Monday 31 October 2011

Halloween Tribute



I made these bowls last week to put in Knit Wits window
to advertise the fun fabric in store.
They are made by drawing round a dinner plate,
twice and cutting it out. Lay one of your circles
on some cotton fusible batting and cut out.
Lay your base fabric, wrong side looking
at you. Then the batting and then the top fabric
good side looking at you. Pin together.
Sew a gather stitch all the way round
the top of your circle edge.
and pull together to form your bowl.
Pin your wide ribbon in place and zig zag stitch
in place, (like a bias binding edging)
neaten off the join.
Vola' a bowl!
The Pumpkins are from our garden.
:-/
See my Monster mash tribute on my
tech site

Lace Folded Purse


Monday 31st October!!!!!! :-\
I am always looking out for folded bag patterns
and I came across a beaded and decorated one on You tube.
So I decided to make this and decorate mine with lace
and machine embroidery.
I think I will make several of these as gifts.
See more of my Lace and Vintage art pieces
on my portfolio site
The you tube video put on by a lovely
Australian lady is on my tech site

Green Lantern DVD

On Saturday night, Stewart and I had Movie Night
watching 'The Green Lantern'.
I watch, read and am inspired by many sources
and love watching the new DVD releases.
This one is very comic book!
See a clip on my Tech Site

Studio Day with Maggie and Kim




As you may know I open my studio throughout
the Summer for Students to come and work.
Most want to use the large table to finish and
bast their quilts.
I usually close my doors in September but
Kim asked me if I would do a special day
for her daughter Maggie to come along and
make something for a Birthday Treat.
(Kim is the Card and Scrapbooking Tutor
@The Gallery).
Maggie is 15 years old and is inspired to
have a career working in textiles.
Kim came along as the taxi driver and to
make some cards in my space!
It was a lovely day and Maggie brought along
Mum's sewing machine and learnt all about it
and got to play on my embroidery machine too!
She will be a fantastic designer you can see that
by her 'Folded Bag' above and visit her
Blog at
also Kims Card Making Blog




On Friday, I got a call from Jill at
'Jill's Crafting Studio', to say there was a
space in her afternoon class and
would I like to come along.
I jumped at the chance and off I went.
Jill's Card Studio Shop is so light and airy and
inspirational.
We were soon making a Tri Folded Christmas Card.
(See mine above). Two hours went so quick and
it was lovely meeting other card enthusiasts.
I am still at the beginner stage!!!!
Learnt lots and enjoyed the time.
Thank you to Jill and the ladies.

Thursday 27th Quilting Class at Knit Wits





The last Thursday of every month is
Quilts and Quilt Making at Knit Wits in Dereham.
Its really getting lovely now as students are bringing
in lots of finished work and showing
and sharing.
As you can see by the photos above there are
cushions. Christmas runners,
(love the Robin fabric in this one,
well done Irene)
and quilts at there start.
See more by clicking the written labels below
or see a workshop list above.

Embroidery Guild Felt Making



On Wednesday 26th of October Bridget
came to speak to our local Branch of The Embroiderers Guild,
in Kings Lynn. Bridget spoke to us about the history
in general of felting and then also about East Anglian
Felting History, especially Norwich which was
really interesting.
She then got us down to work making, Felt Flowers.
She had brought all the equipment with her
and it wasn't long before we were
'Faffing', a technical term picked up by Sandra!
and tufting our wool tops into circle shapes,
on bubble wrap, as you can see above.
It was then sponging them down with soapy water
and rolling and rolling out a couple of hundred times.
This was fun watching as I went around the room
taking photographs.
Even though I have made lots of felt myself
it is wonderful taking part in a group activity
and I had not made these type of flower before.
We then soaked our little bits of damp fluff in
clean water and worked into them, pulling and
stretching them tighter and into flower shapes as they
began to shrink.
These we then shaped around or fingers or pens to form a
centre of the flower and secured with elastic bands.
We all had a lovely time and all went home with
extra pieces of wool top to make stamens or centres
and a lovely sturdy brooch pin to sew on the back.
My flower is the top purple flower,
looking a bit wild! with its unusual petals!
Visit our Guild Site
or visit Bridget's site

Sunday 30 October 2011

Textile Painting




Both Ann and Sue came into the Textile Tuesday
sessions over the last few weeks, just wanting
to paint fabric!
So in my usual fashion set them to work
with all the equipment and some tips
and hints and set them to play and explore
the medium!
He! He!
I love it when people play!
I get them to have an inspiration
first, either with a physical object in front
of them or a memory that they want to capture.
Sue wanted to express the fields of
anemones she had seen next to a wood in France.
She had also made an Embellished piece
inspired by this.
See this
The start is there and she had a wonderful time!
I am sure he is singing in the bottom photo!
So, so, happy to be creating!
Ann's piece based on a Blue Poppy is really
coming on, it has been painted, shadows and textures
added, the petals cut out with a soldering iron and also
added holes for texture and depth.
The background is now coming together
with added paint,rubbings, printing and threads.
As you can see it will be a stunning piece.
See how Ann started this piece
There are so many possibilities and I love sharing
the techniques of textiles and art.
There will be more opportunity soon
with the move to the new Art Centre at
The Memorial Hall Dereham in December.
See

Dove Cushion


Pat has finished embroidering The Dove Cushion front
and is now putting the borders on.
If you notice she has matched up the leaves and flowers
around the border to give it
continuity and flow. Takes a lot of fabric
but well worth it.
Pat also works other similar pieces at the same time
so, is working on another cushion which as
an Indian Lady in her garden.
Another 1930's image but transferred
with Lazertram Print Paper,
(similar to photo print on t-shirts).
I always try and expand students comfort zone
with creating and Pat is a very willing student,
excelling in her work.
See how this cushion started
and
See more by clicking the labels below.

