Filming and new workshop programme

I was filming a DVD yesterday for Colouricous called Inspiring Velvet heres a pic of me in front of the camera. It was a really interesting experience working with a professional team of film makers. The format is quite informal chatting to Jamie, Grace and Jane about the processes involved in making my velvet pieces.

I've been writing a new workshop programme and a rough programme list is now on my Artplace website. i decided to continue presenting workshops at Ledbury Artplace because student feedback suggested that they really enjoy coming here and visiting the lovely market town of Ledbury, i can't really ignore public opinion can i?? 

Here are the last few pictures of last terms Textile Book Club at Malvern Hills College. This is a book by Julijana called 'House Party' she made it for her son's 21st birthday. Julijana come from a graphic art background which is reflected in her book style.

this telephone actually rings!!

it was such a great project for a term session i really enjoyed making mine. This term we're on Altered Books so today i'm preping paper punches and tags (though i can't find the tags in my messy studio at the moment)

I heard about this video on the radio this morning, this recording was made in 1969 by 14 year old Jerry Levitan a beatles fan who managed to get an interview with John Lennon in a hotel room in toronto canada. i love the animation.

Needlecases and vocal chords

Well... getting rid of the snow has had an effect on production here at Ledbury Artplace. You know i said i was making the pockets for a German mag, well i made a cock up. It should have been a small project so i had to re-think things. Below is a needlecase i made a few months ago using the Textural Bookwraps technique, woven background etc. i began thinking there might be a bit more milage in this and after a really great indian blockprinting workshop on tuesday i started a new project....

Below is a finished needlecase using indian blockprinting with a difference techniques, prints are made using forma foam.

i lost my voice last night after i'd planned to exit my comfort zone and sing at an open mic in worcester, no amount of gargling will bring a voice back before it's ready. i'm teaching in Nottingham tomorrow hope it returns by then!

Textile Book Club

Hello more snow, i confess an aversion to winter now, an alergy that manifests itself in permanent colds flu swolen tonsils and intermitant loss of voice. i'll stop moaning now.

i managed to get to Malvern Hills college for the Textile Book Club class i teach monday mornings. We're doing altered books this term but the girls brought their finished house books from last term for us to have a look. Let me know what you think i think they're great! Sorry the photo quality isn't brilliant i used my mobile.

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Yvonne's tree house book

Kaye's Beach Hut book

Rosemary's Fashion House

A page from Sue's Country House, soon to be finished (i hope!)

looking forward to normality.

Making Titles

how long have i been writing these blogs, i've just worked out how to give each post a proper title, what a dilly dimbo!

Sore knees, icicles and pockets.............

are you getting fed up with this bloody weather i am, i've fallen over 4 times since christmas not all because of too many small sherries. The last fall left me with horrible bruised knees and it happened practically on my own doorstep. it seems more snow is on the way tonight but i will attempt to get to malvern hills college tomorrow for the new term.





Here's a nice picture of icicles on the passion flower by my studio door, wish they'd bugger off now......roll on spring i say.

However i have been working in between falling overs, i'm writing a magazine project based on 17th century pockets ladies wore underneath their petticoats. This is the prototype, it's hanging off my belt and i made it exactly the same size as the ones on the V&A website but i would say i think it's a bit big for foiled and machine embroidered velvet it doesn't bend very well. so i'm making a smaller one for mobiles and purses, i'll put in on here when i'm finished.

I always think that at the end of the day i switch the lights out in the studio but i've forgotten my sewing machine it's such a sad and mournful sight......

night night x

Hundertwasser continued.....

i've been getting along nicely with this piece, adding organza to the surface, i always do this to prevent the stitches from sinking into the velvet surface.
I usually stitch around all significant areas with an inconspicuous thread just to hold everything in place. it also confirms the design in my head, like tracing the pattern again.

I used the cording foot to couch down these lovely threads i got from Steph Francis it must have been years ago. While i'm doin this i'm listening to Matilda by Roald Dahl on the radio. What a great story i' never read any RD when i was a child i was an Enid Blyton kid.

These pictures have got a bit mixed up but here i'm free machining the 'apples' in then letting the float off into the 'forest' i love machine noodling like this.


This is the cording foot in action.


Finished article

So now what.....

year planner and mind mapping to try and thin out all the thoughts crammed into my brain, i need a pensieve like professor dumbledore.

Happy New Year x