Yes! it had to be done . . . it would be rude not to! I do love teaching at Denman College - not JUST for the food. Everyone is so well looked after and we always have great fun. I was back this time to teach 'Hot Textiles '- my basic safe use of heat tools workshop. The students were fabulous and every one got on well together. The Light Craft Room is my usual teaching studio, it is very light and airy with plenty of room for all our bags and boxes of STUFF! Painted Bondaweb with gold transfer foil, glitter and artichoke seeds. More painted Bondaweb gilding flake, dried flowers, artichoke heart seeds and glitter. A very simple but very beautiful sample of painted Bondaweb with a circle of gold transfer foil. 2 fab samples of Tyvek layered with polyester organza, machine stitched together and then zapped with a heat gun to reveal different colours. A bit like cheeky reverse applique! Heavy pelmet Vilene plus dyed with pr

  amazing layers by Mary Campbell - layers of zapped Vilene Spunbond and craft/pelmet Vilene cut with a soldering iron The students produced some amazing work on this 3 day workshop at Art Van Go www.artvango.co.uk there many different levels of experience in the group but everyone got on really well, sharing materials, experience . . . . and chocolates . . . . Beautiful textures by Tracey Fordham, layers of zapped Vilene Spunbond and ployester organza applied to a painted Bondaweb background More zapped Vilene Spunbond embellished with French knots and stab stitch. This lovely sample ended up on the cover of a sketch book. I was particularly pleased with this sample by Phillipa Hamilton, it is the best piece of work I have seen so far that manages to incorporate and disguise textures Tyvek - stunning! Close up of Phillipa's sample another sample by Phillipa, this time layers of heavy Tyvek and polyester organza machine stitched together and then zapped with a heat gun.

As most of you will have noted - I have a dreadful life travelling miles to teach and torture unsuspecting students the joys of using heat to distress all manner of wonderful materials. Monday night saw me deliver a lecture, on time I am happy to say, for the Bourne Quilters. www.bournequilters.org.uk They are a large group with a dynamic mix of ladies and are very organised. It is always intersting when visiting groups to see how they are run. I was bit concerend that my samples and talk might be a bit 'out there' for quilters - not a bit of it!!!! They were all really interested, asking lots of questions, always a good sign.  I was put up by Lis and Steve Dawson while I teaching the workshops. I do so wish I could have stayed longer, I had such a good time with them, they are great fun - I was very well looked after. my students having to tuck into Magnums so we could melt the wrappers, the things we do for our art!!!!!!   The following two days were spent playing with Tyve

75gm (heavy) Tyvek ironed lightly between baking parchment I am off to Emsworth later today to deliver a lecture this evening and two one day workshops - Tinkering with Tyvek. I had been booked for just one workshop but the waiting list was so long we had enough for another day. I am excited about spending two days playing with Tyvek. I have taught so many 'Hot Textiles' based workshop recently it will be a welcome change.  layered decreasing shapes of 75gm Tyvek (Heavy) stitched in the middle and gentle heated 75 gm Tyvek (heavy) layered with polyester organza, machine stitched together then zapped with a heat gun to reveal different layers of colour I will update the blog with all our exploits at the end of the week, I shall be a bit tight for time as I drive to France the day after I get back from Emsworth to see my friends Sue and John to sort out our teaching programme next year. I'm looking forward to driving down to the Charente Maritime district where they live,