Fun weekend

I've had a really fun time this weekend, starting on Friday, when I met Paulene from her train. She'd booked the last two places on a workshop with Dawn Dupree at Cirencester Brewery Arts after Maggie had told us that she'd booked herself on it. Careful what you tell us about - an Artful Dodger or two might just join you to share the fun!




A couple of days ago we sent off black and white images for Dawn to prepare something for us in advance. Though we had suspected she'd do a Thermoscreen or something we were none too sure, so we agonised a little over what to send. I eventually decided to send an image created from a metal installation in the foyer of Alexandria Library - visit Paulene and Maggie's blogs to find out what they chose to work with.



Anyway, when we arrived, there were our screens, ready to go.





The room was a little tight on space but thankfully, bright and airy with open windows and a light breeze. We enjoyed having the chance to spend a day printing and making use of a range of materials, inspired by Dawn's fascinating exhibition just downstairs.

She was generous with her ideas and experience, ready and more than willing to suggest, advise and explain how to create just the effects we were after. We had great fun.

Lunchtime was bright and sunny and sitting outside with a sandwich and sushi was a good chance to catch up with the gossip.

Our screens held up well, from time to time we oohed and aaahed at some effect or other, the more so if the image was a transient one - here the colours on my screen "popped", though of course, that was all to be washed away seconds after the photograph was taken.

Maggie and Paulene both created some wonderful work which they will surely share. I was happy with mine though am unsure where it will go from here - in which cupboard will it end up?

In the evening, we smartened ourselves up a bit and went, together with our Dodger men, to the Wild Duck in Ewen where we ate, drank and talked the night away.

What a great way to spend a weekend. Thanks Maggie for booking the class to start with, Paulene for letting me in on the fun and nabbing the last two places! And thank you too, Mark, Nigel and Robin, for being such good company last night.

It's a wrap - eventually

I was prepared. I had seven bags full of samples, materials and enough ideas I thought.

But perhaps I wasn't quite prepared for the close encounter which was scheduled for this afternoon. I imagined one man and a digital video camera...I got a whole film crew, just back from filming my favourite Thursday evening fashion progamme. I felt very small, very inexperienced and rather lonely at times.

Though I'd got everything together and am normally confident of my ability to get on and do things, faced with all of this, even sewing a button on becomes challenging.

The best bits were when I could stand back and let them get on with it.

The worst bits were when, at the fifteenth attempt, I was asked to speak in a more lively manner.

And to hold my embroidery frame just so, to keep it in focus.

And to remember what we'd agreed I'd say.

And to keep the thread visible and not allow the loose fabric to catch as I turn the frame over to show the reverse.

And to make sure that I hold the end with my thumb as I said and not use my finger (as I did).

And not to hold it so my hand created a huge shadow over the stitch.

And to relax.

And smile.

And look as though I was enjoying myself.

And when I'd done all of that and finally been able to start a thread without a knot, do about two inches of simple running stitch and secure the end...

Could I do it all again, right from the beginning, this time to film from a different angle.

And then again (exactly the same) a third time to film my face and hands. aaaagh!

For one who can't remember what she said just ten seconds ago, this was the biggest challenge. To their credit, the whole film crew were patience personified and did their best to put me at my ease, to suggest ways of getting around a challenging bit and were totally charming and professional throughout.

Here, the lighting engineer and the cameraman try to overcome those pesky shadows in the embroidery shots. I don't really think I convinced them to take up the needle.

But it's over. Done. Wrapped. Most will end up on the cutting room floor, the remainder on a learning channel sometime in the autumn. Watch this space.

(Hah...you think I'm going to TELL you where to find it?!)

About the little books

Jordi was asking about the little books, featured on my photo blog last week but not really mentioned much here, in case any of the recipients stopped by.

