21st of September 2013 Customs House - Felt Bag Making Workshop

This is the workshop that I am advertised to be teaching on the 13th of October......but the date has been changed to the 21st of September.

Have a phone or call into The Customs house, South Shields to book!

Bag Making Examples Below:

Upcoming Exhibition at The Customs House in South Shields, North East England

An exhibition I am part of, saw my "space" last week.  Not that I am letting go what my exhibition is yet!  But it will contain my original Watercolour paintings, Drawings and previously unseen Textile pieces.  More info to come soon!

Open from Saturday the 30th of November 2013 to the public.

The Spring Knitting and Stitching Show - London March 2013

Just back from the show.

Really enjoyed teaching all the workshops!

Met some lovely people and got some great experience.

Here are a few photos.  Obviously none of me actually teaching students, but a few of the area etc.....

1.Me standing beside the Workshop Listings

2.Me outside the rooms where I taught!

3.The boxes etc holding all my teaching materials...ready to be used!

4.The Workshop List....I'm on, but it is hard to see the names on the list.

Under Two weeks Untill The SKSS......PREVIEW

Well, it is now under two weeks till the Spring Knitting and Stitching Show happens in London!

As I have previously blogged; I will be teaching three different workshops each day on the Thursday and Friday.

I thought I would give a visual taster of what you may make if you come on one of the workshops, which can all be booked beforehand at:  http://www.twistedthread.com

They can also be booked whilst at the show...........but their are limited spaces!

So, here's a little preview of the workshops.........

Stitch a Birdie Mobile!

Use materials to hand stitch your very own birdies, to create a mobile, or simply a cute brooch!



Machine Stitch a Fabric Heart

Use pieces of already hand dyed felt and other fabrics to machine yourself a gorgeous heart, that you can fill with lavender and wadding!



 

Hand Felt Ball Necklace

Learn how to make felt balls, using gorgeous fibres, with the prospect of making yourself a necklace!



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there is a taster...........come and book to see what it is all about........

The spring knitting and stitching show - London march 14-17

Workshops at the show are now available to book on the official website. I am teaching three each day.  They are as follows....

14th march (Thursday) 

• 10.30 am  Stitch a birdie mobile
• 1pm Hand felt ball necklace
• 3.30pm Machine stitch a fabric heart

15th march (Friday)

• 10.30am Hand felt ball necklace
• 11.45am Stitch a birdie mobile
• 2.15pm Machine stitch a fabric heart 

If there is one you fancy, book through their website! 

http://www.twistedthread.com/pages/exhibitions/viewExhibition.aspx?id=41&view=eventgroup&eventGroupId=62

See you there! 

Spring flowers inspire stitch........Drawn Thread Work

 Whilst looking back on my summer holiday last year, its easy to see from the photos, how flowers have once again been the inspiration to create stitch pieces.  These two textile pieces are done using the 'Drawn Thread' technique. 

 This is done by using a "counted" thread fabric, and literally pulling out some threads to create gaps.  The remaining threads can be then machine or hand stitched, to create a "bar - like" effect, as seen.  This is a hard thing to describe and explain...but if you would like to find out more, I suggest research online etc.  I love it as a technique, as once you have "pulled" out the threads you want, you can then turn the piece into anything you like.  I have seen many variations....but I chose Spring flowers.  Thus the "bar - like" pieces became stems, and the bottom grass.  In one piece, the top of the bars became Blue Bell type flowers, and the other Tulip style!

 

Really this technique can be the basis, for whatever design you like; its up to personal taste. 

 

 I decided to go one step further, by first space-dying my chosen fabrics.  It give it that personal element.

Using photographs to create watercolour pieces....

These can then be used for future stitch pieces. Below I have included some inspiration; a photo taken by myself in a garden in Devon, then whilst there (sadly sitting in a caravan with the photograph, rather than drawing and painting it in real life - due to WET WET WET weather conditions)

Sometimes I think it can be easier to define what you want to focus on in a stitch piece, once you have painted it.  It makes you "think" and "see" which points you like.........for example, as seen from my watercolour here, I love the bright flowers, and how they jump out from the green foliage.

This piece could be used as inspiration to stitch from........A focus could be on using various hand stitch types to create the flowers....I see lots of french and bullion knots here!