Fabulous shoes decorated by Helen McKenna Well I made it back from Glasgow on Monday, I am very glad I went. Everyone was very supportive and helpful without making a fuss, particularly Wendy and Rob Dolan. It was great to be surrounded by so many friends. If I had stayed at home and had had to cope with the new round of delights from the shingles I would have been very miserable indeed! The show was very busy and everyone I spoke to seemed to think it was the best show we have done at the SECC. Jennie Rayment was across the way from me and kept an eye on me all four days bless her, she was very busy as she was doing a 'Quick and Easy' workshop everyday and also featured in the fashion show - what a star she is. Jenni had only just returned from teaching in Spain for Castanea where I will be in October - Oh how I wish I was there now . .  http://castanea-craft-courses.com/ Val Hughes was also at the show show demonstrating felt making and her beautif...

One full body massage and a long sleep later . . . Oh I am getting too old to do these shows for much longer! One of the wonderful things about Fashion, Embroidery & Stitch is that further education and higher education colleges are invited to have stands to show off the students fascinating work across the field of textiles. In these days of swingeing cuts and uncertainty in education it was good to see such positive energy, technical skill and fantastic ideas. The colleges also have the opportunity to show work in the amazing fashion shows put on by the indefatigable Brenda Killigrew of Inkberrow Design Centre. www.inkberrowdesigncentre.co.uk There were so many remarkable outfits to show this year that Brenda had to put on 2 different fashion shows which were rotated throughout the day. This was an amazing feat as Brenda and all the models and helpers had only hours to prepare.   the garments from Longslade on the cat walk As some of you may know I occasionally work wit...

Well it's nearly here, the biggest show of the year for me - Fashion, Embroidery & Stitch/Sewing for Pleasure/Hobbycrafts. 3 shows in 1 - you will need 2 days to get around it! I will be part of Fashion, Embroidery & Stitch along with many fantastic textiles artists and tutors and some superb exhibitions. The fashion shows will be even more exciting this year with some stunning work from students across the country - you won't believe your eyes! I will be on stand L18 opposite FibreFusion and hope to be on my stand for most of the day demonstrating and showing you how to heat and colour metal with a heat gun and layer it up with Vilene Spunbond. I am also organising the Vilene Workshop on stand Y02. I am very pleased to have some of the top textile tutors offering free short workshops everyday of the show.   my new heat gun is powerful enough to colour metal- FANTASTIC!    I will have plenty of the 7 colour packs of Vilene Spunbond CS500  last year I r...