Pieces from the '1914 A postcard from the front' exhibition at Craft4Crafters in Exeter. As I sit safe in my office writing this post, the wind is blowing a rather scary hooley and it is lashing with rain, whipping up trees and knocking down fences but I am highly aware this is nothing to what is happening in the South West of our weather beleaguered country and along the Thames. My thoughts are with you all with the hope that this rain will stop soon. I was in The West Country only the week before the rains started for Craft4Crafters at Westpoint Arena, Exeter. (January 30th - February 1st). I had not done this show before, my dear friend Diana Wright thought it would be a good one for me to do - she was so right - it was. I had a great time at the show and it was wonderful to see all the friends I had made last year when I did my 2 week 'tour' of the West Country.  Diana is Vice President of The West Country Embroiderers - a thriving and well org...

  Rachel's beautiful little felt pot - with stitch!!!  Yes! I know it has been a while - I am struggling to keep up with everything at the moment - things should calm down a bit after next week. Paperwork and admin - aarrgHHH!!! Last weekend was the eighth for my ExTex 2 group, just one more weekend to go then it is final show time. The last two weekends of the course are for catching up and working on the final projects or samples. As the course is not accredited we don't have to jump through hoops to tick boxes, this gives me more freedom to work with each student individually. Rachel joined the course with no textiles or stitch experience and felt very much at a loss to start with. Her main hang up was the lack of knowledge about stitch - well just look at this . . . . .  This is Rachel's little felt bowl from the constructed textiles weekend, and she has stitched into it - gorgeous hey!!! I think she has proved to herself that she can stitch - with lit...

Layered Vilene Spunbond applique cut with a soldering iron and ironed onto Pelmet Vilene light (black). This time last week I was being mobbed at the Exeter show - my goodness it was busy - at times it was like being at the NEC. It was great to see many of the ladies I had taught on my 'tour' in June in Devon and Cornwall. I had very little time to play on the stand but I did manage to get these samples done ready for Ally Pally next week. I love working with synthetics and a soldering iron - I love the 'oozzy' melting feeling you get as you cut. I was also visited by this lady who I met when I was teaching in Spain at the Castanea Studios. castanea-craft-courses.com She was doing a beading course with Jane Sadgrove who was teaching in the other studio. I have of course completely forgotten her name - but we all had such good fun at the studios.This lovely lady co-ordinated beautifully with the purple stands and carpet at the show. She always dyes...