Architecture Inspiration

On Friday 18th Stewart and I should have started my

Mum's kitchen. We are taking out the old kitchen, decorating

putting in a new cooker, and units.

Sadly Stewart had to work so we are doing it over the weekend instead.

I worked in the studio continuing with my sculpture.

It is for the Opening of the the new Gallery.

Here, is one of the samples I made to fill one of the gaps

bases on Venetian Arches.

It is over 6 feet tall so there is a lot of surfaces to consider.

See some more Venetian inspiration by seeing

videos I have posted on my tech site.

www.art2inspiretech.blogspot.com

Will's Quilt

I have been working on several commissions over the last

few months and Will's Quilt has been one of them.

I enjoyed working with these colours and block patterns.

Friday 18th I wrapped and posted it off.

Hope Will likes it?

See more of my quilts on my website

www.art2inspire.co.uk

Knit Wits P&Q Class November 17th 2011 Christmas Runners

In October I began showing different patterns for Christmas Runners.

Here are some of the runners that are being made by students.

Even though they are using the same patterns every one of

them is different.

See more Christmas items by clicking on the written labels

below.

Knit Wits P&Q Class November 17th 2011

Every Thursday I teach Patchwork and Quilting Classes at

Knit Wits in Dereham.

I have been teaching there since September and students are making all

sots of items and learning new techniques each week.

See my workshop list above.

The top photo is a sewing machine mat made by Ros.

They are so good to make because you can stabilize your

sewing machine on your table. Stop any marks created by sewing

machine feet and it is easy to push it out of the way because it

glides across the surface.

Gracie has been making four cushions from panels of Shire Horses.

See more of what is available at Knit Wits

www.knitwitsdereham.co.uk

Textile Tuesday Hat Making

As you have gathered Textile Tuesdays are always creative and I love

inspiring people to create what they are wanting

to bring into the world.

Sophie is a 6th Former and one of her art projects on textiles is

costume and accessories. Sophie has been inspired by

the Period Dramas and 1940s/50s fashion.

Her sketchbook is really inspirational.

Well done Sophie!

So, with some playing around with a CD, curtain velvet,

feathers, a button and with the addition of some beading and stitching.

The little blue hat/ fascinator came about.

It sits well on a lady's head and is going to really look something

going down the catwalk.

See a video on how to make a fascinator on my

tech site

www.art2inspiretech.blogspot.com

Textile Tuesday at The gallery 15th November

In the Textile Tuesday Classes their is so many wonderful

things being created. I think it is so fantastic when

a bag full of mixed fabrics, trimmings and a few ideas

mixed with different techniques and the care of a maker

create a piece of fantasy that has not been around before.

The journey and sharing is wonderful for all in the class.

Above, Jeanette has nearly finished her

'Purple Houses' and Sara has nearly finished

her 'Pink Embellished Wall Hanging'.

Truly inspirational!

See more by clicking the written or picture labels below.

Weeting Christmas Baubles Meeting

On Monday the 14th of November, we had our

Weeting Quilters meeting. It was the last one before

Christmas. We made Christmas Baubles under

the tuition of Sue. She had brought in all the

shiny and sparkly materials and trimmings for

us to use. It was a lovely morning as you can

see by the photo of the finished baubles above, we

all had fun. Mine, is the Brown and Gold one in the

centre of the picture. I feel it is very influenced

by the architectural work I am doing at the moment.

See a video on how to make a fantastic

Christmas Bauble on my tech site

www.art2inspiretech.blogspot.com

See more of Weeting Quilters

www.weetingquilters.blogspot.com

Ely Beads

On the way home from St Ives I called into Ely

and went into my favourite shops. I have a soft

spot for Ely because it is where I trained as a nurse

and I met and courted my husband there.

I first went into Ely Beads.

I love this bead shop it's like being in a sweet shop!

I collected together a mixed bag of beads ready to add

to my new piece of work based on Architecture and decay

of buildings.

The orange bead is for another fun 3D piece

I have in mind!!!

I love their inspiration wall in the Beading Workshop Area.

Vist their yummy site

www.elybeads.com

I also went to Ely Bike Centre which has

one of the largest haberdashery and fabric

selection in the area.

I am needing sheers, satins and lace for my

new work.

Visit the shop

www.elybikecentre.com

City and Guilds Event

On the 11th of November I went to a City and Guilds

Open Event at St Ives (Cambridgeshire)

because I am considering becoming

a centre for offering certificates in the Creative Textiles Field.

I had a very informative day and I am definitely qualified and

so I am going to go through the process.

It is so exciting, finally I may be able to offer certificates

for Embroidery, Patchwork and Quilting and Creative Textiles.

I am looking into offering 30 hour courses as well as the longer

City and Guilds full certificates.

So watch this space!

See the City and Guilds site

www.cityandguilds.com

Quillo in Four Sessions

Being able to teach Textile Classes that people can sign up to

when they want is a real bonus because I get to meet

some lovely and unique people.

Gill is one of those ladies.

She was in Norfolk for a month looking after her Mum

and on some time for herself signed up for

four Sessions at Knit Wits to learn Patchwork and Quilting.

Gill had done nothing like this before and wanted

to dive straight in when I showed her the Quillo.

( A Quilt that folds into a cushion or pillow,

hence the name "Qui lo").

So over the four sessions and homework!

you can see what she achieved above.

Everyone took to Gill and I am sure she will be popping in

when she is visiting her Mum in Norfolk again.

Well done Gill!

See more of my quilts on my website

www.art2inspire.co.uk

Union Jack Cushions

Its funny how things go in trends and certain things come

back into fashion.

Here two students made Union Jack Cushions

in completely different colours and in different ways.

I designed the pattern from a tiny picture

that Jenny had brought in with fabric her husband

had chose!

