Cathedral inspiration

Figures on the front of Exeter cathedral inspiration for more pieces in my Guardians series, they are really interesting.

Rhinos in Devon!

We came across these colourful beasties on a recent trip to Exeter the last time we saw creatures like these it was is Sydney! Sorry to emphasise our worldwide travel! They are going to be auctioned for charity would love to have one of these in the garden.

Festival of Quilts Winner

This was the winner of the Fine Art Quilt Masters, interesting piece! What do you think?

Perhaps I'll have a shot at it next year......................

Festival of Quilts 2016

 A flying one day visit to the festival, very strange being there and not working, someone else sitting in my seat ! (Mary McIntosh) but great to see so many old friends and a chance to catch up with no pressure. Here are just a few of the pieces that caught my eye.

Soooooooooooo excited

Today I have been to visit Kelly Swallow www.kellyswallow.com to organise getting my little chair re-upholstered in Kelly Swallow style (patchwork!)

This is my little chair that I was lucky enough to have when my father in law's house was cleared.

And here are 2 of Kelly's chairs beautifully upholstered in the sort of colours I have chosen. Can't wait to see what it looks like! Lovely to meet Kelly and her husband, so much to talk about, and what fun digging through the piles of fabrics choosing the ones to include.

Quilt mystery

I recently went to have a look at this patchwork, a massive piece of tiny hexagons all in silk and still with the original papers tacked in. It had come to light quite by accident and acquired by a local lady who isn't really a stitcher but thought it looked too interesting to pass by. A textile historian may be able to date the fabrics - all silk! and the papers may give up some secrets, they look like they have been cut out of a London newspaper - possibly mid-Victorian but no dates found yet although some mention of Prince Albert in a Court Circular announcement and he died 1861.

Quilts for Minerva

a few shots of the pieces I have sent off for the Sentinels Exhibition at the Minerva Arts Centre in Wales, the exhibition opens on 25th July and I do hope to be able to get to see all our work in situ, I think its going to be a great show. I have to admit though that its been a marathon effort to complete the 4 pieces! the biggest hurdle was actually getting going, once I had decided what to do it was straight forward but getting the initial ideas together was soooooooooo... difficult! Anyway done now and onwards and upward to the next challenge.

More dungarees!

Just can't help myself found this lovely giraffe fabric and went to town making another pair of dungarees for the lovely Harry.

Jake's Birthday Present

We had a lovely day with Jake last weekend this is his birthday present, a playhouse, he just loved it and we all had to have a turn inside, even Pippa the very large flatcoat

and of course Mummy and Daddy!

OK so I'm going to be teaching a taster day workshop at Sew Much To Do in Ely on 16th July, 10am to 1pm. Screens and inks will be supplied (although limited designs - just what I've got) if you would like to come along and have a go with a bit of tuition you can always order your own designs from the ready made screens at www.thermofaxscreens.co.uk

 

Come along and have some fun you will go away with your own unique fabrics, wrapping paper and greetings cards

 

Contact Sew Much To Do 01353 664000 to reserve your place.

I'm back!

Very naughty of me not to continue with my blog so here I am again - will try harder!
After my wonderful trip to New Zealand last year everything else seemed rather an anti-climax so after a year of re-assessing my life and assimulating recent changes - we now have 2 rather lovely grandsons and retirement looms on the horizon- I feel I can move forward. I have made a the decision to scale back my teaching commitments and all that goes with it and to concentrate more on my own creative work and spend more time with my family, particularly the little ones before they grow up and not need Nanny.

I have been busy in the studio producing some new pieces for an exhibition in Wales with Anglia Textile Works from 25th July at the Minerva Arts Centre, these are going to be titled The Guardian pieces - working in series!

I've also had fun making dungarees for Harry, well it was fun once I had mastered how to do the poppas!

I'll be back!

 

 



Ocean Race

Scene in Auckland, the flags advertising the Volvo Round the World Ocean Race, very exciting to see the boats out of the water being prepared for the next leg of the race starting on 15th March - Auckland to Brazil, a huge challenge. In fact the whole set up around the harbour area was most impressive with  all kinds of activities relating to the race. Must try to follow the progress from now on!

Art Deco weekend in Napier

Well I have tried to upload some images but it doesn't seem to want to work! We have been in New Zealand for just over a week. We have spent time in Hawkes Bay sight seeing nd visiting friends,  good visit to the Gannet Sanctuary at Cape kidnappers, a trip to Te Mata peak and a couple of wineries, now up in the Bay of Islands, beautiful scenery, a trip today to the most Northern Cape and along Ninety Mile beach including exciting sand boarding down the giant and dunes - Yes I did it!
Will try to post some photos

a little bit of creativity

well here I am 2 days away from leaving home for my New Zealand adventure and still playing catch up I wish I was a very organised person! I've started packing but keep thinking of things I should be doing and things I should be including. anyway yesterday we had our Anglia Textile Works meeting, lovely to see the other girls and catch up with them all. We have a small exhibition coming up at Braintree so all the pieces have been collected ready to hang, it all happens while I am away. here's my contribution, or rather details of my piece, very celtic, worked on hand dyed silk

 

 

 

any way I am going to try to add to my blog while I am away if my ipad will play ball and let me upload my photos - we'll see!

Jake's naming day

We had a lovely day on Saturday at Nurstead Court in Kent for Jake's naming day. I am sure more images will come to light but here are a couple

Chris Ash and Jake



Jake the escape artist

an unfortunate incident

colin's car was parked outside the office when a lorry reversed into it and took out the rear window! all has been fixed now although there is still a bit of bodywork repair to be done but just another thing to deal with.

on the other hand good things also happen, amazingly my parcels of teaching materials sent to New Zealand have miraculously come to light after being declared 'lost' and all 4 have now been delivered so big sigh of relief and now I can concentrate on packing only 5 days to go.

a winter walk

seen while walking in the woods today lovely winter sunshine but low temperatures have made sure that the ice hasn't melted on the puddles - nice patterns though! It was good to get out in the fresh air
and away from the muddle at home, the boxes of teaching packs and fabrics sent to New Zealand at the beginning of January appear to be 'lost' so I have had to put a contingency plan into action to get enough stuff down under for my classes, not sure yet how its going to pan out, I will have to keep my clothes packing down to a minimum -not an easy task, I have never been very good at travelling light. Thinking about my boxes I just can't imagine where they have got to, they are obviously together somewhere so I just hope they actually appear before I get to my teaching venues.