One of the fab samples from one of my workshops at Excel. The Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycrafts Show at Excel was splendid. It was very busy. I haven't seen a show that consistently busy every day for a long time. It was interesting to see and meet so many new visitors. Roughly half of the visitors were aware of the more experimental side of textiles and the other half were well informed. It was a fascinating mix - I have never known this before and I have done a lot of shows.  Apart from having my own stand, I also ran The Vilene Workshop as I did the previous weekend at the NEC. At this show the tutors were, myself, Fran Holmes, Tina Francis, Jayne Routley and Wendy Dolan.  I was given extra space for a small part of the end of the year show of Experimental Textiles that was at the NEC the previous weekend. It was very well received and I had several enquiries about enrolments. Some of my students work on my stand. Getting my stand ready, this is Jayne

 A fabulous range of colours. Well the sale has gone well - there are few metres of the Vilene Spunbond/Lutradur left - but it is nearly all gone. Many thanks to those of you who sent in orders - most of you should have received your orders by now. Because I now sell three different types of glue that can be foiled - Bondaweb, Hot Spots and the new KK Glue - I thought it was about time I extended my range of colours. I now stock twelve colours - Gold, silver, rainbow, metallic swirl, pewter, lime, sunset, black, blue, copper, bronze and aqua.  Aqua roll colours - copper, aqua, lime and blue.  I have also added four more mixed colour rolls to the website. Aqua, Metals light, Metals dark and Sunset. The rolls come in sheets of four colours in two sizes - 20cm or 30cm square. I hope that you can find something you like. I am still selling the foils by the metre and in single 30cm squares.    Basic colour roll - silver, metallic swirl, gold and rainbow.    Metals da

 A New Starting Point - July 5th and 6th (Saturday and Sunday)  This is a catch up - kind of housekeeping notes. I have added two workshops in Brighton to my diary. I have found somewhere new to teach locally with plenty of parking and not too far from Falmer station. The first workshop is a weekend one - July 5th and 6th  A New Starting Point. £95.00 Discovering and developing the redemptive qualities of old newspapers. Create fascinating surfaces on which to print and stitch. Using painted Bondaweb and gilding flake we will explore the possibilities of layering textures to end up with firm pieces of work that can be used to make boxes and vessels and demonstrate the striking contrasts of the media. Rich/poor and matt/shiny. ***  Layers of heavy Tyvek layered with polyester organza, stitched and then zapped with a heat gun. I have also booked a four day Summer School August 12th - 15th. Tuesday - Friday Experimental Textiles - New Jewelle

   Tucked away in one of Mary's work book was this beautiful sampler of textures. The Experimental Textiles End of Year Show went down very well. It was good to see so many visitors asking the girls questions. It makes a massive difference when you are making a piece of work to know that it is going to be seen by thousands of people - it can be very scary.  Especially when it is the first time you have ever shown your work!  The day always started quietly as the visitors made their way through the show to our back corner. It gave the girls a chance to 'warm up'.  This is Kat and Rachel explaining about the course.  Rachel's paper collage is a the top and 2 of Val's samples are below. The students have to help hang the show and then steward it between themselves. I am there to keep an eye on things  . . . .  We had a lot of interest in the course - I am hoping to run 2 courses side by side from June - one on a Thursday and Friday and the o