City and Guilds

Yesterday we had a meeting for the course I am doing. I had a really good day and managed to get all five samples completed during the day. Shame it doesn't mean I haven't got any homework.

These two samples are free machined fringes. The one on the left I made using a cotton thread and the one on the right is made in cable stitch. I like both samples and can see myself using these methods some time in the future.

This one is made using one of the utility stitches on the machine. It was stitched onto water soluble fabric.

This one I'm not keen on. It was also stitched on water soluble fabric and is free machined.

This one is a piped finish. The cord is covered with a piece of fabric that I embroidered first. I'm reserving opinion on this one.

We all had a lovely time yesterday and there was a lot of frivolity and sillyness going on. I'm not quite sure how it happened but I got sent to the naughty step by teacher and when she realised there wasn't a step to send me to I got sent to the naughty chair. Then Gill (another student) said I should go and stand in the corner. I thought I had been a good girl - I did all my work, it is possible that I might have been a little cheeky but only in good humour.

Ruth's Workshop

Wow this is a picture-heavy post. Ruth Issett was at the shop for a two day workshop over the weekend and it was wonderful.

Ruth was very generous with her information she is such a calm matter-of-fact teacher.

Every one produced beautiful work, so colourful and vibrant.

I wouldn't be able to pick a favourite - I liked them all.

Just look at those trees!

Just thought I'd show you this. It's the carrier bag and paper bags that my goodies came home in from Easton Walled Gardens. The gardens are so beautiful you will definitely be seeing them again.

This is as far as I have got with my hanging - not very. There is a reason for that though, the first set of leaves I made looked awful when I laid them on the felt so I threw them in the bin and started again!

This time I used Lutradur, something of a conversion for me. You may remember I have a problem with this product I think it is the way it feels that puts me off. How ever I got stuck in and I'm glad I did because these leaves look so much better and as you can see that's what I'm going with. Slowly but surely.

Easton Walled Gardens

There hasn't been any craftiness going on here at all. I have been poorly and so has Pam. We have both had the Winter Sickness Bug. It's not at all nice, we both went down with it Wednesday evening. We couldn't open the shop on Thursday; we came in on Friday and I'm not quite sure how we got through the day. Thankfully we are now over it and things are back to normal.

On Sunday Neil and I went to Easton Walled Gardens to see the Snowdrops. Because of the bad weather they weren't in full bloom but they were still beautiful.

It made a lovely start to Valentines Day which was made even nicer when I received these. The Tulips are gorgeous.

The card says it all. Neil looked after me so well when I was poorly I don't know what I would have done without him.

We have got a nice week ahead of us in the shop. Ruth Issett will be here for a two day workshop and I am really looking forward to it.

Another photo

Isn't she gorgeous! I know she's my daughter but she is beautiful and she was an angel on the day, even when I got hand cream on her dress!

The big day

What a perfect day, this snap gives you a flavour - much more to follow!

Plans That Don't work

Well I hope you all had a good weekend - mine didn't go according to plan, more fool me for thinking it would.

I had set Saturday evening aside to make Steph's wrap but before I started I thought I would give her a call just to see how she was and I'm so glad I did. The little madam doesn't want one now. Aaaargh !

I did manage to start experimenting with poppies, and that didn't go according to plan either.

This is the poppy stitched straight onto the embellishing. It didn't work, because they are made from paper the stitching is splitting it. I'm sure that if I backed with some iron on interfacing it would work better but you would see it. I did think about painting the interfacing but the colour would need to be exact, and how long would it take to find the right colour? I am running short of patience at the moment so it is onto plan B. It does look pretty though.

Remember this little book? I didn't like the binding so I have re-bound it and added some felt balls.

I have started to fill the pages with my chosen shape. Hopefully soon this will be a finished piece of homework.

I thought you might like to see these they came into the shop today. I think they are fantastic.

Not sure if I will get the chance to post again this week. Steph is coming home tomorrow so I could end up in the looney bin ! I'm sure once Saturday is here she will have calmed down.

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Countdown - seven days to go!

I can't believe a week has passed since I last blogged. It has been a very busy week and I've had a horrible cold that seems to be hanging on like a toddler clinging to your leg, it just won't go away.


I have managed to do some work on my hanging but not as much as I wanted and needed to get done. I've bound the edges in the way you would a quilt. This picture doesn't do them justice they look much much nicer in real life. I am still making leaves, I have painted some Lutradur and I'm going to experiment with it and see what kind of leaves it makes. I have a mental issue with Lutradur. I know it's a useful fabric and I have seen beautiful pieces of work created by other people using it but I don't seem to get on with it. So here's hoping.

Today I might start experimenting with the poppies. That's the exciting bit.

