One of yesterday's prints...now stitched!!

Here's the first one...

...that lovely Colouricious Paisley Mendhi print...

...on Klona cotton (that gives such a lovely crisp print!)...

...stitched around and within.

Yes...it IS time consuming...

...but any job worth doing...

...is worth doing well...

...and you can NEVER have enough seed stitches can you?!

I am very pleased with the way the Spectrum Noir pens fill in without much (if any) bleed.

Just lightly dotting the tip onto the fabric seems to do the trick.

Now I have some more stitching to do...

x C

Stitching on TV!!

Wa-Hay!

We took a little detour over to Amersham on Saturday...

...to deliver some of my stitched pieces to Jamie at Colouricious...

...who will be taking them onto HOCHANDA with her for her shows on Thursday :-)

(NOPE! GOT THE DATE WRONG - IT'S THE 31ST OCTOBER FOR THESE!!)


Here are some more samples that I'm currently enjoying working on....

...and watch this space for news of more collaborations between myself and Jamie ;-)

x C

Stitching and beading...again!

This is the top panel...

...which will soon be joined by four different ones...

...in a little project that I'm working on using Colouricious blocks (of course!).

I love my bead tray...made out of a cheap IKEA picture frame and some fluffy fabric!!

Have a great weekend

x C

Featured....

I have got a couple of bits in ...

...Creative with Workbox magazine!!

First up is my "Creative Blogger" article...all about my blog and how it got started etc....

Then there's a piece called "Creative Crushes" in which I spill the beans on a few of my favourite things...

...including fabrics and bits from Empress Mills...

...and wooden print blocks from Colouricious!

www.creativewithworkbox.com

http://www.creativewithworkbox.com/product/current-issue/


Thanks to all at the magazine for inviting me to contribute!!

x C

Indian Adventure (1) - Tri-Fold Book Workshop Sample - Finished!!

At last the sample book is finished!!

After many hours of stitching and embellishing...

...followed by glueing and painting...

..."Indian Adventure (1)" is done...

...ready for it's first outing with Lingen Stitchers next Monday. :-)

(This would normally be at least a 2-day workshop, but I'm sure I can get them far enough down the creative path that they can finish off at home afterwards! :-)

I've used hand-dyed calico...

...printed with my very favourite Colouricious wooden print blocks...

...and, as you can see...

...the results are just lovely!

(Well I think so anyway!)

Finished off with some of my hand-made "Lava Beads".

I'm running this workshop over a weekend "Chez Moi" in July.

That one is already full...but I will run another one at some time, along with another Medieval Tile one... so let me know if you are interested.

x C

A Wonderful Weekend Workshop!!

Five women are completely worn out...

...after an intense, but very enjoyable weekend workshop "Chez Moi"...

...making a Medieval Tile-inspired trifold book!

Everyone threw themselves into the task at hand...

...and produced the most gorgeous pages. :-)

Well done Jules, Katherine, Anne and Pauline...

...it was a pleasure to have your company...

...and I'm looking forward to our next meeting (in June)...

...and workshop (in July).

As always...

...Brusho Sprays and paints from Colourcraft...

...calico and Egyptian cotton fabrics from Empress Mills...

....and superb wooden print blocks - Medieval tile designs - from Colouricious!

x C

A Tale of Two Workshops....

It's been busy, busy....BUSY around here!

It feels like I haven't stopped for weeks....and I can't stop yet either!

But...I do have some finished pieces....

...and therefore some pictures to show :-)

First of all, the sample Tri-Fold Petroglyph Book for my workshops at Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show next week...

I have spent HOURS making all the parts, printing text and notes,  and making this sample....

...I hope the participants will enjoy themselves on Thursday (3.30) and Sunday (1.30)

Maybe I'll see some of you there. I'm on Stand TG137 in the Textile Gallery!

OK

Workshop number 2 is my Winter Solstice at Arts Alive Crickhowell.

I've prepared plenty of examples and samples for this workshop taking place in Crickhowell on the 6th & 7th December. It will be such fun...the same as the last one!!

Here's a Markal Stencil that has been stitched with metallic thread...

....a lovely bunch of Colouricious wooden print blocks to play with....

...a boxful of rune print blocks....

...hand-carved by MOI! :-)

...and this little rune book has been made using lino blocks run through my little Italian litho-press.

It'll be possible for folk to make bags, coasters, calendars, cards, blessing books, and all sorts of lovely things for an alternative Winter Celebration!

Sign up HERE.

A Tale of Two Tiles.....

Oh.....what fun is life!!

I spent a delightful Friday with the Crafty Women in Abergavenny.....

...another wonderful Arts Alive Project....

...and then I came home to play with my new Medieval Print blocks from Colouricious! :-)

Literally stacks have been printed...

...and they are now sitting next to the sewing machine.

But these are what I want to share with you today....


Two tiles....

...one block....

...one embossed....

...one printed and stitched.

Can you all hear Pharrell Williams singing away in the background?!

"Because I'm Happy.......Happy.....Happy!!"

x C

Medieval tile blocks have arrived!!

Weh Heyyyyyy!!

Back in August, at FOQ....

...I asked Jamie Malden if it would be possible to get some medieval floor tile blocks done for my up-coming workshop at Arts Alive (1st & 2nd November).

The answer was "Yes"....

...so I did the drawings...

...emailed them....

...so that someone could send the order to India...

...where they were expertly carved....

...sent back to the UK....

..and landed on my doorstep on Monday! :-)

I unpacked them straight away (of course)...

...stroked them....

...then had to return to more urgent things instead.

But....

...those urgent things have been done...

...and I can begin to play!!

Here are my little darlings...

Colouricious have got a dedicated "Medieval" section on their website HERE...

...and these tile blocks of mine will be in there soon.


I have got some fabric pieces prepared with Brusho sprays....

...and will begin printing later on today :-)

See you on the weekend with some results!

x C

Printing to Stitch workshops at Festival of Quilts

I'm doing just one workshop at Festival of Quilts this year...

...Saturday evening from 5 til 8...

..."Printing to Stitch" C278

Here are a few panel samples I did some time back...

...and these are some of the spears that were featured in "STITCH" magazine...

I'm cutting some mask pieces while the sun shines....

...and have already done a pile of small panel blocks for participants to take home with them.

They are of a size that could easily be used for bunting!

I'll be bringing my own blocks for people to use....

...along with a large selection of Colouricious wooden blocks for decoration and loads of Colourcraft (and other) paints.

As each person will get a metre of Empress Mills calico fabric in their packs....

....they'll have plenty of stitching to keep them happy for the rest of the year!!


Pack contents:- 1 m  calico fabric; 1 hand-cut foam print block; hand-dyed embroidery threads.


Those who book, PLEASE BRING YOUR CAMERAS as there will be plenty of samples to take pictures of!

See you there...


x C