Card Making Wednesday 30th November 2011

Wednesday was card making with Kim and I

was feeling a bit slow and needed to sort out my

tools and card making stuff before I felt I could do

anything creative.

You know when you feel you need to have a slow day?

Once I got going I learnt about how to distress paper and tags

using a distress tool. I then sat distressed tags for a while and watched

others create their cards.

Kim then showed us some of her new

Christmas stamps and that was it, I was off and

inspired. I stamped and inked, embossed and prepared

papers and fabrics with the new ideas.

I had a lovely morning,

Thank you Kim.

When I got home there was a Thank you card (above)

from Will the new owner of the Commission Quilt that

I have been working on over the last few months.

Will had made the artwork and card.

Thank you, Will!

See HERE

and visit Kim's Card Blog

www.kimcrop.blogspot.com

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

Victorian Lace Favours

Every month there is a different Inspiration Topic

and then within that each week there is different

inspirational projects.

I love traditional Christmas Gifts and Favours.

Here is my version of a Victorian Lace Tree Favour

except mine is larger and can hang on a wall.

I made mine larger because I wanted

to incorporate a Gozo Lace Collar that I

brought when we were on holiday in

Cyprus seven years ago.

It is made out of a linen waffle dish cloth

with layers of lace, some of which comes from

lace net curtains!

and parts of Christmas Ornaments.

The photo at the bottom is students work

inspired by my lace projects.

See more of my vintage lace artworks

on my website

www.art2inspire.co.uk

Candy Canes

These Candy Canes are another favourite make of mine.

I have been making them for over ten years and

I love sharing my Christmas Makes with new

students.

In the shops today are so many trims, ribbons and decorations

that I just love to dismantle and add the different components

to my pieces.

See more Christmas items by clicking on the written

labels below.

Lace Folded Purses

Students have been making several of my inspired projects

over the last couple of weeks as gifts for

Christmas.

Several have been enjoying making the Folded Purses.

These photos show Sylvia's at the top, finished.

The middle one shows several at different stages

and Pat is just starting to decorate her strip

of fabric ready for folding.

See my Folded Purse

HERE

Christmas Makes

More student Christmas Makes.

I think it is wonderful that these are going to

add to a family Christmas!

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.

Textile Tuesday 29th November 2011

Here are my students version of my Button Christmas Tree.

I love seeing all the different version although they are

all starting with the same pattern.

See my Button Christmas Tree

HERE

Button Christmas Trees

I started making this design of Suffolk Puff Christmas Tree

15 years ago for craft stalls.

I am making them again to show students and

new patchwork and quilters

what you can make as a postal gift as these are light

and can be a card too!

They are lovely to hang up as part of your

Christmas Decorations.

They were well received at classes and

several students set about making them.

Dereham Celebration Quilt

The Gallery Dereham is moving over the next week to

the newly renovated Dereham War Memorial Hall.

It is going to be the new venue for The Arts.

I have been assembling the 'Celebration Quilt' together,

over the last month. I spent Friday 25th November,

Printing and sewing the label on and the Sleeve

for the quilt to hang from.

I can't show a picture of the Quilt until it

is dedicated on the 4th of December.

All the Tutors are really getting excited.

Visit The Gallery Website to learn more about The Quilt.

www.thegallerydereham.com

or visit the Memorial Hall site

www.derehammemorialhal.org.uk

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.

Irene Starts a Christmas Runner

Irene came for an afternoon session at Knit Wits.

She wanted to make a Striped Christmas Runner

using my white and gold one as inspiration,

(see another students one, similar to mine).

HERE

Irene wants hers large enough for a Refectory Table.

She had collected all the ribbons and some fabrics.

After laying the ribbons down on a calico base it

was obvious it needed a lift and

Irene got out of her bag of fabric there was some Angel Fabric.

We all thought it was fabric to look at rather

than cut up but it was perfect as the patterns

were in strips.

It looks so Medieval and so fabulous.

Well done! Irene.

I was so lucky as Irene gave me her scraps of the

Angels and some brocade ribbon.

I knew where it would be placed,

on my Architecture Artwork.

Thank you.

Knit Wits P&Q Class November 24th 2011

Classes are really hotting up now with all the creativity

and students finding their own niches and wants!

From the top, Mandy has finished her daughter's

Christmas Table Set.

Jeanette is finishing her daughter's Quillo for

Christmas and Judith is making a Sampler Quilt

so she can learn all the different quilting techniques.

See more of what goes on by clicking the

written labels below.

Card Making Wednesday 23rd November

Kim was as inspirational as ever and showed us

some different techniques and also how to layer papers

distress inks and stamping.

Carol made a fantastic Dragon Card for

her Grand Son.

I continued making layered Christmas Cards,

see above.

See Kim's site at

www.kimcrop.blogspot.com

My talk to The Hackers Tackers and Stuffers Quilt and Needlework Group

There was no Gallery and Textile Day on Tuesday the

22nd of November as I took my Mum to have both eyes lazered.

Mum's ok but it does take it out of you having an op,

especially on your eyes.

We had spent all weekend together as Stewart

and I had re decorated Mum's Kitchen and it had taken

her mind of it but now she could recover with a

lovely new kitchen.

In the evening I gave a talk to

Hackers Tackers and Stuffers over at Watton.

A lovely group and very active in creating.

I shared my 180 quilts with the ladies.

I start with a hexagon quilt that I made when Stewart and I

first got married, above and

then I show different quilts, hangings and items over

the last 24 years.

It was a lovely evening and see the groups

Blog at

www.hackerstackersandstuffers.blogspot.com