Bits and pieces

This pin holder which I have been meaning to make for months took me about 10 mins. but is so useful as I drop and put my pins allover the place

Some of my squash crop not so many this year and quite small, this lovely rusted fabric is thanks to Rachel my sister she lives on a farm and has been collecting any rusty objects she can find

All this glorious weather has been great for walking, we have some fantastic countryside around here I went up to the barrow at Nympsfield to walk the dog along part of the Cotswold way, we have loads of burial mounds around here, having come from Wiltshire I still think the Kennet long barrow is the best.I had a discussion recently with a friend about sarcen stones like those at Avebury I think that the triangular ones are female and the upright ones male he had never heard of this anyone know?

Used this wool to soak up the last drop of colour from the indigo vat.

I did some nuno felting to make 2 scarves so that I could up the last of the indigo, the picture on the right was done for a textural sample for my City & Guilds and I thought I would hang it up

More deconstructed screen printing this looked a dingy muddy colour when I wrapped it up to "cook" for a few days but having rinsed it well I have some lovely colours in it.My husband and Shirley keep saying what am I going to do with it all, well the model on the left looks quite cosy and I shall give the V&A first refusal!

Went to Malvern college for a masterclass with Angie Hughes and Caroline Parks who is the head of textiles there.Caroline talked about the textile artists who were at the forefront when she started on her career, Diana Springall was the first one mentioned with her book "Embroidery" ,well you couldn`t call it just that today could you,it is a great book but very dated now.We went through a list of textile artists, book themes for textiles ending p with Clyde Oliver, it was quite thought provoking.Angie spoke about her career path,Caroline was her first tutor on the C&G embroidery course, Angie`s fellow students were more conventional embroiders I would love to have heard what they thought about her modern approach. She showed us how to design using a large sheet of drawing paper painting on emulsion paint in random marks, then a water wash, Quink ink is then stamped or painted on,bleach is then stamped over it and also used in a dip pen for fine lines.To get the best effect the mantra is : sequenced, squeezed, space. Additional effects can always be added later when the paper has been ripped. The paper has to be divided without looking so rip it down the length of the piece and then take a deep breath and have a look it is very satisfying how well it turns out. Riping the sheet, and drying the ink.

Angie`s are the framed ones, the 3 others are before they were ripped up,mine is the darker blue one with the clock pattern,I now realise I should have left more spaces or less "busy " places.

Some of the students pieces, the 2 framed ones below on the left are Angie`s work, it was amazing how different our work turned out.

Some of the pieces cut up

Well I am really hooked on deconstructed screen-printing it is so exciting as you are never quite sure how it will turn out. What will I do with it all?

Little and large

Well this is the Ineke Berlin take your sewing machine/ materials to a class bag, I was following the instructions from a friend and I have made the take a small bungalow away bag, it is enormous and if I filled it up I would never be able to carry it. It was made from old jeans using the pockets as pockets in the bag, and has a seascape on each of the four sides, padded and quilted so very strong, when I get the energy I will make one in a smaller size.

This small bag about 4" high was made from instructions in the book below "Omiyage" very pretty quite ornate designs , which the author suggests you hand sew to show your appreciation of the recipient as it took me most of a day to machine sew it, I do not think I will be following her suggestion of making one for each guest.In fact the book is on its way back to Madi who kindly lent it to me

My sister gave me a great book called Silk Unravelled,it has some beautiful designs in, the cushion cover below is made from torn strips of silk other items are layered and cut back. Lovely luscious colours and some good ideas.

Olive my lovely granddaughter made me this superb hat,

which I shall be wearing to the next royal garden party I am invited to!