Beach Huts Workshop

Here I am with my friend Ros at the end of a great day at a workshop with Melanie Plummer yesterday.  The workshop was a lot of fun, I don't think I've ever heard so much laughter during a quilting day, and we all learned new techniques, produced something we were happy with and nearly finished it too.
Melanie was a relaxed tutor and brought loads of examples of her work with her as well as lots of lovely organza and fabrics that she allowed us to buy from her if we needed them (and didn't charge much either).  Here are two of her "beach hut" pieces, I'm going to use her notebook idea to make a visitor book for my bach.

Once we got started with our sky, sand and water fabrics 505ed onto wadding and backing fabric it was time to audition all the organzas, nets and threads that would build up the texture of the piece.  This was fun and it was interesting to see that from the same starting point we all created our own designs, just as it should be.

I think the wall hangings have a lovely naivety.  This is not a good photograph (I would have needed to hang from the ceiling...) but it reminds me of children's paintings laid out to try at the end of an art lesson, such bold colours and effective designs.

They all became individual.  One lady added stilts to her beach huts as that is the design of the ones she is familiar with, a gentleman added deckchairs and seagulls and I made my beach huts from Japanese fabrics, including some wonderful kimono silk pieces that I was given by my friend Cara when she visited UK in August.
It's always good to pick up new skills as well as have fun on a workshop and I was pleased to learn to create marram grass and beach plantlife using FMQ but the greatest combination of fun and learning came with the discovery of angelina.  Who knew something that looks like glittery candyfloss could be such a delight?  I'll certainly be using it again.
Tomorrow is the first meeting of the new quilting group I'm starting with my friend Tina.  We're hoping to have a good turnout and already know of several lovely blogging friends who will be there.  I'm taking my beach huts piece to work on - it's time to embellish with relish!  We're having a trader, a raffle and show and tell as well as a chat about what people want from the group.  I'm very excited about it - please check back here to see how it goes, and what the group is to be called!