The Harrogate Hoard...

Oh...

...what a glorious show!!

I had a really super time...

...meeting friends both old and new...

...had two days of happy workshopping...

...and birthday cake to boot! :-)

And the title?.....

Well, this is my Harrogate Hoard...

treasures from Oliver Twists and 21st Century Yarns.

...glorious colours...

...for glorious purposes.

Can you see Africa and Mexico in there anywhere? ;-)))

Thanks to everyone who came and had a chat.

Looking forward to meeting up with you again when I come to do workshops/talks with you!

Pssssssssssssssstt!

I've got my Christmas Candle Cuff project in Sewing World this month too!

Have a good week...

x C

Back home...tired but happy...

...after a wonderful 4 days at the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching Show!

Now, at last, I can show some pictures of what I've been working on for the last 15 months :-)

Here's a rather "unfinished" looking stand sometime on Wednesday afternoon...

...with shopping basket and piles of "stuff" still hanging around.

You'll notice those big ........ thingys...

....they are my "Menhirion"...

....Standing Stones....

...done in sets of three.

One set based on Breton embroidery and the carved stone in the neolithic chamber tomb of Garinis...

...the second set inspired by the tent-pole covers of Uzbekistan.

They stand about 3 feet tall (90 cms)

Up on the wall in the middle are my Wall Pockets with Spell Sticks....

...(looking a bit more like swords I have to admit!)

"Naked" Spell Sticks with some amulets creeping in on the left ...

...and a small display of spear-heads that shouldn't REALLY have been there, but they are in the current issue of "Stitch" magazine. (A 4 page project with 6 designs to make)

Looks like I'm going to be all over the place in 2014/2015/2016....

....with all the workshop bookings that came my way :-)))))

But for now, all I have to do is play around with my current sketchbook.....

....and put the book in the shop

(which I have now done)

Off to Harrogate...

...as the snow lies on the ground all around the Gladdyvan!!

Temperatures around the Harrogate area will be in minus figures through most nights during my stay...

...so I've just put in an extra sleeping bag. Brrrrrrrrr!

Really looking forward to seeing all the new work up on the stand though...

...it's always a proud moment when you see it all together and at a distance...

...after being so close to it for so long. :-)

Here are a couple of postcard piccies....

...just to keep you company while I'm away.

Hope to see some of you there...

x C

Spell Sticks and other bits...

With "Stitching Magic" now done and behind me...

(picking up the print jobby on Friday)

...I have felt able to "relax" a little and make a few frivolous bits!

Here are my "Spell Sticks"...

...with their beady-dangles...

mmmmmmmmmm

...delicious......

...that will be on my stand TG122 at Harrogate.

This time next week I'll be wending my way up the M50, M5, M42 & M1...

...with the little Gladdyvan following behind...

...and when I get back (and recover a bit)...

....I'll be putting a "Freebie" tutorial on the website for "crunchy textural couching"...

...that will help with a project in the book!

If you're going to be at Harrogate, please call by and say "Hello". :-)

x C

p.s. I've got five free entry tickets left. If you want any just e-mail me - first come first served.

WANTED!!!!!

...the thieving git who helped themselves to a WHOLE BOX....

...of my stitched samples....

...sometime between 6.30 pm Tuesday 20th November and 9.30 am Wednesday 21st, at the Harrogate International Centre!!

Remember these?

They were in a box with a few punchneedle pieces, and were minding their own business on my stand (TG 122) after being stacked there at about 6.15 pm Tuesday evening.

By the time I got back down there to set-up the next morning...

..the box pile had changed, and, after putting out the rest of my stuff, I found that it was my samples that had gone!

How did I feel?

...right at the beginning of a show?

BLOODY-WELL DEVASTATED!!!!!

Those samples took me HOURS and HOURS to do...

..and now some light-fingered BAS***D has helped themselves!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!

Well...

..if anyone sees any of these pieces, please, please, PLEASE let me (or the police)
 know about it ASAP.

And, if you happen to be the one that has got them......


....MAY THE FLEAS OF A THOUSAND CAMELS INFEST YOUR ARMPITS...

...AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT WHEN YOU NEED A RAPID BOWEL EVACUATION ....

...SOME YEAR 9 PUPIL HAS (very kindly :-) SPRINKLED THE LOO ROLL WITH CHILLI POWDER!!!