New classes in a new venue!

I've been chatting with Stef of the Bead Scene at the Wakefield farm estate in Northamptonshire about some Smallbeans stitching classes - hurrah! The crafting room is sunny and warm making it a lovely place to be inspired, create and try something new. We have come up with loads of ideas to try and here are the first two sessions:

Introduction to working with felt and vintage fabrics using 5 simple techniques or stitches. Taking place on the 27th of March from 10am-1pm. These lovely designs can be made into brooches, appliqué or a decoration for a tote bag. Basic materials will be provided and the cost of the workshop is £15.






Just 3 days later the Easter stitch is planned and we will be making a rather lovely felt hen. I shall show you how to create a simple symetrical embroidery design and add quirky details with extra embroidery and fabrics. Your hen can be stuffed with lavender or left open to hold an egg of the chocolate variety ready for Easter Sunday. This workshop includes all the materials you will need to make one hen about 15cms high and costs £20. Stef is running a children's crafting workshop at the same time, so you could have a crafty morning out with your youngster making things for your Easter table.




The Bead Scene is a haven for people of a crafting nature with a huge range of beads, buttons and trims. Stef has also started a Vintage stitch room stocking large variety of haberdashery including beautiful hand dyed embroidery threads, lovely fat quarters and a good range of the Tilda fabrics and kits.
Links to the Bead Scene website workshops can be found here.

NB quilt finished! (Nearly)

For the last 12 weeks, my lovely stitchers have been working like demon's to get this finished.

They have taken parts home every week, meet up on occasion and strived to get everything on before the end of term.

It has really taken shape very quickly, we had loads of bits to put together and worked as a group to decide where everything went. 

Finally, this week after an extra meeting at a local stitch group, it is finished!

Everyone is so proud of their work.

I love it.

Sadly it's the end of the road for the crafting group at the Children's Centre after 3 1/2 years. But this is a fitting end to working with these lovely women in the Community and creating some amazing stitching along the way.

Others worked on the quilt, but this is the main group and their happy children.

Brilliant.

I am starting a new adventure in September in a new setting, what will that bring I wonder?

Inspiration and creativity I hope.

See you soon

Jane xx

New Bradwell Scrappy Quilt Update

This is yesterday's picture of the work so far.....

Lots of ideas for more patches and details, I only hope we have time to do it all justice!

Very exciting though and some lovely stitching going on

xx

is it March already?

Oh I have been a very bad blogger, nothing for a long time. Too busy stitching and planning and looking at other peoples lovely blogs.

VERY BAD INDEED.

So to make up for it, here is a selection of work from my lovely Children's Center Stitchers:

They are pretty self sufficient now, but still need the occasional 'poke' to remind them they do know what they are doing and remind them of the things they have learnt.

This week Lizzie threaded the sewing machine up by herself - this is a real breakthrough. She then went onto make some draw bags for her boys and nephew.

Gemma had seen an owl on Pininterst that she wanted to make. Now get this - her mother-in-law happened to have the same owl, so Gemma borrowed it and we planned a great version with fabrics I had lying around and about in my stash.

 Michelle is planning......can you guess??

Gemma's owl inspired Susan to make a smaller owl, I hope I will have a photograph of both of them next week.

Karen has been busy making a gingerbread man, very cute detailing.

This was a brooch Suzie made the other week without me, lovely contrasting stitching.

Odette is planing a quilt for her young son's cot-bed. She bought a bumper ( you can see the panel in the middle of this picture) and purchased a stack of matching fat-quarters we found on ebay.

Just needs stitching together now Odette - no pressure!

I will try to be good and upload more, I have been busy honest gov.......x