The Need to Stitch

I'll start with something that has made me laugh. A blogging friend 'Living to work - Working to live' has signed up for Dionne's course and mentioned that I had recommended it on my blog. Much to my surprise I won a DVD for introducing a friend. The DVD is called 'demystifying devore' and the thing that made me laugh is the fact that a few weeks ago I destroyed at least a metre of expensive velvet trying to teach myself the process - see above - is this timely or what? Thank you Hilary.

After all the sketchbook work of the last two weeks I just had to do a little stitching, you've probably all seen these they are everywhere at the moment usually done in book print, they are just two circles stitched down the middle and pulled out to make a ball shape. The papers I had in mind had been waxed at sometime, I had an idea thinking about the wax. I re-dipped them in scented candle wax and not only do they have a lovely texture they hold their perfume as well. It's a pity I only had a frankincense and myrrh tea - light left over from Christmas to provide the perfume, the workroom smells like an hippy commune! 

I have made a really fat sketchbook during the on line course of the last two weeks and I'm really happy with it. So much so, I've just booked up for a longer course in June 'Drawing for Textiles' again with Dionne Swift. I've been crafting for over ten years and it is so difficult to bring anything new to my work but she has very cleverly led  me through some new ways of using familiar materials in a much more exciting way.

 Now I just need to work up enough will power to start quilting Isla's quilt.