A Gift for a Mum

Sue had been inspired by the sewing tidies the week before @The Gallery Mixed Media Textile Tuesday's. She wanted a gift for her Mum who spends a lot of time now in a chair and so came up with a basket of flowers as the weight part of the tid. This is just beautiful and very clever gift. Well done Sue. 

Mixed Media Textile Classes

What can I say the variety of items that are being made @ The Gallery is getting more varied as the weeks go on. The 'Show and Tell' is really inspiring and gets everyone wanting to create. I took a picture of one of the tables and as you can see by the items on the table creativity is endless. By the way the table show is used one person. Click to enlarge any of the photographs.
See more inspiration by visiting my portfolio site www.art2inspire.co.uk

Sewing Tidies and Sewing Machine Mat

When new students come to class they often see lots of 'Show and Tell' and what they thought they wanted to make immediately often changes. Two such new students came along and this is what happened to them too and so they wanted to make the sewing tidies above and then go onto the sewing machine mat to. As you can see they are really useful and fun items to have as part of your sewing kit.
See more of what happens at classes by clicking the written labels below or to see the workshops and classes available click HERE

Quilt Making Classes

Quilt making Thursday is the last Thursday of every month at Knitwits. It is always full of lots of creative activity with quilts being designed and ones well on their way to be completed as you can see by the photographs above. Claire works at Knitwits and on her day off often comes along to class to move her projects onto the next stage. Here, she is making a double quilt using Japanese Style fabrics that you can buy from Knitwits. They have a vast selection and vary in price too! Remember there is are classes every Thursday with different inspiration each week and month.
See the classes that are available from September HERE

Bag Day @The Gallery

The Gallery Mixed Media Tuesdays are always great fun with lots of sharing, demonstrating techniques and creating of projects. I show and demonstrate each week to inspire and bring along equipment and items to have a try. Above, are some of the bags made and continued on Bag Day.
See a great video on bag making on my tech site.
www.art2inspire.co.uk 

Enjoying Classes

Classes are always fun and and you can see they make

a lot too!

Lots of free motion quilting being tried this month

as confidence has increased with using their machines.

I love to see all the different fabrics and encourage

recycling. The Floral Bags at the top are

made with recycled fabrics and are beautiful.

See more by clicking the written labels below.

Dresden Plate Workshop for U3A

On the 2nd of March I went to Crimplesham Village Hall

to teach 'Dresden Plate, Sampler Block' to ladies from

Downham market U3A.

U3A for those that don't know stands for,

The University For The Third Age.

A organisation set up for those over the age of 55 to

enjoy sharing knowledge, education, languages and arts.

It was a wonderful day and I taught the traditional

and quick ways of making a Dresden Plate for

The Sampler Quilt which the ladies are making.

Some made them by Machine and others by hand so

it was a very relaxing and productive day.

I loved show and tell with the wonderful

Applique' Quilt made by Pat.

See the amazing programmes and information the website

www.u3a.org.uk

!st February Evening Class Knit Wits

Once a month I teach a Wednesday Evening class at Knit Wits,

in Dereham.

It is always well attended and the projects being made

are varied.

I encourage 'Show and Tell' and you can see

a Reading Cushion made by Ann at the bottom of this post,

what a lovely gift for a child.

Lots of cutting out and finishing own projects going on and

the time goes so quick.

The letter quilt was made from a printed panel.

Each letter had to be cut out separately and

measurements had to be checked to make the squares.

Panels can be great but it often what you do with them

that makes the difference.

The top photo is of Heather Ann machine quilting

a Web, Strip Quilt.

Visit Knit Wits website

www.knitwitsdereham.co.uk

Quilts Making at Knit Wits

It was Quilting Day at knit Wits as well as Applique inspiration.

I love to see all the different fabrics being used to

create wonderful quilts, many f which are recycled.

See more by clicking the written labels below.

Thursday 19th January Class at Knit Wits

Every week I show examples of what can be made and throughout

the month different students are able to make the

different items.

Click the above Title Tab above.

The Photos above are Printed Bags and Scissor Cases made by students

at the Knit Wits Classes.

See my printed bag that inspired these ones HERE

Knit Wits Quilt Class 12th January 2012

Thursday was the first day class back at Knit Wits and it

was a busy one!

I demonstrated the 8 different ways of Applique,

the zip bag with printed panel

and there was lots of 'Show and Tell'.

Some had brought in their finished Christmas items,

I encourage and love to see finished items as

we have all been to classes where you make samples

or start a project and some how it never gets finished

and becomes a 'UFO',

(Un Finished Object).

See more by clicking the written labels below

or see what classes are available by

clicking on 'Workshops', above.

Textile Evening Class

It was back to evening class after the Christmas break and everyone

was eager to get started and continue some of their

projects.

I showed the bag technique and some applique methods

and then everyone got on.

The rectangular piece of upholstery patchwork

is going to be part of a bag.

The top photograph shows one of the finished bags.

Well done, HeatherAnn.

See my bag HERE

Assessment

During the Textile Tuesday afternoon session,

Carole from The City and Guilds Education

Assessor came to assess my teaching and see

what classes that I can teach and offer certification for.

I had met Carole at Elveden Farm Shop and Restaurant

the day before.

It was quite funny really, we had been emailing and

fixing dates of when to meet but it wasn't until I

parked up in the car park I realised I didn't know

what Carole looked liked (was she wearing a carnation,

sprang to mind) and I didn't have a mobile number!

Today, in this modern age sometimes with instant messaging,

one can take things for granted!

It was a lovely meeting and Carole informed me

she would be able to assess me the following day

on 'Textile Tuesday'.

Needless to say, it all went very well

and the ladies all had different work to share.

I even had one student, as she came through the

door exclaim,

"Oh, Jane I have brought my machine embroidery but

I have to make wings for a five year old Angel Gabriel,

by Monday, where do I start?"

Lucky enough, I have made lots of costumes in the past and

it was'nt long before the student was quite content

making angel wings!

Session and assessment over, all went well

for another Textile Tuesday @ The Gallery!

www.thegallerydereham.com

Show and Tell Textile Tuesday

I encourage 'Show and Tell' before the start of each

class session and it is a lovely time to share.

I have found that students instead of cringing

at the thought now look forward to it and

talk more freely about how and what

they have enjoyed about what they have made

but also the pit falls and how they have

solved them. It also encourages others to

have a try at an item they may not have thought

of doing before.

Pat is one of those special students who

always stretches the boundaries and is

always willing to to share her vast experience.

Here she has made a picture for her Grand Daughter,

"All I want for Christmas is a pair of DM'd".

She found the pixie boots at a show and they

look exactly like the pair of boots her Grand Daughter

wants!

Underneath is the photo of the new ATC's

Pat has made, each a wonderful piece

of textile art in their own right.

Well done Pat and Thank you!

See more by clicking on the written labels below.

Bags and Runners

Christine has had two sessions and really gets on with

homework to get projects done.

Some students come to class to learn the

tips and tricks of how to improve techniques

and the social side of meeting others who make.

Christine's bag is so good and even has

a key holder inside, along with several

pockets for quilting supplies.