The fantastic art room at UCTC Yesterday saw me teaching a mixed group of year 10 students and teachers at  Uckfield Community Technical College We had a fast paced, slightly crazy day that was very, very enjoyable. I must say I occasionally find it hard to concentrate on teaching when I am enjoying the interaction with the students so much - I know it's not very professional - but there! The day had been set up by Clare Summons and Maggie Brand. Two very dedicated teachers who are full of energy and great ideas for their department. The art room that I was working in was full of incredible structures and art works - a very inspiring place in which to work . The idea was to demonstrate some of the latest techniques in textile art and for the students to try using painted Bondaweb and Tyvek.  As you will see from the samples they certainly got the idea. I hope to be going back to this college early in 2012 to continue the fun we had.  The samples were created using painted Bo

busy students creating fabulous samples Saturday 8th January saw me teaching a group of very capable ladies who were great fun from the Cotswold Embroiderers Guild. The Guild hold their workshops at the The Reddings Community Centre in Cheltenham. It has fantastic facilities with plenty of room, tables and SOCKETS! When working with a variety of heat tools it can be a real pain to have to keep unplugging an iron to use a heat gun. This centre was pure luxury. We were working with Vilene Spunbond and layering it with painted Bondaweb. It was a great day and we covered several tec hniques. It was great fun and as you can see from the samples the ladies worked hard. Vilene Spunbond CS 700 & 800 painted and dyed. Bondaweb ironed to the back and leaf shapes cut with a soldering iron and than ironed onto more CS 800. Detail Right side of sample - Vilene Spunbond CS 800 painted and dyed and then zapped with a heat gun, the 'crunchy' edges were then foiled with heat transfer f

My first teaching session this year was at Harrow Way Community School in Andover on Tuesday the 4th January. I had been invited to design a workshop for students who are extending thier access to new textles techniques. The school has a great reputation for Art and D&T. Sylvia Harvey is the Head of Art & Design and is highly aware of the importance of art textiles within education.  torn, painted Bondaweb decorated with artichoke heart seeds, skeleton leaves and glitter I had an exhausting, fascinating, exciting and very educational day. As most of you know I teach adults and have very little experience with younger students. But I am learning very fast!! Because I have a stand at The Design & Technology Show every year I have become very aware of the lack of textile teaching in many schools, whether it comes in the form of fashion/dressmaking courses or art textiles. This is not the fault of the schools, they can only teach what they are told to. I think this will chan

Well it's here! Happy New Year to you all! Have you made any resolutions? I must say I now tend to avoid making any as I can never keep them. It is too easy to let 'life' get in the way. I didn't keep my accounts up to date so I now have a mad dash to get them ready for the end of the month. It wouldn't be THAT hard to do - I just don't do it. I was reading an article in a magazine the other day the other day about time management and came across a reference to Parkinson's Law “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion” We have all heard of this adage but this time it really made me think. I found an interesting blog - Tools for Thought  that you may find useful if you have similar problems getting down to things.  Being self employed is probably the worst way for me earn a living. I find it very difficult to get motivated when there is no pressure of time. This is very wasteful and I could achieve so much more - the articles that

We will all, no doubt, succumb to the call of chocolate and other delicious naughtiness over the next few days. My favourite treats at the moment are Magnums minis, I can hear them calling me from the back of the supermarket as soon as I walk through the doors . In all my years of researching packaging for heat distressing the wrapping on these ice creams is the best so far. I just love the golden and brown tones that all merge together. If you buy mini ice creams you don't feel SO bad. The boxes are wrapped in a large sheet of gorgeous brown wrapping and then each ice cream is individually wrapped in more beautiful wrapping. Fantastic! I am sure that most of you reading this will already be aware of these delights but just in case they have passed you by, I thought it my duty to share this with you. Most food packaging can be textured with an iron just as you would Tyvek (see page 70, Hot Textiles). Place your packaging in between two sheets of baking parchment and iron LIGHTLY

  I am having a weekend off and even though it has snowed we managed to get out for a walk. We stopped for a coffee in a lovely sunny cafe and while we were reading the menu my eye was drawn to the ginger beer float. I haven't had an icecream float for years  . . . . when was the last time you had one? I hope you are all coping with the run up to Christmas and that the snow isn't causing too many problems for you all.  X

Hurrah! and lashings of ginger beer! I've finished the book. The first draft has gone winging its way to my editor. Oh the relief!!!!                           The book is about layering textiles and here are three of the images that have inspired me in the past months. I am hoping the book will be published ready for The Festival of Quilts next August, but it will be a tight schedule, so fingers crossed. I have had to remove the heat gun from the nid-noi.com website as it has been discontinued, I am hoping to find a replacement at the trade show in February. I will let you all know when I have found one. A 300 watt versions will work - but they take time, and if you are like me with the attention span of a goldfish, you want your heat gun to work fast! I can now get on with putting my house back together after our best ever Open House. I am looking forward to a weekend off  . . . . . and away . . . . Ho! Ho! Ho!!!  x