Fabulous Workshop to Kick Start the Creative Juices

I went to a fabulous workshop lead by Mandy Pattullo at Hope and Elvis on Saturday.  I set off on a very misty, murky morning and for those of you who know me, this is a big thing, driving somewhere I haven't been before.  I'm not the world's most confident driver but I was determined to go but so glad I hadn't realised that visibility was so dire.  It was only just over an hour away, I could do it, I would do it because the lure of her work and the wonderfulness of Hope and Elvis was the biggest 'carrot'.  So, so glad I did, it more than lived up to expectations.

The wonderful stag above just had to come home with me.  It was love at first sight, from the delightfully worn piece of quilt it's stitched on, to the wonderful mix of colours and textures in the embroidery.

Mandy was such a good tutor it wasn't long before we were up and running.  Having chosen my template - a cheeky squirrel it was off to rummage for fabric pieces in the heaven of a pile of fabrics!

The whole place was just so inspirational but a bench, covered in fabric to rummage through was just so inspiring, so many fabrics and textures.   Wish I could show you more of the studio but guess who forgot to charge her camera, arghhhhh!

So then it was back to my bench to begin assembling my fabrics so as to try to resemble a squirrel.

Here was my work at the end of the day, still a ways to go but determined to finish it. I had such fun, it had been so long since I'd played and created.  But it won't be as long again.

The house move is out of the way, most of the boxes are unpacked so it won't be long before I'm back making again.  Incidently Mandy Pattullo very kindly brought along some of her sketchbooks and I was so happy to see the works she'd done around a cemetery - cos we all know how much I love cemeteries right?  When I was in a local cemetery recently, doing some rubbings, ideas were flitting across my mind......watch this space folks.  I also don't think it will be long before I'm on another course at Hope and Elvis, it really is a very special space.

Think I like Patchwork

 Started work on an art quilt with the theme of gardens.  This is the first time I've tried curves with english paper piecing and I think it's worked quite well.  It's to be a seed packet if the company was owned by a shabby chic gardener.  I'll let you see it as it progresses...

I managed to have a relaxing Sunday afternoon, doing a bit of work to my crocheted blanket, watching the Interior Design Challenge, got up to change channels and Hutchie was in my seat in a flash, looking like he's been there all afternoon.

Now off for a glass of chilled Soave and to put my feet up and watch the Musketeers.  Just loving the detailing on the uniforms.  The faces aren't bad either, lol.  Enjoy your Sundays!

Roses Patchwork Cushions

I've been attempting to use some of my fabric stash and came up with making these simple patchwork cushions.

Take tapestry roses from the charity shop....

                Add some fabric scraps and hey presto!  

You have a couple of cushions in a couple of hours!

Stitching Little Quiltlets

 Now the studio is tidy and my table is clear I'm back to creating!  In tidying up I came across lots of started-but-not-completed projects.  Let's face it we all have them.  The ones we lose interest in, the ones that need something but we don't know what, the impulse buys etc.  Well, one of my resolutions this year is to finish more than I start!  So these little quiltlets, a la Teesha Moore, were started ages ago and then I moved on to something else and these languished in a box.

 Well, no more.  I've now cut out some more, watched the videos again on Youtube and started stitching again.  They are so simple to make and easy to pick up and put down, so ideal TV project.  It's great when a project fits in a box don't you think?

 I also came across this stitched journal that I suspect was made using Teesha Moore's instructions and only one flap had been started, so combining the quiltlet cover with this journel will mean two projects finished!

In the process of tidying I came across this box of soft sculptured heads that I made in workshop many years ago, probably the 90's, and I still don't know what to do with them.  Any suggestions?

Fabric Musings and Chutney Making

It doesn't take much to make me happy.  I got this little lot of offcuts for the princely sum of £1.20 - what a bargain.  Most of them I thought would make great journal covers.  

 I then went out and bought some christmas themed fabric and it sits looking at me, waiting for my little grey cells to come up with some inspiration for this years decorations. 

 Whilst waiting for inspiration, and taking advantage of a marrow, residing, largely, in my fridge and I decided a wet, cold Sunday in September was the ideal time to start making chutney as future Christmas presents.  Here was the start of the Marrow and Red Tomato Chutney

 and this was the Ratatouille Chutney, which really looks most christmassy with the red tomatoes and the green of the courgettes.  I'd forgotten how long it takes to chop the vegetables and cook it so it's taken most of the day.  Only time now for a bit of internet surfing before everything stops for Downton!

Winter Mourning

I finally decided on 'Winter Mourning' as the words for this fabric collage. Behind the girl there is something that could be a gravestone and it could be one of our wet winter mornings, hence the play on words.

My love friend Anne saw my previous post about this collage and a similar one and could see what I'd done with some of the lovely tweeds and tartens she's sent me a while ago that she sent me this parcel.

Some more beautiful fabric pieces! I can't wait to use them :-) Big, big thanks lass!

Remember - little Giveaway on it's way!

More Dying and Collages

I've been playing around with fabric, images, vintage buttons, lace etc and been having fun :)




One of my friends went on holiday to Wales and brought me back this lovely mosaic coaster, it twinkles with glittery bits, that don't show up too well in this photo. My mug of tea now looks great on this, thanks mate

I decided that I was going to try dying some more fabrics, laces and artificial flowers with the humble tea bag.

The results are all hanging up to dry, just hoping that they are alittle lighter when dry.


And I had to do a cat collage of course. I think all the images I used are from The Graphics Fairy, a great blog for vintage images.

Fabric ATCs

I've been making some fabric ATCs for a swap on Roses on the Table, the theme being cats so I decided to use images of my own cats. Above is Archie.

Here's Mickey

And finally Merlin.

You'll have noticed that Bill Biggles is not amongst them. He just will not sit up to have his photo taken. He would like to thank all his internet Aunties for all the birthday wishes, purr, purr ;)