Patchwork Pillowcases and a Quilt

Textile Classes at The Cancer Care Moving on Unit Dereham,

are going really well and some wonderful items are being made 

and shared.

Here, Liz made two more patchwork pillowcases to go with

her daughters quilt which got sent to Australia last year,

 as a Christmas gift. 

See the quilt.

You can see the quilt is a King Size and the main colour 

was grey a cool colour for the Australian heat.

  So we decided on the lilac to add as the accent colour

and it really has done the job. 

Well done Liz for such a large project.

It was well received and a Thank you came back

with a very large bunch of flowers.

Appreciation for all that hard work :)

Textile Classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays

click the workshop page above for more information.

to lift the cool colours.

Scrumbled Surfaces

We have been making lots of different surfaces and textures with textiles.

Using man made fabrics such as nylons and polyester lining fabric,

make great surfaces. You can colour the surface by transfer printing

with paper bags, transfer paints of crayons.

Then take a large piece of man made fabric and form a grid with

zig zag stitch at least an inch apart. 

then pull up those threads and then you can iron it,

between two sheets of parchment paper.

It will form bubble like formations.

Enjoy having a go.

C&G Creative Textiles

Monday and Wednesday C&G creative Textiles are going

well. We have had several assessments and all are doing well.

There will be new courses starting shortly for

Level One, a taster course.

 Level Two and Level Three a years creative course.

At least three techniques each week and lots of creating.

See results on my portfolio site

art2inspire.co.uk

Shellac Nails Mermaid Shimmer

Every two weeks Kim at 'Inovations' in Swaffham has been 

looking after my hands and painting my nails 

with shellac nail polish.

I love mixing and making new colours.

We called this one 'Mermaids Shimmer',

It's a burgundy base layer with Coral Shimmer o the top.

Love it! 

See my other colours by clicking the written labels below.

16 Square Bag

Nikki has been making bags from her Alpaca Tweed fabric.

She and her family have an Alpaca Farm just outside Dereham.

See her website HERE

It is wonderful to think that Nikki looks after the Alpacas and 

then sheers them and then the hair is made into fabric which is then

made into luxury fashion and goods.

Cafetiere Cover

Hilary learnt how to do the Twisted Square and Cathedral Window

combined at class and then made this great Cafetiere.

It looks really stylish and very Japanese inspired.

See more folded fabrics by clicking the written labels below.

Cathedral Windows In The Pink

With lots of folding and manipulating of fabric going on in classes

I love to see traditional fabric come alive with techniques.

Adding the buttons to this Sandra has given it another dimension.

These are Cathedral window made with two squares of fabric sewn right

sides together, leave a gap and then turn right side out.

Sew up the gap and then fold into the middle. 

You can then curve back and stitch revealing the underneath lining fabric. 

See a video on my tech site for making 

Cathedral Windows by machine.

HERE

Memory Quilt

I often get asked to make items from clothing as Memory Keepsakes.

This cot quilt and bear are Memory keepsakes but  are little different.

The grandma of the new baby girl who has just arrived, 

asked if I could make a Cot Quilt and Bear from her son's

favourite shirts.

Sadly, he died last year from a brain tumour.

He knew he was going to be a Dad so it made it a very

special commission for me. 

It was also difficult emotional cutting the shirts up but

once they started forming into a cot quilt and bear they 

made me smile. I am sure the new little girl is going to love them.

I also made a small hand bear that can be sucked, chewed and washed.

Best wishes to all.

See my patchwork bear made from crazy patchwork and stitch

HERE

Linda Turner at Duxford

Joan and I enjoyed going around the Duxford Quilt Show at

The Imperial War Museum.

I was looking forward to seeing Linda Turner's work.

A friend and fellow quilter.

It was great to see the show organisers had hung her double sided quilt

properly, so you could admire her reversible work.

Joan really examined the details.

Lots of my students admired her photo to stitch and

fracturing techniques Linda is now famous for.

See Linda's website 

HERE

See more of Linda and her work by clicking the written labels below.

Duxford Quilt Show

I always visited Chilford Quilt Fair at this time of year and 

with the sad fire there. The Show has moved it's venue to

The Imperial War Museum at Duxford.

Last years reports were mixed and my memories of 

Duxford were when I was in The RAF, so

I was unsure how a quilt show would feel in a hanger,

with aeroplanes!

We arrived from Norfolk on one of Carters coaches,

the trip organised by

Adrienne one of my C&G students.

Thank you Adrienne, it is really appreciated.

I was pleasantly surprised by the show.

The show was well set out and the quilt show had a good variety.

I only had a small shopping list but I know some had a long list:)

I went round the show with my friend Joan, an avid quilter 

and grandma on a quilt mission!

We had lunch and cups of tea under the nose of a Typhoon.

That was the only problem, not enough seats!

Looking forward to the November show. 

Classes at Cancer Care Dereham

I have been teaching Textile Thursday

 at The Cancer Care Moving on Project,

since 7th March 2013.

Two sessions on the Thursday. 

10am until 12.15 and then 12.30 until 2.45.

See HERE for more information

The atmosphere is lovely and everyone is so friendly.

We do lots of Textile projects and it for beginners to experienced alike.

There is inspiration each week and help with your own projects.

It is £8.50 per session and half goes towards the centre as a donation.

It is a great way of showing our support.

I feel so lucky to be able to support charities while I work and share.

There are different things going on each day at the centre.

The volunteers are all trained and 

are there to help anyone touched by cancer.

Pop in and see what the centre is doing 

and if you can help support events.

See their website

HERE

Basket Textile Tidy

Helen brought in this wonderful Basket with all her

notions that you need for sewing in it.

