Baa..mey!!!

I am still groaning under the weight of too much cake but have been indulging in some exercise of the knitting variety. Not only have I been creating monsters in recent weeks... but I've made sheep too. Well... a sheep to be precise.

 

 

After finishing this one I decided knitting my own flock was probably a step too far. To be honest, I'm not sure I'd even succeeded in knitting one. Unclothed, he couldn't look less like a sheep.

 

More like a donkey... or a strange dog.

 

But dressed up in his rather fine coat he just about passes the sheep test... a donkey in sheep's clothing perhaps?

 

And more monster news... Fernley has packed himself into a bag and is now off to live in California without so much as an "I'll miss you".

 

Maybe he'll write to me when he arrives?

Book Club Baking

After getting out and about last week I now seem to be trapped inside a vortex of never ending paperwork while I try to catch up with all those things I put aside until I had a few weeks free from teaching during August. Those few free weeks are rapidly disappearing under reports, planning and newsletters but I did manage a blissful day off baking yesterday.

 

 

There were cherry bakewells (not a bit like Mr. Kiplings) which I've wanted to make ever since I spotted them In Lily Vanilli's book Sweet Tooth.

 

Raspberry and white chocolate macarons... with their secret splodge of raspberry coulis. (recipe from The Pink Whisk)

 

And my trusty dark chocolate brownies with chunks of white chocolate and walnuts. All this for my book club supper last night. There wasn't much talk of books but we did eat a lot!

 

Now if you'll excuse me I need to go to the gym... I've got about 7000 calories to burn off.

A Monster Mash

After meeting the charming Tattiebugs at Missenden Abbey last week, I was inspired to delve into the depths of my sock stash (all new and unworn I hasten to add) and do a bit of monster creation... and these were the results. A motley crew if ever there were.

 

 

First of all are Lexus and Lucretia... a rather well behaved brother and sister, not known for getting up to monster mischief..

 

Their close friend Presley is also very quiet and well behaved and can usually be found with his head in a book... although to be honest, I'm not entirely sure he knows how to read, but he thinks it makes him look intelligent. I don't really like to tell him.

 

Fernley considers himself a bit of a foodie and was passing judgement on our lunch today (beetroot hummus and soda bread). He really is a very rude monster.

 

And finally this is Rowley who is still a baby and likes nothing more than to hide in boxes.

 

I have a stall at the Ashwell show at the end of the month and I'm hoping all these monsters can be rehomed. Surely someone, somewhere will find it in their hearts to love them... or maybe not?

 

And speaking of love, it would seem that I was not the only one charmed by the Tattiebugs. Mr. Sock, who was the very first monster I created, a prototype for all that followed and who now lives with my friend Jude, spotted the Tattiebugs on his tablet and has fallen in love! I fear it could be unrequited.

Quilts not Monsters

If you have dropped by today expecting monsters... then sorry, I have dragged you here under false pretences. The monsters will have to wait until tomorrow because I had such a lovely day at the Festival of Quilts with my friend Catherina yesterday that I needed to tell you all about it.  As ever the hundreds and hundreds of quilts on display just felt overwhelming. I find it impossible to pick out favourites or to even discern those that are well constructed. Most of the time I don't understand what the fuss is all about.  But there are one or two things that stuck in my mind (closely related to the very few of my photographs that actually came out!)

 

 

I really loved the mixed media work of Stephanie Redfern (pictured above) which appeared so fresh and modern.

 

We were both quite taken with the work of Mandy Pattulo, pieced together from various recycled fabrics. Her wall hangings and garments were fabulous and so rich with texture and history.

 

Catherina and I are both interested in Art to Wear but mostly we were disappointed with this year's exhibits however we both loved this soft wool jacket with its beautiful kantha stitching by Pauline Macauley. I would happily wear this!

 

And I also loved this back and white quilt constructed from the most beautifully mono-printed fabrics by Sarah Welsby. It relates directly to some of the work I've been doing with Spectrum as well as some plans I have for new work which is probably why I found it so appealing. But the highlight of my day... the lovely Kaffe Fassett who spoke to me! There he was surrounded by glorious colour and a posse of admiring women just gently knitting. When I asked if I could take his photo he replied "Sure"... that counts as speaking to me doesn't it?

 

Which leads me on to my purchases... quite modest considering what was on offer.

 

We each bought a bundle of these beautiful shot cottons from Oakshott fabrics - inspired by both the colours and a lovely table runner that was on display. I don't particularly want a table runner... and I don't make quilts... but now we have set ourselves a challenge to each make something from our fabric purchase. 

 

But my best buy... this amazing Kaffe Fassett ribbon. Who even knew he designed ribbons (not me obviously). I limited myself to just one metre but could have easily bought masses in all the different patterns and colourways.

 

So it was a wonderful inspiring day... except for the ridiculously overpriced cheese sandwich which was frankly quite disgusting! I wished I'd bought another couple of metres of ribbon and had gone hungry.

Blogging is Dead?

