It's all happening this week - and it's all Bondaweb!!! I have written an article on painting and decorating Bondaweb for Stitch Magazine which is out NOW!!     Painted Bondaweb - simple and stunning Painted  Bondaweb decorated with heat transfer foils, sequins, glitter and artichoke heart seeds. Finished off with my usual very delicate hand stitch - not! If you enjoy reading the article in Stitch and want to learn more, then my new DVD Creative Bondaweb will be out on the 1st December (hopefully). Click on this link for a sneaky preview -  Creative Bondaweb Preview BUY NOW If you order before the 1st December you can buy the DVD for £18 including worldwide postage. After the 1st December it will be £22 including worldwide postage. (Please note, if you order any other products from www.nid-noi.com then postage will be applied) and - not only but also . . . I have a workshop on printed Bondaweb in the December issue of W...

My Open House starts this weekend - aarrrGHH!!!!! Some how I WILL be ready. We have a wonderful mix of colour and texture - if you want to know more or fancy coming along for tea and cake - go to www.one2six.me.uk  Syvia Lynton  Mary Moox   Lyn Brooks    Jose Heasman  Ember Vincent Gary Smith    Jayne Routely  Kim Thittichai  Mary's Lamb Tideline Finds I'm off to clean windows, display some wonderful work, make some mince pies, hoover, display more work, stick brooch backs to brooches and FINISH SOME WORK to hang!!! x

You may remember a few posts back that I was talking about the LBD collection from Portsmouth College. I was so impressed with what Sarah Patterson and her students had achieved using amongst other things, black bin liners, bubble pack and polyester organza that I asked ICHF if we could display them at the Design & Technology Show. The organisers said Yes! and we had a display at the front of the hall. It looked fantastic.   Not only were the dresses at the D & T Show but Sarah and her clever students, along with their work will be exhibiting at the Fashion, Embroidery & Stitch Show at the NEC Birmingham in March next year. I am hoping that some of the garments will be featured in the daily fashion shows. Dedicated teachers like Sarah deserve a round of applause now and then. Well Done Sarah!!!! I had a lovely big stand to play on. I am very lucky to be a part of this show. It is only for educational professionals and it is my job to inspire teacher...

My new DVD will be out on the 1st December priced £19 plus P & P. As a special offer, if you order the DVD before 1st December you can buy it for £18 including worldwide P & P. (saving a minimum of £4) The 10 chapters cover applique, hot transfer foiling, painting Bondaweb, ironing onto unusual surfaces, Hot Spots!, layered surfaces with painted Bondaweb and much more . . . .This DVD will play on all international formats and computer disc drives. To order go to - Creative Bondaweb DVD Special Offer There should be something for everyone on the DVD - if you are a beginner it takes you through all my basic processes with Bondaweb then onto the more decorative layered techniques and it should make you laugh when you see my not so deliberate mistake!!!!  The film is being edited now, as soon as there is an available clip I will post it on here. x

 Transfer printed Evolon with Bondaweb on the back. Run through a laser cutter to cut the design. The backing paper was then peeled off the Bondaweb and the Evolon was ironed onto black cotton. I am off to the Design and Technology show at the NEC now - The show is open to educational professionals only - 17th - 19th November. The D & T show   If you are a teacher and wish to come and pick my brains - (you are most welcome to what is left) my Hot Textiles Surgery is on Stand E09. I have a big stand to play on and am taking my Big Shot Pro die cutting machine and my heat press. I also hope to get my hands on a laser cutter . . . . . . I always have great fun at this show - THREE whole days to play! As you can imagine my stand gets into a terrible mess - I can't imagine why!!!! I will report back with what I got up to next week - AARRGGHH!!! The Open Houses start the following weekend - am I ready??? Ha Ha Ha!!!! x

 One of my samples from several years ago when I was a student on one of Ruth Issett's wonderful Summer Schools for the TSG (Textile Study Group) I am having a fabulous day , I have just returned from giving my last lecture this year to a new group based in East Grinstead. The group is named 'Context' - and they are a Comtemporary Quilt Group with a large and lively membership. I had a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours talking to the group and showing them some of my work and samples - old and new. It was good to get a chance to look at some of my older pieces as well as all my new newspaper and Spunbond pieces.   This was a popular sample - layers of CS500 Vilene Spunbond, painted Bondaweb and gilding flake cut with a soldering iron ans ironed onto black CS500. 'Context' have only been together for a year but seem very well organised. Everyone was very helpful and happy - there was a great atmosphere. I really had a great time - I think all the ...

 Layers of newspaper and polyester organza stitched together and slashed and distressed to create faux chenille. One of the things we did on the first day of this course was to paint newspaper with procion dye. Normally I would use the newspaper that I have used over and over again when protecting my work surface. If you can build up the colour over time you get a wonderfully random effect of splodges of paint and dye. We didn't have that luxury of time so just had to make do with one coat of dye. Several layers of newspaper and polyester organza machine (we used 8 of each) stitched together in 'tram lines' the width of your machine foot or slightly wider. You then cut through the top layers but NOT the bottom layer. I add a piece of dyed craft/pelmet Vilene as the bottom layer before I stitch all the layers together. This reinforces your work as newspaper is very fragile. The craft/pelmet Vilene also make your work firm enough for book covers or vessels. ...