A selection of beautiful beaded bowls by Sue Redhead, Jane Wolfe & Gina Dean I find it amusing that a workshop I created based on bowls and bangles I have been making all my life - has become very popular in the The Experimental Textiles Video Library & Membership. I have never taught this workshop as it is something I have always just - done. Making strange and unusual pieces with random beads has always given me great pleasure - I hadn't realised that it might intrigue others too.  I decided to film the workshop and see if any of the membership wanted to play with the techniques. My goodness they have been having fun. It just goes to show - you never know!   One of Gina's larger vessels Students on the video library go through waves of working, there will be a flurry of work and samples on one workshop, then others will start on another. As the member is for 12 months, you can create your work when it suits you. What I love is how they all chat to each other, showing

One of the memorials in the Maharani Gardens in Jaipur that is featured in my Textile Travels online lecture.   How are you all doing? Are you coping with and all the rain we are having? I know some of you will be enjoying warmer temperatures on the other side of the world. Wherever you are, I hope all is well. As I now live in Ireland, I am delivering less lectures, it is a bit far to travel now!! However I do deliver 3 or 4 during the year - online. Guilds and textile groups are much more experienced with Zoom now, so it is easy to talk to groups in real time, if not the same place. I can talk about anything - but I do offer a choice of 3 when I am approached. And I can write a new lecture if that is requested, I certainly have enough images to choose from after all these years.   I was booked by a lovely group from Ayelsbury, U.K on Saturday to talk about my textiles travels. Having traveled and taught in Australia, New Zealand, India and a few places in Europe as well as the UK,

  I look as though I mean business . . brandishing my iron . . It's been a busy time since I last wrote the blog. I am now in full time filming and editing mode. Whilst I can't make up the time I lost when I had the TIA, I can make sure I don't dilly dally about recording the remaining 5 online workshops for The Experimental Textiles Video Library & Membership. Whilst it is hard work, it will be worth it to get them all up on the website by the end of the month. I can't tell you how satisfying it is to be able to talk to students online when they ask questions or post their work in the private group attached to each of the workshops. I do a little happy dance when a member posts their work. After years of trying different online teaching platforms, the best one is my own website. Technology has changed so much, it is amazing how much we can now host on our websites. And with the help of David Kelly , my website works well and looks fabulous. I am sitting here, grinn