book makes an interesting read and really get you wanting to experiment with the techniques described. I purchase a heat tool (about fifteen pounds or so) and was amazed by how easy it was to start creating my own work. One big piece of advice from the book I would say you should definitely heed to is to stay in a well ventilated room when you're using heat - I didn't always follow this advice in the beginning and was treated to series of horrendous migraines as a result!

Anyway, I think this book is going to be great for anyone interested in textiles including those just looking at it from a hobbyist perspective, those doing textiles degrees or even those approaching it from a professional standpoint. Just brilliant!