Since they were for my six colleagues who formed the Textile Treasures team at the recent exhibitions, I tried to keep to a textile-y theme and chose to use Basic Grey's Stella Ruby paper throughout. I stitched many of the photos into the book with my sewing machine and attached the odd button here and there.

Though I have now got a Bind it All machine, I didn't actually use it for these but instead, used the last seven 7 Gypsies Mini books from my stash.

I had a lot of photographs to include, so used different means of fitting as many in as I could. These books are small and have just ten pages.

In addition, I tagged them with small samples of the bits and pieces we made during our tour. We'd done a few beading classes and an embellisher workshop.

Finally, in case anyone was in doubt, a reminder of why we agreed to give up seven weeks of our life!

Though of course, no reminder was really needed - and it was terrific fun!

And now, for those who didn't manage to get to see the exhibition, you can have a quick tour with a YouTube video, narrated by Susan, Textile Treasure extraordinaire.

Tuesday

In answer to Sue's question about my photo of the day yesterday, the answer is "journal jewellery" for the big craft project I'm doing right now. I'm getting on ok with that and nearing the home straight - just need to run out in a min to replenish some supplies.

I chickened out of doing more to my bag last night. Instead, we sat in front of the TV and watched a couple of Gilmore Girls episodes on DVD. We're savouring these, in the knowledge that we're on Series 6 of a total of 7, but the cliffhangers are such that as one episode finishes we look at one another and ask "just one more?"

Anyway, hands are recovered, a long car journey this afternoon might offer a chance to work a little more on it. We're off to Hull to begin a bit of a sort out. Can't say I'm looking forward to that prospect.

Beaten into submission

I'm at that unusual point when, having finished the Tofutsies socks last night, I need another mindless knitting project. Not quite ready for another pair of socks (though they will begin sooner rather than later, I'm sure), I thought I'd make a start on this Paper Bag . I got the materials in Habu, New York, last year and fought with the stuff whilst sitting in Jordi's apartment, making use of her swift, for I didn't have one of my own then. I seem to recall using a few choice words on that afternoon, too.

So, getting the yarn out to begin casting on, it came as no surprise to find that this was going to be a bit of an animal. It slithered and slipped all over the place, taking every opportunity to wind around itself, tie itself into knots and generally misbehave. Time for affirmative action. I rewound the yarn on the ball winder, taking care to make sure I had the inside end there, because I think that's the only way to go.

All the time whilst I was fighting it, I could envisage the kind of look on various faces, perhaps similar to those in the meeting on Friday, whose reaction to my knitting a paper bag - or a bag made of knitted paper - would be all-too-predictable. The Yarn Harlot says it so well and what she says could easily apply to quilting, when we cut fabric up and sew it back together again, to papermaking* and so many other things I do.

But one thing is sure. In the competition between me and a paper bag, you know who is going to win, don't you!

*Why are you ripping up all that paper and soaking it overnight? Why, to make paper of course!

A day to play

Today, two friends came to play and oh my goodness, what creativity was in the air!

Sue was working on a project for a competition, and worked on the Embellisher for much of the day. Myfanwy, we missed you!
Liz explored the bind it all machine, having watched the DVD to get the tips and hints first. Sensible lady... As she was doing this, our friend Dorothy Skyped in to see how we were getting along. Of course, it was all her fault we got into the bind-it-all in the first place - wasn't it Dorothy?

As for me, well I had a new toy to play with, thanks to Liz - and did I read the instructions first? Since they were in Japanese that wasn't really an option, but with an expert on hand, I dived right in and with her help, look what we made!

Twenty-four cards for our friends...

Such fun to get together and share ideas and enthusiasms. We'll do it again soon (I hope)

A little knowledge

Isn't it interesting how a little knowledge and limited resources makes us more creative than a whole studio full of stuff? I wonder if I sometimes can't see the wood for the trees and intend to simplify my approach now I've got the time to develop some ideas.

