Isle of Wight beetle workshop

Here are a few of the photos from my Beetle workshop given to the Isle of Wight Embroiderers. We had a lovely day making them and the results were stunning. Geoff went and spent the day on the Steam railway but came back to the hall just in time for the cakes! I had given the group a talk on the Saturday from Embroiderer to textile Artist which seemed to go down well. They were a delightful group of embroiderers. We had decided to stay on for a couple of days so spent the Sunday evening walking in Shanklin Chine. Monday it tipped it down with rain so we joined English Heritage and visited Osbourne House. It was better on Tuesday so we were able to see a bit more of the island going to Isle of Wight Glass, then Carrisbrook Castle and Alum Bay before catching the ferry home.. 

A few more photos from Marlborough Guild Workshop.

Thought that I would add a few more photos from the Marlborough Guild workshop. The photos really don't do the work justice but these three show three different designs that were being worked on. There are layered organza fabrics which can then have some layers cut away to show the fabric underneath. Once finished the purses can be embellished with beads and sequins. The designs come from my Venetian stonework Studies that I did for my HNC in stitched textiles. I wanted a small project which could be taught in a dayschool. I used the computer to work out the patterns for the purses.

Venetian Purse Workshop at Marlborough

Here is a selection of some of the little purses made by the ladies of the Marlborough and district Embroiderers Guild during my workshop. Some of the ladies hadn't attempted free machine embroidery before and found it challenging because this is quite a difficult one for beginners but they all did really well and I am looking forward to seeing them all finished.

Florida Holiday

The whole family arriving at Epcot on our third day in Florida. We left home from Swindon at 3-30am for the drive to the airport. We thought that Fraser would sleep in the Taxi but he was so excited. He only slept for an hour on the plane and stayed up until 10pm once we arrived in Florida. Our resort and unit were perfect, just 10 minutes away from Disney. The only downside was the heat, 90 degrees upwards during the day and very humid. There were a couple of cracking thunderstorms while we were there. However it didn't stop us enjoying ourselves. We visited all the parks including Busch Gardens, gator land and the Kenndy Space centre to see the last space shuttle out on the launch pad. Brian was only able to stay for a week as he had to get back to work. Fraser loved our 'oliday 'ouse and grandads 'ire car especially as they had a separate apartment and so he was able to come and knock on our door to visit.
For the first time in the States I didn't get to a Jo Anns or Michaels to buy some sewing supplies. Fortunitely I had stocked up in Houston.

Good news and Quilting

Well the good news was that Geoff is none the worse for his stay in Hospital and he has nothing nasty lurking inside him now. It seems a long time ago now. These two pictures are of a small quilted hanging. I played with a photo I had taken when we were in California and printed it onto cotton fabric. I then made the Californian poppies separately from hand painted fabric and applied them. The little sand squirrel was hand embroidered and the whole pieces was machine quilted. it is a practice piece for when I tackle my larger printed picture. I am really pleased with the result considering I really have no idea what I am doing when it comes to quilting. I know that there are certain rules you are supposed to follow but rules are made to be broken. 

hospital and royal wedding!

Phew! what a weekend. Starting on Friday with the royal wedding. I was glued to the TV while Geoff was busying himself in the garage and reading. I was therefore a bit surprised when at 4pm I couldn't find him. He had a minor surgical procedure on Thursday so when I found him in bed shivering and with a rageing temp. alarm bells rang. On phoning the hospital I was told to get him in straight away. He had developed an infection so spent the next three days in the hospital on a drip and having different anti biotics pumped into him. I have just been to fetch him home so have to see that he rests now!

teaching, Canvey and Stow on the wold

Just Had a great few days. Last week I had a visitor from Australia working with me. She was a wonderful lady called Jeannie and she came to spend two days with me to learn how to make a silk bowl. Her family thought that she was very brave coming to stay with someone she didn't know especially as she was 78 hard to believe when I met her. She traveled from Cheshire where she was staying with her son to Swindon by train. She was brilliant and nearly completed a bowl while she was with me. I felt I had made a friend.  After we saw her off on Friday we went to my mothers at Canvey for Easter joining Sarah Andy and Fraser who were there already. Fraser enjoyed his chocolate rabbit hunt on Sunday. We hid them round the house and garden and he found them all.
I then spent Tuesday teaching embroidered bowls at Stow on the Wold Embroiderers Guild.