famous friends

My friend Linda becomes more famous every day, here she is explaining one of her great techniques on youtube. 

If you get a chance to take one of Linda's classes, grab it with both hands and feet, you will work hard, have a great time and learn lots.  I did :)

another paper bag mini album

It is amazing what can be made from a couple of sheets of brown paper and a (very expensive) commercial paper stack.  Youngest daughter's wedding album was handed over this weekend and she loves it.  I am a happy mummy

David Drummond sewing machines

I got my combined last/next birthday/christmas present a month ago.  A rather nice new Pfaff Ambition 1.0.  It has all the good stuff from Pfaff + a stop start button which works even when the foot pedal is plugged in.  I love it :)
Sadly it went a bit wrong.  Here comes the good bit - I had the good sense to buy it from David Drummond (Edinburgh, but they courier) and when I told David about my problem he immediately arranged to have a brand new machine sent to me. 
I did suffer one or two withdrawal symptoms for a few days but the shiny new machine arrived today, just in time to play with the shiny new fabric I picked up earlier :)

So three cheers for David Drummond, whose service is always second to none and who I couldn't recommend more. 

More good news, Stitchcraft will have a sale starting next Wednesday (10th April) and I have seen the fabrics that will be on offer.  In fact I may have purchased one or two metres (tutors were allowed to peek) and it is an awesome selection. 

Happy days :)

Fashion and Embroidery Sewing for Pleasure

We braved the weather and went to the NEC yesterday.  It wasn't a difficult decision as we had booked places on a coach trip :)
It was lovely, a bit quieter than the recent outings, possibly due to the bad weather.  I was quite restrained, apart from buying 5 copies of stitch magazine to send to friends, I only bought 3 fat q's of fabric. 
The highlight of the day?  Seeing the white tunic worn by Colin Firth as Mr Darcy in 'Pride and Prejudice'.  There seemed to be a lot of 'ladies of a certain age' stood looking at it ;)

happy dancing

Who would ever believe it?  My little copper thingies on the front page of Stitch Magazine.  Not me that's for sure.  Until I saw it.  My heart did a funny fluttery thing, I felt a grin widening across my face and then I did a little skip. 

It is a fabulous issue, great articles and a free book offer, and it has me on the front cover ;)

kings and stuff

I went to London for a few days, this sculpture is in Kingston on Thames, were our hotel was (not the one in the photo).  Those are real telephone boxes btw :)

We went to the V&A to see the textiles.  The wonderful textile study room was closed as everything is in the process of being moved to Olympia.  sigh.  Most of the fashion collection was gone too.  And the theatre and film costumes.  Never mind, we thought we would go and see the new Tudor exhibition but that didn't open until tomorrow..

All was not lost as we found some amazing textiles hidden amongst the other treasures, in the Islamic/middle east, the Japanese collection and the Medieval and Renaissance collections.  Awesome stuff and not to be missed.  I would love to show the photos I took, except I didn't take any.  Too busy awe-ing and ah-ing.  I did find some rather nice ceramic bowls which will translate very nicely into stitched vessels.  Watch this space as I am eager to have a go :)

I had a day at Hampton Court.  Goodness it was cold and the fire in the King's kitchen was a good place to hang around.  It was mother's day and the annual flower festival was well attended.  I saw King Henry VIII and some of his wives wandering around.  I did chat to one or two members of his court, but not the great man himself.  This rather handsome courtier escorted me when I got lost.  You wouldn't believe the size of his codpiece! 

 The Young Henry exhibition was different and very interesting.  Instead of the usual plaques, chairs were used. 

 

If you click on the image you should be able to read the text. 

Parts of the story were also told within the weave of the carpet.

I really enjoyed the different presentation.

I won, I won I won I won I won

I rarely sign up for giveaways but the nuno felting book looked like something I needed on my desk so I gave it a go and I won.
I have had a bit of a read (yes I read some words) and checked out the step by step instructions and this is a good book, with clear detailed instructions.  The photos are as good as I have seen in any book.  I would definately have been happy to buy this and am looking forward to getting out to the studio and making felt again.  I have the supplies ready and waiting ;)

Life has been manic the past few weeks and I have doing a good impersonation of a headless chicken  but I decided to give myself a day off on Sunday. 

I have been meaning to make one of these for years and finally did it.  It was a bit of a fiddle starting the coil, but after that it was quick and easy.  The tortuous part was wrapping the cord with the fabric.  I used a piece of hand dyed that I wasn't happy with because I was sure I wouldn't be able to do it, but I am quite proud of my first go.  I have a second on the way with slightly more interesting fabric.  Watch this space.  I bought 88 metres of cord on Monday (that's all Dunhelm had left) so should be able to make one or two more :):)

The second bowl is another first, and may become a 2 hour Friday fun workshop at stitchcraft   Because they book far in advance I used christmas fabric - eek!!  I do appologise for this, it is only March...