Well thank you all for your response to my last post. It does seem that many of us think alike and that we still like blogging and reading blogs, it's just that there isn't always time to leave a comment and sometimes there isn't anything we particularly want to say. And I have to put my hand up and say I am frequently guilty of reading and not leaving comments. But at the end of the day, much as our blogs might be for keeping a personal record etc it is a public platform and it is good to know there are people out there reading... so keep talking to me because I like to read what you have to say!

 

Having said that... apparently this week Time Magazine declared "For years now pundits have declared that blogging is dead, rendered irrelevant by alternate means of personal publishing such as Facebook and Twitter". Well I say Pah! I like blogging and I like to buck the trend so I'm here to stay!

 

 

So what I have I been up to while I'm not working.... As well as catching up with stuff about the house and catching up with friends, today I took Jacob into London to see the Bowie exhibition at the V & A before it closes at the weekend. He hadn't seen it before and it was my third visit but I loved it just as much as my previous visits.

 

I then hopped onto the tube to the other side of London to see the Zandra Rhodes exhibition at the Fashion and Textiles museum. Marian had mentioned it on her blog and it sounded worth a visit. I think it is well worth visiting if you are in town and combining it with something else. There was some stunning bead embroidery and some really innovative printed textiles taken from sketchbook images but what I loved seeing best were the sketchbook pages and watching the film where Zandra Rhodes spoke about drawing. When she is travelling away from her usual working environment she tries to draw something everyday, whether it seems inspirational or not. And the drawings don't necessarily relate to finished designs but lead in a "diagonal way" to her work. So true! (Students of mine... are you reading this?)

 

I have long been a fan of her work and the exhibition reminded me of some earring I made years ago inspired by Zandra Rhodes beaded safety pins. I was surprised I could still find them... and I'm tempted to wear them again. I think I've got a red pair somewhere too.

 

I've also been creating monsters this week... but you'll have to wait until Friday to hear more from Frankenstein Ferrari...

 

Because I'm off to the Festival of Quilts tomorrow.  It's all go, this not working lark!

Anyone There?

I might be back... but is anyone else there?

It's strange but when I started blogging a little over six years ago, to have had seven comments in 24 hours would have left me elated. In fact it was something of an occasion to have had even three or four comments.... it felt like fame! But now, although I haven't reached the dizzy heights of having hundreds of comments, to have anything less than a dozen or so leaves me feeling as though there is no-one there. Ridiculous I know!

 

 

But the nature of blogging has changed over the past six years. Back then there were a lot less people doing it...  Facebook and Twitter were still in their infancy and other platforms such as instagram and Pinterest were not even heard of. Blogging still felt new and fun. But now, many of the people I connected with when I first started blogging are no longer doing it. Times have changed.

 

But even if blogging is being abandoned in favour of more instant communication, I still like it. I don't own a smart phone or similar device so Twitter isn't really something I've got the hang of. I quite like Facebook but I think it reaches a different audience. But I like blogging best of all. I like the fact I need to think about my photographs and words. It feels more considered somehow and so I'm sticking with it for now. What about you? What do you think?

 

And today's photographs have nothing to do with my words because this wasn't what I set out to write! I was going to say that after the luxury of a week away and being served three meals a day, it felt equally luxurious to be back home in my own kitchen cooking yesterday. A creamy leek and goat's cheese tart with chilli coleslaw and a banana and walnut loaf... to use up the black bananas. Just in case you were interested!

I'm Back...

and feeling somewhat less desperate than when I was last here but rather more exhausted!

My Open Studio weekends went well and far better than I expected, apart from one random Saturday when I clocked up a mere four visitors. But overall I had seventy three visitors through the door who were generous, kind and enthusiastic. My gamble on making lots of canvases paid off and I've only got a couple left.

 

 

No sooner than I'd seen my last visitor out of the door I was in my loaded car and on my way to the beautiful Missenden Abbey where I was teaching City & Guilds level 1 in Machine Embroidery... in just one week (well, five days actually).

 

And what a week! Thirteen learners and I have worked flat out to cover the syllabus and I'm delighted to say that each and every one of them passed... above and beyond the standard required at this level. So huge congratulations to Sandra, Judith, Kathryn, Margaret, Scilla, Anne, Wendy, Mara, Sue, Carol, Margarete, Nicky and Jane. What stars you all were. It was a real pleasure to be working with you all week... but rather good to have my feet up today. (I'm ignoring all the bags that need unpacking!)

 

 

In addition to my thirteen "official" learners we also had a trio of gatecrashers who appeared from time to time.... Florence (in her Primark Pearls), Humphrey and Fleur.

 

I'm sorry to say that despite their best attempts they did not obtain their Level 1 City and Guilds

 

 and Florence couldn't work out how to make a tassel... but they did keep us amused.

You can read more about their adventures and those of their fellow "Tattiebugs" over at Crammel and Scrow.

 

I've now got a few weeks off from teaching but should any readers be interested there will be more City & Guilds classes at Missenden Abbey in the autumn. Get in touch if you would like to know more!