Share your crafts - Stitch 'n' 'Craft'

A few years ago a group of us got together and created a stitching group with a difference - we wanted to share our crafts and teach each other something new - so we did! I don't have many pics, but I'll share what I have.


The idea: we took it in turns to teach a craft to the others and here's what we did.


Felting
Jules taught us felting - we made flower brooches and felt pods or 'dust-catchers' as Jules called them. There's something physically satisfying about layering up the fibres, combining colours and agitating the wool to create 3D structures. We liked it.

Reverse applique

I taught everyone how to create pictures using felt and the reverse applique technique - design an image, layer up felt, stitch on a design and then cut away the felt to reveal the felt in the colours you've chosen for your design. Lovely results!

Natural beauty products

Paula treated us all to an evening of making beauty products using ideas from  Neals' Yard book, 

Neal's Yard Remedies Recipes for Natural Beauty (Neals Yard Remedies) 

We made a room spritzer, face masks, a range of bath salts and foot scrub. Packaged in a bag they make a lovely gift!

Silk Painting

Sue taught us silk painting...really lovely. 

The Cute Book

We also had a go at making some softies from this fab book - The Cute Book. 

So, if you have a skill, why not teach it to others and learn something new from them!

Happy creating! Alli :-)

Paint and Draw lesson 6 (I missed 5!) Watercolour

I didn't feel that connected with watercolours today - I'll persevere with it!


At first we had to get the paint 'wet' enough and play with the paint. So we did...

.

Then we experimented with wetting the paper, adding colours, highlights and then using pastels to create mixed media pieces.

I like what happened here when I scanned the image - I took the image out before it was scanned, quickly shoved it back and then moved it! Weird result!

Lino Printing

...is fun! Get on a course and have a go. I did my course at the Folk House Bristol. I've  bought materials to use with the family at home. I'm addicted...


Here's what I made..

Lots and lots...print and play.

Final black layer on larger print..

All three layers

Just 2 layers

Having a play...

The lino in the final stages...a thing of worked beauty

I found this great tutorial on lino printing here..Folksy by Zebedee

Paint and Draw lesson 4

Pastels and lovely smudgy oil pastels...

I couldn't fit the portrait in the scanner, so here's just a section. 

A bit of a Barbie doll!

The apples were another quick 10 minute draw - there is something good about drawing under pressure!

Free machine embroidery...the designing stage!

I've been on the Free Machine Embroidery course at the Bristol Folk House brushing up on techniques and using new skills. We now have 3 weeks to plan and complete an individual project so I thought I'd get the planning done at home so I can concentrate on techniques and working out a way to complete my design - I've gone for a Mad Hatter's cake. Looks OK on paper, but will it transfer onto fabric? We'll see. I'll post pics of my work in progress...as it progresses.

Session 1...the basic shape comes
to life

Spent a bit more time on my project -  a grand way to spend a Friday evening. 

Fab Fabric shop in Bath.

Found a lovely fabric shop in Bath, Green Street, and enjoyed chatting with the owner who comes from a line of fabric shop owners. There was a touching photo of his mother a friend standing outside their store in St Pauls, Bristol, 'The Nylon Shop'. Good to chat fabrics with someone who knows their stuff!

This tiny print reminds me of a liberty print from the 80s.
It will be perfect for tiny fabric flowers. 

We all need to have something dotty in our lives...

The green in this is refreshing...

Pretty pattern....