Friday 31 May 2013

Plastics and Serendipity








We met on a Saturday for the workshop with Elizabeth 
on 'Exploring With Plastics'
we started with grating crayons in between cling film an
by the end of the day I think we had fused every none plastic to man.
Including shower curtains and plastic swimming rings.
We found out how to collage them together 
and in the afternoon we started to stitch.
So much fun!
Daphne also had her Birthday so we celebrated with cake and candles.
The Red Cross Hall where we met had also opened the
shop so we all went in to buy and recycle!
A fantastic day and you can see we had some fantastic results.

Embroidery Friend


I met Jamila at The Kings Lynn Embroidery Guild,
last year.
We have become firm friends and meet up every month,
on what we call 'Retreat Friday's'. 
We share life and how we are progressing with out textiles
we have also become critical friends too.
Some one you can discuss those issues of improvement and how to 
move through stitch and life!
We share techniques and exploration all in a lovely haven.
I feel very protective of our time and always come away
ideas buzzing but a sense of calm.
Thank you!
Jamila has a fantastic blog about her development
with her Embroidery Diploma.
Visit HERE

Purple Table Runner





Textile Thursday Classes at The Cancer Care Moving on Project Dereham
have been going really well and the colour of the charity
is mauve and purple.
I think Muriel was inspired and as you can see has made a 
Table Runner and Cushion for a friend.
They are beautifully done and machined embroidered
and quilted.

Quaker Tapestry




At Embroidery Guild Ann Wood came along to give us a slide show 
and talk about the Quaker Tapestries.
seventy seven, in all.
It is a collection of embroideries based on the social history of the Quakers
since 1650.
Ann showed us twenty two slides of the 77 tapestries.
Each slide, she enthralled us with the stories, makers, 
information behind it and the stitches involved.
4000 people were involved and from all round the world.
I had seen the Tapestries in Ely Cathedral, it was beautifully presented
and the atmosphere of Ely Cathedral made the experience.
Hearing the detailed explanation brought the tapestries
even more to life.
We all had a lovely evening and could have listened 
to Ann all evening.
Visit the Tapestry Website to really appreciate
the work and history of such an
exquisite collection.
It is a lovely site to visit and has the atmosphere of the work




Denim Wall Tidy



Sue was inspired and brought in a Denim Tidy she made for her
grand son. She has made a lots of Denim bags 
and had a collection of pocket left over, 
so this was an ideal way of using them up.
Instead of folds for each pocket, Sue explained
you put in two tiny darts, this allows the pockets to stay open
and they are able to hold things.
It was so funny, as she showed us she explained
 she had whipped the tidy off her
grand son's wall and neatly placed all the contents across his 
bed so she could bring it to class to 'Show and Tell'.
Now he is 12,  hopefully there wasn't anything too
embarrassing for a grandma to find!
She assured us not.
When she got back, he was quite ok with her showing us and
they put everything back in.
What a great idea for a tidy! 

Lace Wall Tidy





I was asked by a friend to design a pocket holder based on 
a shoe holder she had been given at Christmas.
She has it by the side of her chair to hold the 
necessities of daily life in. 
It was made of different plastics and soon began
to wear and tear.
I took up the challenge and had seen one on the internet
somewhere? Made of cream material and lace.
I had been given some upholstery fabric and I have
lots of old family lace and I thought this was
the ideal opportunity to use it. 
Mine, would also then hold all the lovely lace 
I wanted to use in the future.
I finished both and delivered them,
she was thrilled and immediately 
reached over and pulled her plastic one off the wall,
contents, nail and all!
Really, some people can't wait!
 I had taken a nail, hook and hammer just in case!
Good job!
After I hung up the tidy we put in all her
goodies and medications into the relevant pockets.
One of her carers came in and was really
inspired. 
What we both like is she is no longer looking at what
medically sustains her but a pretty and inspiring hanging tidy.
I have noticed on my last visit her chair area has really 
changed and she and he carers can find everything.
I am so pleased.
Since showing it at classes, many have taken the pattern.
I drew mine on some lining paper to work out
all the folds and edges.
See more of my lace makes on my portfolio site


Sue's Bags




Sue came back off her travels and showed us the collection
of bags she had made.
We all admired the box bag with all the pockets. 
She has a different coloured lining pocket for all
her sewing stuff so it is
easily identified and can be put back in its place.
See centre picture.
The bag pattern is based on the Windmill Bag.

