February 2015 Newsletter

Hurrah, buds are pushing through the earth and the catkins are hanging from the trees, spring is on the way. The primulas outside Thimblestitch are brightening up the box planters, and inside we are expanding. These cold, damp days are perfect for flicking a quick duster, sticking a casserole in the oven, and then we can all concentrate on Stitching.

The Poinsettia Workshop with Sandra Coleridge was a delight with bright red flowers on a willow wreath, which later adorned many a door.  Christmas and New Year passed in a complete blur, not just due to festive spirit on my part!  Gift vouchers were in huge demand, not only for fabric but Workshops too, and the Bunting flew out the door.

Saturday 14th February – The Owl and the Pussycat with Gemma Fletcher.

Using the poem as inspiration to make a paper and fabric stitched collage.  Gemma will explore various painting techniques before using simple construction methods to build a Pea Green Boat using Pelmet Vilene.   The collage will be embellished with free machine embroidery, buttons, beads and shells, to add to the fun.  Suitable for all abilities, you will not find yourself all at sea!!

Saturday 21st February –  Book Covers with Dee Priest.

A great opportunity to learn a new skill, personalizing  your old address or recipe book, journal, diary or log book.  Dee will take you through the steps of measuring, calculating and stitching a simple cover, which you can adapt to your own needs.  The cover can be further enhanced with a selection of Dee’s individual printing blocks.  This course is perfect for beginners or those who wish to extend existing skills.

Thursday 12th March – Learn to Rag Rug with Zoë Hughes.

Learn the technique of Rag rugging. Design and start your own rug made from treasured castoffs.This course is suitable for beginners.Back by popular demand, this is a fun day.

Saturday 28th March – Wallpaper, Lace & Gelli with Gemma Fletcher.   This is your chance to use a Gelli plate (see news of forthcoming items available) . Using scraps of old lace and embossed wallpapers to create a wonderful assortment of patterns onto paper.  Using bleach resist techniques and texture paints you will develop a series of samples. After  a morning experimenting  you will  then construct a final piece using your samples .This course is suitable for all abilities, but a knowledge of machine stitching would be useful. We will have Gelli Plates for use on the day.

Wednesday 8th April – Scrappy Squares with Jan Studley.  An opportunity to use up all those scraps from left over projects. Using small squares and strips  Jan has colour co-ordinated all her fabrics to make simple scrap squares – sewn together they make a beautiful quilt.  You can use a single colourway or a wide variety of colours to make your squares, come along and have fun using up all those scraps. This is a day suitable for all abilities from total beginner to an old hand who also has ice-cream tubs full of scraps, there will be scraps aplenty.

Thursday 9th April – Hobbit Houses  with Dee Spence-Thomas.  An opportunity to utilize those scraps or offcuts, too nice to throw away. These  whimsical little Hobbit houses are appliqued onto a background, secured with blanket stitch to make a wallhanging of your choice.

Friday10th April – Machine Trapunto with Jean Bartlett.   A method that has been around since the 14th Century, Trapunto  quilting is a technique used to add another dimension to a quilt, cushion cover or other small piece of work.   Jean will introduce you to this art, which will create an elegant sophisticated look to your work which is easier than you might believe.

11th and 12th April – Exploring Velvet with Angie Hughes.   The properties of velvet are quite astonishing, this two day workshop will explore the effects achieved with dyes, inks and bleaching back, in addition to transfoils, glitters and lumiere paint.  Finally there will be many ideas for free machine embroidery with Angie.  Materials extra.  For more information please see www.angiehughes.com

Tuesday 14th April – Machine Patchwork for Beginners with Zoë Hughes.  Learn the basics, an introduction to using a rotary cutter and machine piecing using a quarter inch foot. This course will run for two hours fortnightly over a period of six weeks.

This a fun and informal course.

Work in Progress Days – Zoë Hughes.  Available for those who wish to catch up on Projects small or large, old or new  These days are ideal if you have hit a brick wall; calculating fabric, interpreting a pattern, borders,  quilt as you go, binding, batting, feed dogs or even designing your own project.  This one day a month is perfect for those with some sewing experience, a friendly, relaxed and fun day where you can concentrate on ME time!  Dates are listed on the website.

New Classes  added to the Workshop calendar

Patchwork Landscapes – Sat 16th May

Purse making – Sat 24th Oct with Dot Carter.

Striptease – Wed 6th May with Dee Spence –Thomas.

Spring fabrics are starting to arrive, and next Christmas fabrics have been ordered !!!   The shop is expanding  to accommodate our new fabrics and craft accessories. A selection of variegated threads from King Tut have just arrived with the complementary Bottom Line thread for the bobbin.

Gelli plates, in the three different sizes, are due in March.  These wonderful slabs of gelatin are used with acrylic paints, water soluble printmaking inks and fabric paints to create beautiful prints from fun textures i.e. bubble wrap, plastic grids, foam stamps, stencils, leaves and string which can be transferred onto paper or fabric, layering colour, texture and design.  We will be booking a get together Workshop day towards the end of March for all Gelli plates.  Check out the  details of a Workshop with Gemma Fletcher on 28th March using the Gelli plate

February means that Juliet and I will be attending the Craft Trade Show in Birmingham, returning full of inspiration and ideas for Thimblestitch.

If anything grabs your fancy, check out theThimblestitch website or ring me in the shop.

Zoë & Team