Take last week for example. Though I had done a bit of spiral rope beading before, an hour's "Make and Take" workshop in Glasgow refreshed my memory of how to do it and I quickly finished a little bracelet to go into my bag of judging samples.

Evenings around the table at the cottage whilst at Birmingham provoked us all to do something - and since I'd been knitting at times throughout the day, I can't say the needles called. Anyway, we were all infected by Lisa's new enthusiasm for beading, inspired by our friends from Alice in Tokyo on the stand opposite.

Then, in the box of beading stuff I'd taken for Lisa, I found a couple of pots of beads which I thought I'd try mixing together for another bit of spiral rope.

This is the result. More beading than I've done in ages. Possibly a more adventurous combination than I'd have gone for had I been able to access the huge drawer of beads I have stashed away here "for that particular project". No book meant that I simply had to get on and do it and never mind the consequences.

A lesson learned.

Not Art

I've mentioned before how I like to make small books after a special day out and often give them to friends and family after the event. Last Friday, we took Bettine (Mark's mum) to the V&A, to the Couture Exhibition and then went on to have lunch at Bibendum with Edward to celebrate his 23rd birthday.



This afternoon, with my Mum very much on my mind, I needed a distraction so set to and made two small books, quickly, without too much fuss or faff.

I used cutouts from the exhibition leaflet and photographs I'd taken whilst there. I printed out "typewritten" captions and stuck them in higgledy-piggledy. The end result was fine and the rubber stamp I used on the back cover particularly apt on this occasion.

Of course, there was considerable "fall out" by the time I'd finished.

But now I'm getting used to working in my new studio, in just five minutes, look!

I think that's a record.

Shoes and Shopping

Funny, isn't it, that I have more time to blog when I'm away from home? Here we are, a week since we've been home (almost to the hour) and it's the first time I've had chance to put something together. OK, I've been up to Hull, enjoyed a great evening in the company of Susoolu and spent a few hours with my dear Mum. We've visited Edward in his new flat in Finsbury Park and I've made three Christmas cakes.

I've also started Shimelle's Christmas Journal class again. I signed up last year and was pleased with the outcome so was delighted to find that I was included again this year - what other class do you know of which delivers the goods again and again and again - all for one enrolment? Brilliant! Though I don't follow the prompts slavishly, it does mean that I try to write something each day to record what I've done - and on those days when I don't think I've achieved a great deal it's a great reminder that I really haven't wasted my time.

Take yesterday for example. I wondered where the day had gone. A visit from the gas man to repair a couple of radiators, together with Ian the painter who's painting our garden room - the day whizzed by and I hardly noticed. But quite a bit was achieved now I come to think of it!


First of all, the fairy shoemaker was busy. Good grief, the sewing machine was switched on again - nearly had to get the manual out to find the on/off switch ;-)

Then later, one of our members opened her home for a little Christmas sale. Well, perhaps not quite so little...(home or sale....)

Not a bad day's effort, really.

A week of fun and friends - and a good deal of hard work!

I got stuck in traffic this morning and looking out of my car window, look what I saw...

Sadly not what it seemed, and Edward wasn't at work there - it was the top of a ride at Hull Fair which is always held the second week in October. Though the brandy snap stand wasn't open for business when I drove past in this direction, by the time I drove back, the lights were on and there was even a parking space right nearby so I could jump out and make the purchase!

I've been at the Fashion and Embroidery exhibition with the Textile Treasures at Harrogate since last Wednesday, and when we'd finished packing up last night, I drove over to Hull so that I could spend an hour or two with Mummy before coming back to Gloucestershire today. Another 650 miles on the clock this week.

We got off to a good start and managed to get a few bits of our exhibition up before we were shooed out of the Harrogate showground at 6pm and went in search of a pub with food somewhere near our temporary home in Nidderdale. More of a challenge than we thought but after a bit of a detour we found The Wellington Inn

It was quite a lucky find and Susan decided we had earned a bottle of Champagne - delicious! (Thanks, Susan!) The food was yummy - we ate there three times and felt quite at home, so warm was the welcome (and so tender the steak....)

