Strawberry Thief Finished.

                                                                        Finished today!

Frost and fog.

Our first hard frost on Monday, a second lighter one on Tuesday morning and then fog on Wednesday. Winter weather is inspiring but warns of worse to come. These globe thistles, Echinops, looked beautiful covered in frost.

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.