Samples and Sam!

We had a good Zigzag meeting yesterday and it was great to see everyone again - I've not been to a meeting since January as the February meeting was the week Jacob was in hospital and there wasn't a meeting in March so it has felt like a very long time. Stupidly I forgot my camera so you'll have to put up with a couple more pics of my combined machine and hand stitch samples. Again these are very small and are on the front of cards. I'll try to remember my camera next time we all meet which will be in June.

Other samples made this week have been for my weekend class at Missenden Abbey. I'll be teaching Machined Textures again but this is the second weekend of two so there will be a slightly different emphasis. The first couple of samples show the techniques covered in the first weekend - lots of added texture from applied surfaces.

And the sample below shows what we will cover this weekend - lots of textural stitch like whip stitch and cable stitch (my favourite) and stitching over holes!

Just in case you think I've abandoned the plastic bags... no... there is progress... but it is very slow which is a bit worrying with assessment day just over two weeks away.

Today is an exciting day in our house because it is local election day! Much as I have strong beliefs about exercising ones right to vote that is not the reason for the excitment. We're all rather proud of Sam (son no. 2) who is standing on behalf of the Green Party for the District Council. Sam stood in these elections four years ago when he was only 18 and managed to get a very respectable 20% of the votes... which turned out to be extremely embarassing for all concerned as being under 21 he was not actually old enough to stand. Not sure what would have happened if he'd been voted in! So today, being the grand age of 22 (and almost 23) he has been asked to stand again.

I'm very proud of him because he is willing to stand by his convictions and he cares about the world he lives in. At a time when all we hear is bad press about our younger generation I think it is admirable that he is doing something like this. (He cycles or buses to work every day too!)

VOTE SAM!