Beach Hut Studio Workshop

I had a wonderful day today with members of Country Roads Quilters and Debbie Mitchell at her Beach Hut Studio in Freiston.  We weren't quite sure what we'd signed up for but knew the homemade lunch alone would be worth the journey to the edge of the county, next stop, the sea.

Debbie has many artistic talents and her workshops include painting, beadwork, felting, papercrafts.... Today we could upcycle deceased books into clever sculptural pieces, try dainty papercut designs, make pictures from recycled buttons and beads or upcycle ties.  I went for the ties and selected two beautiful silk ties to work with.  Apparently if you Google "upcycle men's ties" or similar you will find loads of ideas, who knew?

I began by making this little sewing case, other ladies made similar cases to hold their mobile phones.

I have the thin end of this tie leftover and am going to use the fabric to make kanzashi flowers.

My second project isn't quite finished (I was obviously doing too much chatting and too much goody eating) but is going to be a collar or necklace. Debbie modelled it for me so you can get the idea.

And how about this for a fantastic idea? Debbie showed us these tactile mufflers made for people suffering dementia. I think they would benefit a lot of other people too.  I'd like one myself, it would be soothing to have while watching television!  The muffler is made with wools of a variety of textures, there are ribbons, beads, buttons inside and out and even a little pouch of lavender.

I hope you enjoyed sharing my day, now I'd better get that collar finished.

Journal Quilts 2016

I have signed up for the Contemporary Group journal quilt challenge again this year but, as we enter March, I am already behind.  It's okay though as I think I know what I'm doing!  Each JQ has to use a small area of a specified colour, purple for the first months of the year.  My wonderful Indigo Sister, Judi, sent me some delicious pieces of kimono silk and I'm going to use these for the colour element each month.  The rest of the quilt will be in natural colours and focus on texture.

So, my JQ for January has some stitching on it and is making progress.  

My piece for February is set out but not stitched at all.  Aren't the kimono silks fabulous? 

March will follow shortly.

On Friday I am going to a workshop with Debbie Mitchell.  She is a favourite tutor with Country Roads Quilters, not least because her workshops include an almost constant supply of good things to eat!  We will be doing "some upcycling, possibly wet felting and using natural materials, maybe", I'd watch this space!