Christmas Card and Keepsake Journals

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.

I had a nice break, ended up with flu and a chest infection!

While recovering I sorted out all the Christmas cards and keepsakes

that I had collected over a few years. 

As some Christmas cards came through the letter box

they ended up straight in the journals as they 

made me smile and fitted straight in.

I will hopefully place a you tube video of the journals,

 when my voice gets back to normal.

The journal on the left is a Nordic Inspired Christmas Journal

See Photos of the journal HERE

 I started the other keepsake journal alongside

the one I made for Irene which can be seen on my 

Christmas2Inspire blog HERE

This is a short video of Irene's Christmas Journal

 

There are some some similar pages

but I have added a lot more during this break.

You can see more of the posts on my Christmas2Inspire Blog

which I have managed to update 

I have managed to up date the blog and

 there is lots to inspire

during this holiday season.

I have already started on next years projects and ideas

so visit and I wish you all a 

Happy New Year.

Shibori Felting

During the summer I always dye lots of fabric, make felt and

paper. Above is a piece of Shibori Felting.

A technique I have adapted over several summers and this

summer I gave a six week course of how to do this technique and 

several other unusual additions.

The five pieces I made this summer sold when they

went into exhibition. I had to make two of the above

because I couldn't bear to part with it.

Indigo and Shibori

I finished this wall hanging out of all the Shibori and Indigo Dyeing.

I had made in previous sessions. 

I have been teaching 101 ways of stitching, tying and folding

fabric for dye patterns.

See more of what is going on in the studio 

HERE

See a Shibori video on my Art Tech Blog HERE

Artisan Apron

I just had to make this Artisan Apron.

It was designed by Janet Claire after I found this Batik

fabric in my stash, while looking through my Indigo Dyed fabrics.

I have been saving it for just such a project.

(We hear ourselves saying that when we buy or are giving fabric!!!).

It took a bit to pattern match, it looks great on but at 

 the moment it is on display on a  

mannequin in the studio. 

See my studio displays HERE

I will be wearing it shortly!

This month the studio inspiration is about,

'Colour, Dyeing Fabric and Over Printing'.

See more of what goes on in The Old Art Room Studio

HERE

Velvet Scrap Cushion

I make cushions for the sofa in The Old Art Room every month.

This one is made from lots of scraps of velvets and

 plush upholstery fabrics.

See more of what is going on in the studio and students work

HERE

PVA, Tissue Fabric

The first Textile Tuesday and Thursday of May,

 we were making PVA Tissue Fabric.

It is a popular method of creating an unusual textured fabric and 

it can be stitched, decorated, coated and gilded.

You can use any fabric as a base.

We started with sheeting, muslin and 

upholstery fabric. 

You mix one part PVA glue with two parts water.

Tear up your tissue paper into pieces and 

start gluing them onto your fabric,

over lapping slightly.

As soon as you have finished you then add colour.

We used spent procion dyes.

Allow to dry thoroughly and then you can start stitching

and decorating.

If you want it for a book cover you can gild it with metallic rubs,

 then seal with acrylic wax or boot polish.

(Boot polish gives a leather look).

Everyone had so much fun. 

Sticking gluing and dyeing.

Metal Button Wreath

I have enjoyed this Sunday sticking and gluing my collection of

metal buttons and snaps to make a wreath. I have been collecting all 

the metal buttons over the last few years. 

The ones you don't use for other projects.

 As some of you know I have set myself the challenge of making a 

wreath every month using the inspiration of the studio.

This month its 'Metal and Shimmer'.

See more of the wreaths and the studio displays

HERE

Preparing for Norfolk Open Studios

Reserved Cushion

Doris's Sampler Quilt

Doris started this quilt in September 13 and has now finished. It is her first quilt and 

it is a 'Quilt As You Go'. to make it easy to quilt. Doris has decided to do hand and machine techniques.

See the finished quilt HERE

Rag Rug Wreath

Shirt Quilt

Burlap Wreaths

Origami Studio Display

Kunidasi Origami Flower Ball

Four Fabric Bowls

Pat's Machine Embroidered Lizard Wall Hanging

Linda Making a Cone Wall Display

Charm Pack Crosses Quilt

Red and White Quilt

Freda's Seaside Quilt

Fabric Bowls

Cone Display

India Inspired Workshop

U3A Downham Market Patchwork Group

Mandy's Vintage Wall Hanging