Thursday 30 May 2013

Creating Metal Work






What I love about the Textile Classes everyone is so open minded
now about creating and trying new things.
When I asked everyone to bring drinks cans and a Jeans needle,
everyone was intrigued.
When I showed them the start of the can and what you can
then do with the techniques, some
where a bit cautious but they soon got
stuck in and shared the results they were getting.
This has started another hoarding phase,
Sorry!
Recycling is so good and you can make so much treasure from it.
Foiling and embellishing added to the technique and 
I am sure metal will appear on lots of things in the future 
as now there is no fear of putting metal under their machines!

Birds



The previous week at Leisure Classes I taught all things 'Birds'.
These are Carol's versions.
The top used some fabric that Kate had dropped off in some 
scrap bags. We love recycling someone else's fabric.
They look very French!

Textile Tuesday




As you can see bags are really popular at class and some 
are now known as 'Bag Ladies'!
Beryl had unpicked some of the binding on her Batik Bag
(Bag in the middle above) 
and added the buttons.
The box style bag used the twisted squares technique.
These small alterations just made the difference.
Its all about finish.
its knowing how to move on a design or how to 
make the best of what you can do.
Val showed us her new Laptop bag she had made,
again an adapted pattern.
It is the fixtures and finishings that make
this look so'Designer'.
You can find good bag fixings at this website
This is where Val found her stainless steel twisted fixings
fo this bag. 

Sandringham Walk



Jenn was home for her birthday at the end of last month and we 
had a lovely morning together.
Had a great Italian lunch and then went for a walk at
Sandringham.
Sandringham is the Queen's Norfolk Home. 
We love going there and having a long walk in the woods 
laughing, chatting and putting the world to rights.
I love my time with Jenn.
She is a wonderful young woman!
(Proud Mum talking here).
As you can see we just had to cuddle the 'Bear'!

Christine Davey



OOO I was so excited to see Christine Davey who came along
to give us a talk on 'Colour Theory'.
She is the one of the influential  people responsible 
for what I am doing now.
She was my City and Guilds Embroidery Tutor all those
years ago. 
It put me on a path that changed my life forever:)
She was so inspirational and also a hard task master.
We would learn a technique in the morning, experiment.
Learn traditional stitch and then the contemporary version after lunch 
then have to 'Show and Tell' the following week!
I have a similar routine to my City and Guilds class even today.
Christine was professional and always positive about our work but
also made us stretch ourselves!
If there was a new technique she would add it into the 
session and we would expand!!
Thank you so much Christine.
As she gave her talk I realised many things I hadn't
taken on board. 
I often only use three colours in class so that
participants have to mix to get a colour they want.
Christine said this is what she did,
un be knowing to me I had taken this to heart and in my 
practice!!
Again Thank you.
It also made me realise how far I have come since
doing my first City and Guilds and it has made
me very 
proud to be able to share and teach them too!


Alveva Show and Tell





As you can see there was a good selection of quilt styles 
shown at Alveva's this month.
Starting with Ruby and her love of colour and finishing
with Yvonne's meticulously pieced Table Runner.
The speaker for the night was Christine Davey.

Elephant Page


Jeanette has finished another page for her collection.
This one as you can see is all based on the Elephant.
It is so beautiful!
See more of these beautiful
'Mixed Media Book Pages' HERE
See more of Jeanette's work by clicking the written labels below.
'Bolliwood' is a wonderful piece.

Star Strip Piecing


Helen had found this pattern and had always  wanted to try it.
Its a technique where you join the strips of fabric together
 on the angle and and then cut them into the square size.
The squares are then arranged so you form a square in the
middle and if you do this throughout the quilt you will have stars
where the large squares join too!
A really effective pattern once you get round the 
angle thing!!

Table Runner



Helen has made this Autumnal Table Runner using
The Card Trick pattern in the squares. It is one of those
patterns that look so effective but you have to be
careful of points and how you put it together.
The table mats just add to the collection.
Well done Helen. 
Thinking of you :)
see more table runners by clicking the written label below.

Wedding Keepsake Bag



Hilary made this beautiful bag for her daughter to put
all the keepsakes, cards etc in on her wedding day.
She embroidered and put on all the things that 
meant something to her daughter on the
bag including a keyring with a dog
with a neck chief like the one they had.
What a wonderful gift and such a lovely idea.

Twisted Square Japanese Inspired Cushion



Val used Japanese inspired fabric charm pack to make twisted squares
for the centre of the trellis pattern in her cushion.
It really showed off the technique really well.
The twisted square has been really popular.
Sandra's rose fabric cushion (top picture on the right)
uses the same twisted square pattern but it gives a totally 
different effect.
To see more twisted squares and items,
click the written label below.