Gallery Tuesday 25th October 2011




As you may know Textile Tuesdays @The Gallery
are always busy with creating and everyone has
a good time too! as you can see
by some of these next photos.
At the top, Sara is covering fabric with
old dressmaking patterns and then making a new piece
of art to sew all over and transform.
Lots of patchwork,
lots of chat and catch up with other students
with Jeanette modelling Pat's new bag
and telling them all about,
her trip to Emmerdale!
Yes,Emmerdale!
See more of what goes on by visiting the
written posts and @The Gallery
and Je

Saturday 29 October 2011

Caves of The Forgotten Dreams, Chavet.

On the Friday evening I was so tired after a busy week
so Stewart and I watched the new film out on
'The Caves of Chavet',
'Caves of Forgotten Dreams'.
These caves in France were found accidentally by walkers
and contain the oldest artwork known to man.
The film shows the documentation of the caves by
scientists,archeologists and artists.
It is a very interesting film and the
artwork made by charcoal and pigments
is beautiful!
See a video clip on my tech site
have been

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Patchwork Drawstring Bag


After doing some household chores on Friday morning
I went in the studio
and made a patchwork and quilted bag.
Joy had show us her one that she brings her cup in
to meetings and I thought what a good idea.
It took a bit of fiddling out and it's turned out o.k.
The piece of patchwork underneath the bag at
the top is for another
sketchbook cover. I have also been using it as
a demo piece on how to build up your strips of
fabric to make a larger piece.
See some of my Students Drawstring Bags by
clicking HERE
See more of bag making by clicking on the written
labels below or by visiting my
website

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Strip Cushion Session





During the classes, especially the 'Striped Crazywork Cushion',
I have been teaching all the students how to do
Machine Quilting and Embroidery.
Above, is Gloria busy on the machine, she has
really taken to it as you can see by her cushion
in the making.
See my cushions on my website

Quilts in School

Heatherann teaches at school and has been
making symmetrical patterns with the
children. They designed the pattern and
then they arranged the colours.
Heatherann then made up the quilt to show the children
that designs make finished objects, this is so
important these days to show by example.
It is wonderful that there are teachers like
Heatherann teaching children many aspects of life.
See more of what goes on at the workshops at Knit Wits by clicking
Visit Knit Wits site

Knit Wits Class 20th October 2011

Folded Bag and Covered Notebook.

Sewing Tidy.

Sewing Machine Mat.

Teacosy.

Quilting Classes at Knit Wits are just great!
Everyone is really happy with what they are creating
and finishing as you can see by the projects above.
Some have even brought their first machine and are loving it!
I feel very lucky to be sharing in their making.
Thank you, Bill and Fiona for making the day
go so smoothly too, with the bookings, stocking the shop, greeting and
making teas! it all makes for lovely happy classes.
See more of what has been created by clicking on the
written labels below or see what type
of workshops are available by clicking

Alveva Quilters Meeting 19th October 2011


Wednesday night was Alveva Quilters monthly meeting.
John from the charity Lifeline 4 Chernobyl came
to the meeting to give us a talk on the charity
and advise us on the different ways we can help.
Our group takes on several charities a year to support.
We tend to do local charities so it helps our local
community. Even though this is a local charity
that supports 'The Forgotten People Of Chernobyl",
there are lots of ways we can help other than money.
We are making quilts, knitted teddy bears,
so that every child that need one has one,
collecting warm clothes and other items for the auctions
that are held once a month at Salters Lode.
We are supporting other charities too,
The Brain Tumour Trust, The Litcham Hospice
and The Quilters Guild of Great Britain by
donating £100 towards conservation of a quilt.
(We did this last year too!).
It's nice to know we are enjoying
our hobby and helping other too!
John spoke to us, showed us a video and
answered our questions and then we had
'Show and Tell'.
There were lots but I have showed two photos.
Louise showed us her first machine made quilt,
well done Louise and Barbara showed us her
quilt that is folded at the bottom of the bed.
It is very luxurious almost like something out of a Harem!
Barbara's words not mine.
It was beautiful
and has bells on! say no more!
See the charities website by clicking

Saturday 22 October 2011

Pat's New Work

(Click on the picture to enlarge the detail)

Pat is always working through new ideas and also keeps an
altered sketchbook. Here she is putting the
finishing touches to her bag.
Checking the handle length and width.
Her sewing machine decided it was going to stop dead!
This week, I think it was under protest because of the amount of
work she puts it through!
Only joking Pat!
Lucky enough it was a fuse so could be fixed quickly,
as Pat wants to continue with her Dove Cushion.
The Dove picture was scan transferred onto cotton lawn,
from a 1930's picture, using a computer printer.
We did this a couple of weeks ago on a demo
section of the sessions.
Pat has added appliqued lace and flowers cut out
from the 1930's silk fabric she is using for the
border and backing.
The fabric came to me in a bag of fabric scraps
which one of the students brought into class.
I recycle lots of fabrics, art materials and tools
to other students so they are able to try new
techniques or add to what they have to enhance
their projects.
Its fantastic to share and create this cycle of art
and re-creation.
See more work by clicking the written labels
or pictures below or visit
my portfolio on my website