Grand Day Out

Waring - this blog post contains no stitched images.

I went down to the Textile Group at Unique Cottage Farm studios today and the first thing I saw was the amazing grapes on the vines growing outside. It was great to catch up with everyone and share work.

It was also DH's birthday today and he had the day off work. This meant that we could actually get to have a meal together. He was very embarrassed when I got the camera out to take photos of the food. As it was his birthday I did a sneaky shot without the flash! Above was the started of goats cheese on a bed of Mediterranean vegetables and below the main course of tempura mixed vegetables with dipping sauces and a side salad. 

Once both boys were home we could light the birthday candles (ssh he is 44 today)

On a Thursday I drop DS off at Scouts and often pop round to see a friend. I was able to leave my log burner to go and sit by Jackie's log burner.

I am off again to York tomorrow for a YQ workshop on Saturday (oh yes and a tiny bit of shopping).

Back soon

And it only rained once.

I have spent the past two weekends at Springfield's Shopping Outlet Centre in Spalding. As part of their Summer Festival each weekend there was a craft tent and live bands, despite very grey clouds it did only rain once (honestly). Unique Cottage Farm Studios where I teach had a stand and all the artists have done about two weekends each over the past six weekends. This was the last one

It really wasn't very busy and I was determine to complete several projects. I finally sewed the binding onto two quilts and completed a small landscape. This is a piece that will be going into an exhibition so I can only show you the tiny part below (the black is part of the chair). It is also a bit fuzzy so I'm sure I'm not giving too much away.

I shared the tent with a very talented potter and a man who makes rocking horses. The two quilts were not for sale, just workshop samples.

These are examples of Rob's work, so talented.

Each day was a different live band, I heard rock, pop, brass, country and today was a soul singer. These two girls were really good as a tribute band. Bet you can guess who they were trying to be.

After completing existing projects I had to start something new. This involved a stack of love letters from about 25 years ago which got cut up into hexagons. Of course I had to read them as I went through so lots of memories returned. I'm sure though that if DH and I had met today lots of correspondence would be through texts which would be hard to look at (probably impossible) in 25 years time.

As I cut them up I included pictures, I am using two sizes of hexagons for this project.

This was cut from a London travel card dated 09 JUN 90 - has anyone else got 21 year old travel cards and bus tickets?

I always return to my love of hexagons. For this project you will be able to see the words.

I hate having my photo taken. A friend caught me off guard and took this with my camera. Jackie, see I have been very brave and posted it. Oh yes, before anyone asked I made very little money. Anyone want any hand made soap,  hand dyed buttons or threads??????

I'm back & Springfields Summer Festival

Where do I start? The past few weeks have seen me in Devon, Cheltenham, back to Lincolnshire for a few hours and then over to Birmingham for Festival of Quilts (more about that on another post). DS is doing one better as after an overnight stay at home yesterday he headed off to Yorkshire for Scout camp.

Anyhow it seems like ages ago that I agreed to have a stall/demonstrate at the Springfields Outlet Centre Summer Festival weekend. I am there this weekend and also over the bank holiday. This has been organised by Unique Cottage Farm Studio. Before going away I went down to have a look and was impressed with the inflatables, they are much larger than the photos show, and there are lots of them.

I am going to sell some bags made by a very talented friend and my own hand made soaps, hand dyed buttons and threads and some folded books. I'm not sure how much people will buy but am taking a hand sewing project that must be completed by the end of August and a comfy chair!!

Sheep Day 2011 - more photos

Tina has just sent over some photos she sent of me demonstrating at Sheep Day earlier this year. When demonstrating I never take photos of myself nor what I'm doing so I will share hers instead. It was a really windy day so I just used the microwave and not gas stove.

Before I do any dyeing I use an acrylic yarn to tie off the skein in about 4-5 places so that it will not tangle (or at least that is the theory)

What you can't see is that the painted yarn is on cling film ready for rolling into a sausage to be "cooked" in the microwave. If you do this make sure that the steam can escape both ends.

Once out and cooled you can then carefully cut away the cling film to reveal beautiful yarn. This is a Blue Faced Leicester 100g,  DK weight bought ready for dyeing. I love it so much that I haven't sold it and it is in my stash waiting to be knitted up into a scarf.

Sheep Day 2010

If you are near Lincolnshire on May 22nd 2010, Unique Cottage Farm Studios is holding a sheep day. This day will celebrate sheep, wool and there will be lots to see and do. The aim is to have several different breeds of sheep for people to look at, spinners, weavers, a group showing felting techniques and a textile artist demonstrating dyeing (me!). Other activities will include knitting and weaving stick activites for familes and you will be able to make your own stained glass sheep with resident glass artists Gillian and David Wing. The aim of the day is to see the process from fleece to needle so people can learn about the animal and rural crafts connnected to wool.