A very happy OAP!!    Well how did that happen? I am now a pensioner . . .  Getting older doesn't worry me in general, but I am more aware of the groaning joints and I am thinking about what time is left to get SO much done. I have more ideas than ever now. Textures to create, designs to develop and so much more stitch to play with.  When you get to landmark birthdays, I think it is normal to take stock, to see where you are and how you would like to spend your time. After the Experimental Textiles course finishes in June/July next year I will be having a break from regular teaching. I have booked a stand The Festival of Quilts at the NEC in Birmingham, UK. www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk/ in August next year. It will be so very good to catch up friends and ex students at the show. It will be a change for me to have my own stand rather than working on a Vlieseline stand. I will be there to promote the new Experimental Textiles Video Library which should launch in ...

An amazing sunrise yesterday   Some days just start really well.  We have been enjoying torrential rain, hail and strong winds over the past day or so here on the west coast of Ireland. It was so good to wake up to the most magnificent sunrise. Because the land is reasonably flat on three sides of my house, the colourful light wraps around us. It's like light bathing. It was wonderful to see the colour reflected in the bay. The really deep light only lasted for about three minutes, you have to be quick, then it starts to fade. As we move into the shorter days, it is a great chance to enjoy the sunsets at a more 'civilised' time!   The wonderful light surrounds the house and reflects in the windows.     Time for my bus pass . . I am coming up to a biggish birthday - I am going to become a pensioner next month! I have started to think about just how much teaching I would like to do going forward. It would be good to slow down a bit and concentrate on my own work....

  Sunrise on September 29th Another on September 2nd It's been a while. I was sulking, Yes!! I know it is unattractive at my great age . .  Having the new website built was fantastic. It is so exciting to be able host private groups, my online teaching and in a couple of months, the new online workshop library. There was just one problem, because of changing technology, I was told I couldn't link this blog to the website - Blogger was too old! Until last week when I was having teething problems with the new online program and I mentioned it the guy from Wix who was helping me. And he worked out how to link it to the website, and it refreshes every time I post a new blog - AND the search engine on the blog still functions.  I can't tell you how EXCITED and happy I am. I have been writing this blog since July 2010 - 12 years. Most of my teaching of the last 12 years has been written up on here so if you wanted to know more about Tyvek, Design, Lutradur, Heat guns etc - just...

Me with the girls in Nicola's front garden   Do you enjoy gardening? Discovering new plants? I have just returned from a few days with my great friend Nicola Brown who lives in Carlow, on the other side of Ireland to me. It's bit of a car journey, but always worth it. Nicola grows the plants for her natural eco print and dye practice. Nicola doesn't use any chemicals when she dyes, so the process is totally natural. The dye border was planted 3 years ago - and it is HUGE!!! I can't help feeling jealous of plants that are 8ft tall. There is no way I could grow such tall plants in the windy area that I live on the coast. Nicola's garden is quite sheltered, so in the warm weather, with a just a slight breeze, You can watch and listen to all the insects buzzing amongst the flowers. It is quite wonderful.   The very long eco print and natural dye border     A lot of the plants in the border are really tall - quite architectural. This Ligularia must be at least 8ft tall. ...

A section across 3 'Journeys' one of the design exercises on Experimental Textiles.   I have finally finished wrestling with the NEW online 10 month Experimental Textiles course which will start on September 21st 2022. It was very helpful to have all the replies from the surveys that I sent out to my mailing list. The replies guided me as I worked through all my ideas to create something that would fit both my ideas and what appears to be needed. The NEW 10 month online course    A history of Experimental Textiles . . I have taught my course Experimental Textiles since 1999!! It was originally written as a one year course and eventually ended up as a 4 year course . .  because my students wouldn't leave!! I taught the 4 year course across 2 colleges for 12 years. As you can imagine, it was pretty full on. But also amazing, and I learned so much and made some great friends a long the way.  After the 12 years I swore I wouldn't teach the course again, I was worn o...

Light shades made from the rings that seal plastic bottle tops   Yes!! I teach and create Experimental Textile surfaces - but I have also been working with plastic on and of since 1975!! The work in this exhibition was a challenge to me, by me!! It has been a while since I have had the time to experiment with new work and try out new processes. In the end – you just have to make time. I started working with plastic in 1975 on the degree course Wood, Metal, Ceramics & Plastics. We were trained to be artists craft persons and I have worked in that way ever since. I have never been interested in mass production – only making by hand. Living on Loop Head I am surrounded by farms and grazing cattle. One of my favourite views from my house is the local herd of cows coming out and going into milking. I am also aware of the brightly coloured sheets of plastic that wrapped around the feed and fertiliser bags on the farms. The colours are fantastic. Plastic bottle ...

  Treasure       How are you at tidying up after a workshop or when you have finished a project?  I am dreadful!! I am making an effort, I have bought a few see through stacking plastic boxes to put my materials away in when I have finished teaching. How do you sort your materials and products? Colour? Textures? Products? Techniques?   Last week I taught my first 2 part workshop via Zoom to a group of students in America, Canada, and Scotland. 2 x 3 hour sessions 10am PDT/ 6pm BST. I can be in 3 places at once!! Students on the PDT time zone can work in the morning, and students in Europe enjoy an evening class.  The workshop was A New Starting Point. Featuring my backgrounds and pretties technique. We have the show and tell next week. I am very much looking forward to seeing what the group have developed from their samples.    3 book covers by Sue Redhead from the US.             ...