We took around 12 hours to set up the exhibition, which has 300 items in it, and finished around 6pm on Thursday, ready for the Friday opening.

This was the view for most of Friday, Saturday and Sunday! The exhibition is amazing and the comments left in the visitors book include almost every superlative we could dream of. Anyone unlucky to miss it so far can catch up in Cardiff next month, then Brighton, Glasgow and Birmingham next year.

As we drove to and from the showground, we got to see some of Harrogate but not much. Mostly we saw this

At lunchtime, we found a sunny step to sit on and the view from the other side of the building was somewhat better.

The show finished at 5pm Sunday afternoon and we set to immediately to take down and pack. We left the showground at 7.30pm, somewhat cream crackered, all four of us.

The exciting thing was meeting so many friends: Artful Dodger friends, WI member friends, knitty friends, stitchy friends, ladies who proudly announced their part in some of the textile treasures, Kate from the Quilters Guild who turned out to be my exact contemporary at St Johns, York all those years ago, and Margaret, WI steward who went to the same school as I did, in Hull. We were so well versed in our German conjunctions by good old "Bill" Sykes that we could still recite them word for word. It was as if we'd written them all in our "Sykes Guide to Success" yesterday.

And of course, my colleagues, the real Textile Treasures; Pat, Sue, Sue and Susan - cheers team!!

Restarting the Bunting Machine

A friend of ours has a special birthday coming up and has requested some bunting, just like her baby sister, so it was time to crank up the machine and create a few yards for her. Such bright colours on a lovely sunny day are enough to lift the gloomiest spirit, don't you think?

A calming activity

We ate early tonight because Mark had an appointment, so after supper I took a walk in the garden and spotted the lavender looking lovely in the breeze. Can there be any more perfect inspiration for a spontaneous craft session - time to make a couple of lavender rattles. With my Mum in mind and also David, the fellow who helps us keep our garden together who's in hospital right now and also in need of a cheering up, I set to and gathered my things together.

All that's needed is 26 stems of lavender (that's 13 pairs) and about 5yards of lavender coloured ribbon. I only had the really narrow stuff, but anything up to a quarter inch wide works well and the wider it is, the easier it is to use. I was working on a tray to catch all the stray bits which will find their way into lavender bags later, out on the patio.

First thing to do is to strip the leaves and any stray flowerheads from the stems. All of these bits smell so sweet and can be used in the bags so no need to waste them.

Use one end of the whole length of ribbon to tie the bunch together as close to the flowerheads as you can - slide the wrapping up the stems as far as it will go.

Bend the stems over the flowerheads as above - don't worry, such fresh green stems won't break but will bend quite easily. Having bent them over, retrieve the long end of the ribbon and begin to weave around - under two stems, over two stems, keeping the stems in pairs.

The first few rows are quite challenging but it soon gets easier, I promise!

Tuck the flowerheads into the cage of stems as you go but don't worry if the odd one pokes out, because you can deal with it later. Keep the ribbon weaving quite tight and try to create a pleasing shape as you go.

By the time you get half way down, those pairs of stems almost jump up by themselves so you can weave the ribbon over and under them. It really does get easier - or maybe the calming effect of the lavender oil scent means that you relax and get into the swing of it.

When you get to the empty stems and all the flowerheads are covered in the ribbon weaving, wrap the ribbon end around the stems a few times and tie tightly.

Finish by adding a bow, a hanging loop if you want and trim the ends straight. Cut the stems to the length you like and you're done.

The rattle gets its name from the sound it makes once the lavender flowerheads begin to dry and shrink. They become trapped inside the ribbon weave and when shaken, they rattle. If hung in a cool dry place, it will last until next year, when you can unravel it all and reuse the same ribbon again to make next year's lavender rattle!