They turned out fantastic!

See more cushions by clicking on the labels below.

Thursday Quilting Class at Knit Wits 10th Nov 2011

I can't believe two weeks have passed and I haven't had the chance

of blogging and showing all the wonderful creativity that

has been going on. So here goes,

Classes at Knit Wits of Dereham are full until the New Year!

More and more beautiful Striped Crazywork Cushions are being

made like the one above.

To see more what goes on at these classes,

click on 'Knit Wits' in the written labels below.

Finished Folded Christmas Card

I really enjoyed making this Tri Fold Christmas Card

but hadn't estimated the amount of surfaces you

have to cover!

I used my Tim Holtz Blending tool and inks a lot

in this card, to age the card and papers.

Some of the stickers and pictures I have

had in my stash and not known what to use

them on.

The tag turned out really well and I

will probably make more of those.

See more of my card making on

my card blog

www.cards2inspire.blogspot.com

Lace Folded Purse Makes

I always try and show different inspiration each week

and this week I was inspired by some lace Irene had

given me and some beautiful upholstery fabric I had been

treasuring.

I had seen on You Tube a video put on by a lovely

Australian lady and I made mine but with

alterations and some tweaks in the method.

As you can see the Textile Class had a great time

and it opened everyones mind boxes with

the origami!!!

See my lace purse HERE

and the You Tube Video HERE

See more of my Vintage Lace Work on

my website portfolio

www.art2inspire.co.uk

Gothic Start

Jeanette is collecting textiles and items together

to start a new piece based on Gothic Inspiration

and Whitby.

She is using the textile arch she used in her previous

work as a starting point. and combining transfer images too!

See Gosford Park HERE

and see here Garden Page HERE

Purple Houses

Jeanette is continuing to work on this textile piece.

It is a continuation of the work based on her

green box and Window pieces.

It is built up of layers of fabric and sheers on felt.

Every small square and triangle is

decorated with stitch lace and beads.

To see how she begins,

see Jeanette's green textile box and how it started

HERE

Pats Finished Transfer Cushions

(Click on photos to enlarge).

Pat's Cushions are finished and they are beautiful!

They are made using different ways of

transferring images on fabric and textile techniques.

See how they started

HERE

and

HERE

Marie's Patchwork Quilt Blocks

Marie has been working away on her blocks for this

quilt for several weeks @The Gallery.

This week was the first time she had laid them out

on a table to see what they look like.

More rows are to be added but it looks

fantastic so far.

The small squares are all different browns and subtle plum.

See more of my quilts by visiting

my website

www.art2inspire.co.uk

Sketchbook Pages

Sara has been coming to the Textile Tuesdays since

September and she is preparing herself for

a Fashion an Textiles Course which she hopes to start next year.

You have to show that you can prepare work,

designs and sketchbooks,

before going on the course.

Here Sara is adding more layers of print, papers, textiles

and layers to her sketchbook pages.

See more of her finished pieces

HERE

Good Luck Sara!

Barbara Bag Making

Barbara has been making several bags over the

last few months and we all liked this one.

See showed it off with style!

It is getting very dark in The Gallery as Winter

creeps in. We are all looking forward to the move

and the new Workshop area with all its natural light

and art purpose lighting!

See more of Barbara's wonderful Bags

HERE

See her India Inspired Wall Hanging

HERE

See my India Inspired Wall Hangings and Sketch Book

on my website

www.art2inspire.co.uk

Gallery Tuesday 8th November 2011

As you know I teach ' Textile Tuesday',

most weeks @ The Gallery Dereham.

Every week there is so many lovely things being created and

finished.

Above are two drawstring bags made by

Sylvia and Beryl, Well done!

They too! need to put their mugs in to go to meetings.

See my Mug Drawstring Bag which inspired these

HERE

See more by clicking on the written labels below

or going to the Gallery website

www.thegallerydereham.co.uk

Coven Quilters

Once a month I meet up with a group of

dear friends at Kate and Paddy's house to Quilt and Share.

We are lucky each month we meet we have a

Birthday to or special occasion to celebrate.

This month it was Liz's Birthday and she blew out the

candles in true tradition.

We 'Show and Telled' all evening, laughed as usual

until our sides hurt,

but also did some serious quilting and knitting!

Joan above is hand quilting using a quilting hoop.

Its always lovely to see people enjoying sharing

and creating!

See more of our evenings by clicking the

written labels below

Make It Monday at Knit Wits

Once a month on the first Monday of the month

I have been teaching a session at knit Wits,

where students can come along and finish

work or start new projects.

This week there was a mixture of both

with a baby quilt, (middle photo) being completed

with quilting and bias binding.

A Christmas runner continued and a Quillo

put together ready for its borders.

See more of what is being made by students

by clicking on the written labels below.

Batiks and Beads

I also loved the stall of Maryke Philips at Chilford.

She has a wonderful range of dyed silks, batiks and

patterns to make unusual wall hangings and bags.

Above, is a picture of her stitch book which

I just loved and she allowed us to turn and devour the pages

with our eyes!

I have a sample stitch book/ file that I made

when I did my City and Guilds. I would like

to make one like this though with all the lovely

threads and fabrics which are around now.

This week I took it along on 'Textile Tuesday',

to show the groups and it reminded me of

what I had learnt and still use.

See Maryke site and see her work

www.batiksnbeads.co.uk

Monkey Buttons Bags

Amanda from Monkey Buttons always has a fantastic stall.

Sorry about the shake I was laughing as usual!

Amanda told me she had now designed and

published 100 patterns for bags, quilts and runners.

Well done! Amanda.

We were lucky at Alveva Quilters to have

Amanda come along and do a talk and workshop

a couple of years ago.

She does mail order too!

in her busy schedule.

See her bags and website at

www.monkeybuttons.com