Today's Taster Session

As we said in the past our Taster Sessions are design for you to request a technique you wish to sample. We had requests for Free Machine Embroidery, so that's where our first session started today.

The afternoon session was all about mixed media, we sampled a variety of techniques including Painted Bondaweb, Markel Paintstiks and Tyvek, all of which went down really well.

This partly stitched piece was brought along for some advice on how to take the work forward, after a little discussion and some mixed media embellishments, it's now ready for the rest of the embroidery and I can't wait to see the end result.

We're really enjoying these Taster Sessions, doing a variety of techniques in one day and not knowing what will be requested is a little daunting, but that only adds to the fun.

Thanks for reading
Sue

Something to tempt you........

Hi everyone,

Did you know..........at all our workshops we carry a selection of our Handmade items and Recipes, also a  range of fat quarters, jelly rolls, threads, machine needles etc. from Coast & Country Crafts & Quilts. Please feel free to come and browse.

Taster Session tomorrow 10am - 12 or 2pm - 4pm. An excellent opportunity to dip your toe into a new technique and only £10 per session. Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.

Hope you'll pop in and see us.
Sue

New workshops in progress.........

Hi everyone,

As Carolyn mentioned in her last post we are working on new workshops for the Autumn, so today we got busy with our Fabric Collage Workshop. We both enjoy working with this liberating method and I have been using it in most of my work recently. Here is a sneak peak at the work in progress.

fabric collage workshop - detail

I have used sun dyed, printed and transfer dyed fabrics which are all quite vibrant, now it's waiting to be quilted. Sorry to say I forgot to take a photo of Carolyn's piece, all I can say is that it's looking wonderful, with fabulous textures and a mono colour scheme. She has chosen to work with her beautiful rusted fabrics and papers, I'm looking forward to seeing it stitched, we'll show you when it's finished.

Here are our next workshop dates at Fraddon Village Hall -
Tuesday June 25th - Taster Session
Tuesday July 2nd, 9th & 30th - Taster Sessions
Thursday July 4th - Doodle Cushion
Thursday July 25th - Painted Bondaweb

If you would like to join us on any of the above we would love to see you, as usual all the details can be found on our web site or give one of us a ring.

Thanks for reading
Sue

Getting Creative.........

We had another chance to work on our 'Turtle Challenge' this week, and after a little discussion we decided that they needed to be attacked with the rotary cutters.  We have been working on them individually until now and swapping them over after each technique, but this time we just mixed them together.

We are delighted with the results and are looking forward to adding a little bit of stitch next.......

We also spent a little time thinking about the new workshops that we are going to get ready for the Autumn.  We will let you have a little glimps in the next few weeks!!!

In the afternoon we had a little trip out to St Enoder Church to get some inspiration for the quilt that we are going to make for the exhibition at Truro Cathedral in 2014.  It is a very pretty church with some beautiful stone and wood work.

 We have a few ideas which we will be starting on soon........

Our next Taster Session is Tuesday 25 June, we have had a request for Free Machining, so if you would like to  brush up on your skills we would be delighted to see you.

Thank you for reading.

Carolyn

Another lovely day

Our Taster Sessions feel a little like 'Open Studio' Days, surrounded by a selection of our work and samples of our workshops, along with the necessary markels, acrylic paints, fabrics and threads etc how could you not be inspired!  

With this in mind we took the opportunity during the quiet period of the day to work on a couple of our workshop projects.

Snap shot of Marvellouus Markels

 We got started on our new Workshop 'Marvellous Markels'

which we are doing in the Autumn and on a new pattern for our 'Doodle' Cushion workshop which we are running on 4 July.

Glimps of new Doodle Cushion

We were asked today to explore Painted Papers which we were delighted to do and the results where very inspiring and we are sure to see them in something soon.

Our next Taster Session is on Tuesday 25 June between 10:00am & 12:00pm and 2:00pm & 4:00pm.

 You are welcome to either book a session or drop in on the day.  If you would like to try something that we haven't mentioned, please email us and so that we can ensure that we have the materials needed.

We look forward to hearing from  you.

Carolyn

Next Taster Session...........

Hello again,

Tomorrow we are at Fraddon Village Hall with our 2hr Taster Sessions. I thought you may be interested to see a few samples of what you could achieve with Free Machine Embroidery by joining us from 10am - 12 or 2pm - 4pm.

We have a super way of creating these designs and taking the fear out of Free Machine Stitching. So, if you've ever wanted to try the freedom of this exciting technique, pop along and we'll guide you through each stage.

Back soon, I'm off to the sewing shed to finish packing.
Sue

South West Quilters Workshop

Hi everyone,

Hope you are enjoying this spell of beautiful weather. I've just came in from a spot of gardening where everything is looking splendid and old friends are starting to flower, if the veg continues as it is we'll be eating our own salads soon.

Yesterday we had a very warm welcome from South West Quilters at Tresillian. Thirteen ladies came along to do our Square Strip Cushion Workshop, which was inspired by a slate water feature at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show a few years ago.
After a brief 'how to' they all got to work, transferring our pattern and sorting fabrics. The morning soon whizzed by and the designs started coming to life. We were treated to a delicious faith lunch with some lovely home-made cheese and onion pasties.
Back to work in the afternoon and this is the results of their labours, I think you'll agree they did us proud.

work in progress

Barbara completed her cushion top and finished it by putting the backing on, you may be able pick it out in the centre of the photo.

