Me in Registan Square, Samarkand So! I have just got back from 2 x 2 week tours of Uzbekistan with Isha Sharma and Aahilya Holidays. Well, I have been back 2 weeks. It has taken me that long to settle back in after such a remarkable time with 2 fabulous groups. I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed . .  It is a weird feeling. I couldn't believe I was there, standing in front of those beautiful buildings. And when I got home I couldn't really believe I had been. To travel to a place you have always dreamed of visiting, but never, ever thought you would, it really was a dream come true. And it looks as though a few more dreams will be coming true - Isha (owner of Aahilya Holidays) and I have planned all my trips from November 2025 to November 2026. Having spent the last month traveling together, we managed to get everything finalised. Istanbul, India, Morocco, Uzbekistan and Turkey. You can find all the links to the itineraries for all the trips on my new 'Travel' webpage...

  Stitching sequins onto the brooch Some of my readers may know that I have been testing and working with Vlieseline products for many years. I was awarded a special badge recently, created just for me. It made me feel very proud - and old!!! I have made various videos for Vlieseline over the years.  My latest can now be viewed on YouTube - https://youtu.be/QC6HGhRSRIA?si=-YPzZWcmMmirkVEn The video shows you how you can machine embroider onto Decovil 1 with out an embroidery ring. Painted and foiled Decovil 1. Red foil heart and green satin applique You don't need to use an embroidery ring when you work with Decovil 1 The finished brooch    If you ever fancy watching a few videos of me showing you various way of working with textiles and interfacings.- there are several on YouTube. Just put my name in. And don't forget - there is a search engine on this blog. In the top right hand corner. Jut type in Tyvek, or printing blocks or whatever you are interested in. There ...

The tracing of the section of the Journey It is a great feeling to have finished filming The Journey to Design workshop. And we already have students enroled and working away. I just love it.   The tracing on the right (above) is the section I took of my moth Journey. On the left are the 2 printing blocks I made from the design. The positive and negative parts of the design. I enjoyed playing with the blocks, it has been a while since I made any.   The 2 blocks and a try out on some cartridge paper I always clean my blocks with baby wipes . . . From the left - a scrunched up baby wipe for the final cleaning of the blocks and 3 of the wipes I used flat on the blocks to clean them and get extra prints. I ironed Bondaweb into the back of the second baby wipe print. Then cut away the white areas (negative space). I then peeled off the backing paper and ironed the applique design onto the left hand baby wipe. it made a great background.   I then back stitched around the applie...

A view of my table as I paint the moth inspired Journey exercise  I have spent the past week painting and filming the painting of my moth inspired Journey design exercise. It always takes longer to set up the lights and web cams than you think. But I am more than halfway through now. And then there will be editing the videos and then loading everything onto the website. Another job that always takes longer than you think. It will be worth it though. I am very excited about sharing this workshop with my online students. Lines and shapes that I found interesting on the several moths I used for inspiration. The new workshop will be launched on Friday 31st January on a years subscription. You will be able to view the videos in the workshop whenever you like, wherever you are in the world. We will look at taking section with L shapes to isolate designs. These designs can then be made into printing blocks or stencils and templates. The finished Journey Depending what inspiration you use...

A pretty silk fibre bowl by Sally Thompson   Some of the students on the Experimental Textiles Video Library have started work again after the festive break. It only takes one to post their sample in the private group attached to one of the 12 workshops, and then a few more join in. I love it when my phone pings to tell me someone has posted a new comment or image.  Sally Thompson, Gina Dean and Sue Redhead have been having fun experimenting with silk fibres.   The other side of the bowl above         Sally also experimented with molding fibres around a ball.   The first try of a silk fibre vessel, very successfully I think.   You can of course mix your media when you are making bowls and vessels. Sally was having a clear out and decided to shred her old recipes, and then - Bam! A bowl made from a combination of paper and silk fibres. Doesn't it look fab with the toning silk fibres bringing out the orange tones in the shredded paper.   ...