A very successful workshop yesterday, as you can see. Everyone well on the way to completing a beautiful piece of work.

Arts & Crafts Workshop

All this week I have been preparing for the workshop in Cheltenham tomorrow. Today I am packing for it, typing notes and cutting fabric. This work has taken me out of my usual style of embroidery and has been very interesting, reminding me of those City and Guilds days of study when we had to design, trace and make repeat patterns. I had to sit a written exam where we had to answer questions and make designs off the top of our heads. A typical question might be - design a quilt for a teenager using the pages of designs you previously prepared and brought in with you. On my exam day it was so hot in the classroom my water soluble crayons melted! I think I did too with exam nerves. Well that memory makes me appreciate a nice,quiet day packing.

Strawberry Thief again

A little more stitching achieved...........

Drawing in the Museum

These are drawings from the Museum in Cheltenham, The Wilson, in preparation for my workshop inspired by their Arts and Crafts collection. I like drawing in museums it is very quiet and peaceful. Most of the work is done afterwards in the studio using back up photographs but initial sketches are made there with colour notes. I am making a concertina sketchbook to use on the workshop day and some samples. This is why teaching is so time consuming-all the preparation and thought processes involved. It is the last workshop I am giving for a while!

Slow progress

Progress is slow but I have painted the leaves in. I have been working on other things as well! I hope it is interesting to see the work in stages.

Work in progress: Strawberry Thief

I am working on inspiration from the Arts and Crafts Movement for a workshop I am giving in November for the Glos. Guild of Craftsmen. I have been sketching in The Wilson in Cheltenham in preparation. This is my version of the William Morris Strawberry Thief. They sell that card at the Museum!This summer it was the blackbirds that got to my strawberries first, but I decided to  make the thief colourful as Morris did. In this damp weather it's good to have a quiet bit of stitching to get on with.

Tiny Sea memories sketchbook

I am working on a little sea memories book from my weekend away in Dorset. It is a concertina book 6cm x 8cm when closed up - the beginning for my next series of work. Initial ideas and experiments.