Thank you ladies for inviting us, the warm welcome and the invitation to come back. We had a smashing day, it's always a pleasure to meet like minded people with a passion for fabric and stitch.

Sue

News Galore........

We have plenty of news to bombard you with today, so I'll try and keep each topic as short as possible.

Firstly, we are very pleased to say that Sally at Coast & Country Crafts & Quilts now stocks a range of our recipes and cards. These consists of our Sail Boat and Tug Boat Recipes, printed cards of our own work and a selection of our handmade mixed media cards.

selection of our range at C&CC&Q

 
Yesterday we were at C&CC&Q with our Fuchsia Box workshop, the weather was beautiful so the windows and doors were flung open. We had a lovely group of ladies who came with gorgeous fabrics and went on to produced some equally gorgeous fuchsia boxes.

ready for finishing touches

Two very happy ladies went home and put the finishing touches to theirs and kindly sent us this photos today, don't they look splendid in that setting!

Thank you ladies for a smashing day and allowing us to show your beautiful work.

If you've visited our Shopping Shed lately you will have noticed we have a new recipe listed. Our Doodle Cushion has a new design that we've created especially for this recipe.

Doodle Cushion Recipe

We have a Doodle Day Workshop on 4th July at Fraddon Village Hall with the new design. This will be the only time we do this workshop, which leads me onto our next bit of news.

We are always trying to give you something new and keep our workshops fresh, to that end, we are very excited to tell you we have created two new workshop for our Autumn programme. Fabric Collage Workshop Thursday 24th October and Marvellous Markels Thursday 14th November.
This does mean however that we will be removing some of the our present workshops to make way for the new. It's still work in progress at the moment, but we will keep you up to date as we proceed.

Next week we have two workshops at Fraddon, our 2hr Taster Sessions on Tuesday 11th 10am-12 or 2pm-4pm and the other one, which as you will know is one of my favourites, Transfer Dye Workshop on Thursday 13th 10am-4pm.

And finally, thank you if you managed to read this far and for your continued support to Carolyn and myself. If you're been to one of our workshop you will know how much we enjoy meeting you all and the pleasure we get from sharing a little of what we know with you.

You will find workshop dates and details on our web site.
Bye for now
Sue

First Taster Sessions!

A few of our workshop samples

We had our first taster sessions today, and had a lovely time with those that joined us.  Thank you.  We are looking forward to our second one, next Tuesday 11 June, and hope that you will be able to join us for a couple of hours.

You can have a try at using Markels or acrylic paints to enhance your work, discover the delights of painted bondaweb, the addictive pleasure that is vanishing fabric and the down right quirkiness that is Tyvek!

Off to get ready now for our Fuchsia Box workshop at Coast & Country Crafts & Quilts on Thursday.

Carolyn

It's official..........I'm easily distracted

When I finished my post earlier today I said I was off to the sewing shed, which was true I did, but I was suppose to pack for tomorrow's workshop. Instead of that I started making samples.

One of the techniques we've been asked for is Markel Paintstiks. Well, one thing lead to another and before I knew it the afternoon had gone and it was time to prepare dinner, so it's going to be a late night packing.

I thought I'd just show you the results of my wayward afternoon.

If you haven't booked with us yet just pop along, we'll have our stash of everything and the kitchen sink with loads for you to sample.

Bye again I'm off to definitely pack this time, hope to see you tomorrow.
Sue

Workshop Dates and a little gardening.........

Hi everyone,

Hope you've enjoyed the gorgeous sunny weekend, we've been busy in the garden. At last we got the veg plot sorted, unfortunately some ones cat was having far to much fun there, so it looks rather odd with netting draped over it now. 

We also restored a wooden pond/planter into a herb garden, which looks rather nice outside my sewing shed. I hope to have a few hours sitting there with a little hand sewing this summer!

Here's what we'll be getting up to over the summer months if you fancy joining us on any of the following workshops.....

Our Taster Sessions begin this Tuesday at Fraddon Village Hall and continue into July-

June 4th, 11th & 25th

July 2nd, 9th & 30th

Fuchsia Box Workshop at Coast & Country Crafts & Quilts

June 6th - places available

Square Strip Cushion at South West Quilter

June 8th  - sorry this workshop is full

Transfer Dye Workshop at Fraddon Village Hall

June 13th  -  places available

Doodle Day Cushion Workshop (new design) at Fraddon Village Hall

July 4th  -  places available

Painted Bondaweb Workshop at Fraddon Village Hall

July 25th  -  places available

Strip Cushion workshop at Fraddon Village Hall

August 15th  -  places available

We have booked dates at Fraddon Village Hall for September through to December, but as yet we have not allotted any workshops to them, so if you have any requests give us call or drop us an email.

As usual all the information can be found on our web site. Look forward to seeing you at any of our summer workshops.

I'm off to the sewing shed, so bye for now and happy stitching.

Sue