Her lastest projects are inside for instant access.

Each pocket holds each appropriate item and is to hand.

With the drop down handles it sits so well on a table.

Helen made a paper pattern for the inside of the basket 

and then measured up each pocket for the spaces round the basket edge.

We loved the notion printed patches on the pockets.

We are al on the hunt for a suitable basket!

Great Helen, thanks for sharing.

Swimming Bag

Heatheranne needed a Swimming Bag, so made

one using a Jelly Roll Pattern as the middle square

for the front to try out the pattern before she

makes it into a quilt. The back is striped and has a pocket.

There is also a pocket inside.

Greta bag to take Swimming!

If you want to waterproof bags, I put

them in the washing machine with a waterproofing product.

It is a waterproofer that you would normally 

waterproof coats or clothing with. 

It gives a good surface to the fabric to repel dirt.

I recommend these below

16 Squares Make a Bag

Brenda has made this bag for her friend for the Summer.

Its beautiful!

Its made out of 16, 5.5" squares and laid out similar to the 

table runners I teach.

There has been a steep learning curve on how to put the

squares and lining together and turn it inside out so that

it looks professional. 

A great gift.

Well done Brenda!

See one of my favourite square bags with a purse

HERE 

See more bags by clicking the written labels below. 

Folded Strips

Every week at classes I teach different techniques to 

encourage participants to look at different ways

of creating textiles.

Here are a selection of the folded and twisted Strips.

They start off with a 3.5" wide strip as long as

you can handle and then box pleats.

These can be use for add 3D interest on textiles

and make great handles for handbags.

Often it is making the new or having a go at

techniques that inspires other projects that you want 

to do but not had the courage to try.

I am also into keeping brains healthy and

origami is a healthy brain and body activity.

Jennie Rayment is a real inspiration,

I have to translate the techniques so I can do them :)

Visit her site HERE

See this video of her having some fun 

HERE

Also you thought pleats could be so much fun

watch this video HERE

Christmas Every Month

Some of us are making gifts for Christmas throughout the year

so we can take are time and make what we would really

want to give. 

Sylvia was asked by a friend if she would make her a

Striped Christmas Runner with all the ribbons she had been saving

 from gifts and chocolates. 

Sylvia has made many of these now.

I teach Christmas Runners from the start of September,

so they can be made in time for Christmas. 

I add and demonstrate a new pattern each year at classes.

I already have an idea for this years!!!

Click on the written label below

to see a collection of table runners.

Pat's Covered Notebook

With the scraps left over from making the folded bag.

Pat made some patchwork and has covered a notebook.

Pat went to a Quilters Guild meeting where they asked

if people could cover books or wrap books for 

The Guild raffle in August,

at The Festival of Quilts, NEC Birmingham.

See a video on how to cover a book on my Tech site

art2inspiretech

Also click on the written labels below which will show you

a selection of book covers and embellished sketchbooks books

I have also got my sketchbooks on my portfolio site

www.art2inspire.co.uk

To visit The Quilters Guild and see more about the book wraps

and what the Guild is all about

click HERE

Pats Folded Bag

Pat made this folded bag out of some amazing patterned material.

It gives great definition to the folds.

See one of my purple folded bags 

HERE

and Sylvia's one

HERE

or click on the written label below, folded bag and it will

show you a collection and give you an idea of how you 

fold the 16" quilted square.

Twisted Square Bag

Beryl has made this bag using the Twisted Square Technique.

I taught this technique at the beginning of the month.

Beryl used batik fabric to make the squares.
There are 21 squares in the main bag and 2 either side.

See my blog post HERE

Purple Shellac Fingernails

Went purple sparkly, with the nail polish!

Kim from "Inovations"in Swaffham. 

Is doing a great job of keeping my hands in shape.

It was one of my New Years Resolutions,

to look after my hands as they are constantly on

display with making and demonstrating techniques.

The shellac polish lasts about two weeks and

I have better conditioned nails because of it.

I am hard going on my hands with all the paints, inks and techniques I use. 

The polish is withstanding this really well.

I even did some welding!

I hate false nails so,

 I am so pleased that my own are getting stronger.

I would highly recommend having them polished with

Shellac.

See my other sparkly nails 

HERE 

Burn back Embellished Book Cover

Carole has made this wonderful, layered, embellished and soldered book cover

for a friend that needs cheering up with a life journal.

With decorated cover, turned, decorated pages and verses too,

this is a truly special gift.

Click the photo to enlarge and really enjoy the details.

Square Bags and a Purse To Match

Hilary made her Square Bag with 5.5" squares and then made a purse to match
with smaller ones.

What a lovely set!

I love the way the squares in the purse are placed on point.

Hilary feather stitched around the squares,
which gives it a lovely detail.
See more bags by clicking the written labels below.

Small Bags

Most techniques can lend themselves to making small bags,
these are made by Beryl.
The one on the right is made with embellished sheer fabric and scraps.
Lots of recycled materials make wonderful

surfaces and pattern.

See more by clicking on the written labels below and visit

my tech site to see videos on how to make different ones.

HERE 

and

HERE

Pieced Squares

Squares and rectangles!

The runner above was made by Muriel and the quilt by Andrea.

Squares are so versatile and so many combinations.
If you haven't watched You Tube for a while
this video is one of many the Missouri Quilt Company has.

Stitchers at Work

I love catching stitchers at work. 

These show total different textile techniques.

Top, Caroline piecing her Jelly roll strip blocks.

Middle, Sylvia getting to grips with a flower stitch foot

and bottom, Judith starting her piecing of a stained glass patchwork.

I love the diversity of Creative Textiles and I feel so lucky to be able

to teach and share.