Tonight however is wrap night. I really have got to make it, the wedding is a week today so it is now a matter of urgency! This time next week we will be at the hairdresser. Stephanie has got to be there for 8:00am, so I won't get a lie in!

First Meeting

On Wednesday we had the first meeting of the year of my City and Guilds class. It was great to get back to things and catch up with people. We had a lovely day.

However I wasn't as pleased with the work we had to do. I must point out that it wasn't the teachers fault it is just some thing we have to do.
I don't like drawing - that's not really true the trouble is I can't draw and I wish I could.

These are paper curls mmm.



This is meant to be a drawing of a crumpled (how my brain felt) piece of paper. This term we are looking at form and we had to look at the shape and shadows - I think. Now you know why I can't draw. Neil would say it's a lack of understanding and he's right, just don't tell him!

On a more positive note the hanging is coming along nicely. I have finished with the embellisher and cut my rectangles, they are looking very neat.

I have loaded them onto blogger in reverse order by mistake (I don't understand computers either) this will be the first piece.

This is the second or middle piece and is the wrong way round.

This is the top.

And this is the grass - in the making. It's sheer fabric sandwiched between water soluble fabric.
I have stitched triangles of various sizes and on different colours. I also used some lining fabric.

This is what they look like once they have been cut out and rinsed. Seaweed according to Pam, she has a point but it's definitely grass.

So at last I am making progress with this project and I feel much happier about it. Hopefully it will soon be finished.

It's A Dogs Life

This is definitely what you call a dogs life and I want one! He got up, came downstairs, climbed onto his stuffed dog that someone (Neil) bought for him just before Xmas and he went to sleep again. He really is one spoilt rotten dog and you know who it is that spoils him don't you.


On Saturday we have got our first workshop of the new year, Gina will be teaching Bonded Books. Students will be able to practice their F M E as well as learn a new technique - a fun day.

The red book was made by Gina, the other one by me. These are lovely little books to make, they are great for keeping special memorabilia in.

It's Good To Be Back

Thank you to every one for the kind birthday wishes. We had a great time in Wales, we didn't do anything. It was lovely sitting in the hot tub watching the snow fall, we really did chill out, neither of us wanted to come back. However it is nice to be back at work I did miss everybody and I have got lots of homework to do.

I am still working on my hanging. Some progress has been made, I have finished the embellishing and cut it into three pieces.

This will be the top.


This is the middle section.

And this will be the bottom.

Now I have to make some grass!

I have still got to make Stephs wrap for her wedding which is fast approaching. Today we are going for a hair rehearsal. Last night we were trying out nail varnish, only half a dozen or so and then, she decides that she actually wants a french manicure. I didn't know I could be so patient.

Check out Pams blog she has got something new to show you.

A Birthday Treat

We are back in Wales for the weekend. It is my birthday tomorrow and this is my birthday treat from Neil, a much needed rest. Things are going to be a little bit hectic for the next few weeks Steph gets married four weeks today and she is getting a little bit stressed and panicky, so am I. I still need to make her wrap, I know it won't take long it's just a case of knuckling down and getting on with it.

We arrived Thursday afternoon and were greeted with lots of the white stuff.


We hadn't had much snow at home and the roads were clear and free of traffic all the way here so this was a bit of a surprise. It does look lovely.

This photo was taken looking through one end of the verandah, it could be an Xmas card.

Some interesting texture, frost covered weeds.

These cobwebs are beautiful, especially with the sun shining through.

This is a view looking down on the village.

And this is the next lodge down from us there are five altogether so it is very quiet up here. Even the sheep aren't making a lot of noise.

One hungry pheasant, so hungry in fact that when I went out side he didn't fly away just carried on eating. In the distance I could hear guns going off.




I did bring some sewing with me. More hexagons to make some more pincushions and maybe needle cases.

I hope you are enjoying the snow and keeping warm.

Angel Giveaway

Today's the day if you had entered into the giveaway for this little lady.

Here are all the names ready to go into the pot to be drawn by Pati, our lovely receptionist.

This is Pati she is lovely, very efficient and we couldn't manage without her even if she does think I'm mad.

Here she is doing the deed.

And the winner is Gina. Congratulations Gina, your parcel will be in the post today I hope you like it.

I hope you are all enjoying the snow. It took me an hour to get to the shop this morning but my journey was very pretty. I used the back roads this morning and it was magical driving underneath white trees. The sun was just rising, the sky was beautiful and I forgot about all the inconvenience that the white stuff causes- until I go home!

January's issue of Patchwork and Quilting features Art and Stitch in the "let's go shopping" series. Judi Mendelssohn came to see us a couple of weeks ago (what a delightful lady she is) and we spent a couple of hours talking about us, the shop, the training room and our workshop programme. The article is an amusing (and encouraging) summary of what we do and how we do it -and has a picture of Neil in case you were wondering what he looks like!