Vilene Spunbond (Lutradur) with Bondaweb on the back, cut with a soldering iron, then ironed onto a background. I teach a lot of workshops to a lot of Guilds, both Embroiderers and Quilters. Every now and then you come across a rather special group. Don't get me wrong, all groups are welcoming and great fun - but this group was FAB! The Malmesbury Guild are one of three Embroiderers Guilds in Wiltshire. They are a  small group and as with all small groups they could do with some more members. If you live in the North of Wiltshire, I highly recommend you consider joining them. This is their blog - malmesburyembroiderers.blogspot.co.uk with contact details.    Painting Bondaweb. Hot Textiles is the first workshop I wrote after my book of the same title was published. I hadn't taught it for a while, then two or three bookings come along at once. It is the basic sampling workshop, teaching how to use heat tools safely - Soldering irons, heat guns and irons. T

It used to be an apple for the teacher . . . . So - we have had the fourth session of Experimental Textiles already - time is flying. I save the still life until the fourth session as by then as the groups are feeling more comfortable with each other and friendships are starting to form. The girls are all starting to support each other. Drawing and painting in front of other people is always uncomfortable. Few of us are naturally talented, but the exercise of looking and recording what you see is very valuable. I find that asking the groups to draw and paint a large scale still life is a bit less scary for them than a smaller scale one. The weekend group concentrating hard on their drawings. We spent the whole of the first day of the two day sessions making various drawings and paintings, using a range of media. Several of the drawings/paintings will be torn up the next day to create a collage. Telling the students that their work may well be torn up makes them place l

 A close up one of the newspaper faux chenille samples. I have just returned from a very busy and fun weekend with the East Kent Embroiderers Guild - Wow!!! what a fabulous group of ladies. I delivered a lecture on Saturday afternoon to a full hall. I was made very welcome and it was great to see some old friends from when I taught a longer workshop for the Wye ladies a few years ago. It is always good to catch up with people you have had fun with.  This is a large Guild, very organised and I said, great fun - they are so friendly. If you live in the Kent area and are tempted to join - this is their website. Do have a look - www.eastkentembroiderers.org.uk you don't need to be an experienced embroiderer - just have an interest in stitch and textiles in general - you will be made very welcome. I taught a one day version of A New Starting Point. (I am no longer taking bookings for one day workshops, all that driving, loading and unloading for just one day wears me out,