Year 1 done!

Phew, I have been gone a long time!

It has been a long 8/9 weeks of work, children and trying to get module 4 handed in..... that and 2 nasty injuries finished me off!

So as the title suggests I managed to get module 4 handed in and my first year of the 3 year course is done! Yay!

Here are some of the things I made for my portfolio...

Mono Printing

Raised pebbles

Collage

Mark Making with tracing paper.

Lulworth Cove.... It is honestly!

More collage.

Mini book with designs.

Larger handmade design book.

Stitch sample.

Ruffled, gathered fabrics.

Mixture of textures.

My first attempt at cords with beads - love these!

A year seems to have gone by so fast - although sometimes it has felt very slow!

I have moved so far from my starting point that when I look back I am slightly shocked! When I started last August I was in a panic, it all seemed so hard and my dream seemed impossible. One year on, and 4 modules completed, I feel ore confident of my skills and that my dream is almost on the horizon...

It has not been easy though. Teaching lots of classes, looking after 3 boys, being a Scout leader and working through the course has left me very little time to think! It feels worth it though!

So to year 2... well, there is one more design module looking at Form and then I get to work through my designs to create 3D pieces of work. They look scary when I look at them in my student booklets.... but oh so exciting!

I am also turning towards the new teaching year and I have been working hard to pull together a fun and versatile teaching schedule. I will be sending out the details of classes and workshops in a newsletter tomorrow, so if you want to receive the newsletter just drop me an email: quiltingthegrain@btinternet.com.

City and Guilds Progress 1

So it has been 8/9 weeks since I started work on my City and Guilds.

The first 5 modules are all about the design elements of machine embroidery. They are all about letting go of the creative safety net you sit in and jumping into an unknown world of drawing, painting and colouring..

I will admit I was a bit worried at the start, and in many ways I still am, but the worry is giving way to excitement and creativity!

I started with peppers:

After drawing them I had to take a section of the drawings and enlarge it:

I had to take 2 sections and work with colour to develop their design potential.

The next step was to look at texture through design elements - this was like machine quilting so I really enjoyed this section:

It was great fun working through this part! I could see lots of potential.

Next was cutting up the design and experimenting the pieces to form a final design piece:

Now comes the fun bit.... making embroidery samples and completing an final piece of embroidery.

So far it has pushed my abilities, scared me and made me want to know more.... so a great journey so far!

I have to remind myself daily that there is no right answer - it's not like maths! My brain is struggling with that concept!

Once the embroidery piece is finished I have to pull it all together in my first portfolio on Line Design.

Summers Gone!

We have reached September!

In England the trees are starting to change and the weather is getting cooler, school are back and mothers and father up and down the country are sighing with relief!

My 3 gorgeous boys all went off to school with wonderful smiles on their faces.

This is them all looking tidy and sensible! They have all grown so much this last year!

This is probably a more true to life photo...

The summer has been filled with loads of adventures from Westonbirt Arboretum to the beach in Dorset.

Climbing trees and mushrooms!

Hunting down Gromits in Bristol

 

The beautiful Lulworth Cove in Dorset

I haven't taught over the summer apart from a couple of evenings one-to-one lessons.

I started my City and Guilds, which has pushed my skills to the limit so far, but I am enjoying working my way through the exercises and seeing the portfolio grow! Tim has been very sort though I am looking forward to making more progress now term has started!

Drawing from secondary sources.

The Anything Goes Quilting Bee ended last month... which made me sad, but I loved every month getting a parcel of fabrics and returning a complete block. My bookcase quilt is starting to come together.... more on that soon!

It was a packed out 6/7 weeks and I loved having time with the boys, but I am itching to get back to work (small problem of no money too!).

It all kicks off next week with classes in Gloucester, and then 4 days teaching a week in October!

Hope you had a lovely summer!



The Tewkesbury Posse!

Last week I finished working with 2 groups, one in Gloucester and the other in Tewkesbury.

I have shown you the work of the Gloucester group, so I thought you might like to see the group in Tewkesbury this week.

There were 8 learners of different abilities. Some had loads of experience and were coming along for the social aspect of the group as well as to learn a new trick or 2, others had no experience of sewing what so ever!

I love a mixed group like that. They tend to work together and share ideas, a support network is set up in the class and everyone helps each other. They become a sewing community!

The 8 weeks of the course were broken down into 3 weeks learning the basic skills of how to set up a sewing machine and learning sewing terms whilst making a pin cushion, purse and button clutch. The following 5 weeks were more learner led. I started them on the task of making a patchwork cushion cover and they took their own journey to create something special for their home.

This journey resulted in amazing cushion covers. As their confidence grew they chose other things they would like to make independently, from bunting to Christmas stockings.

Here are some of the results of the 8 weeks we spent together!

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see the group have been working hard!

 

I am starting another group in Gloucester after Christmas and I can't wait to see what they make!

Letting people down..

From justbeautifulthings £14.00

Earlier this week I had to let someone down... I hate letting people down...

I had booked a one-to-one teaching session with someone booked in, but then a local housing authority followed up a teaching request that clashed with the private lesson..

I love teaching one-to-ones. You get to know the person and you can pass on so many tips during the lesson. But they are just one offs.

The courses for the local authorities are 8/9 weeks long, at a good hourly rate and lead to more work....

So unfortunately I had to email the lady concerned and suggest another day... but she can't do it...

I do feel guilty, I do worry about letting her down.

But I have to think about the bigger picture. Each time I teach I get a phone call from another housing association saying they have heard about my teaching and would I run a course for them... it all adds up to a lot of varied and interesting work, but it does mean my schedule is packed out. Fitting in one-to-one lessons is quite hard.

This term I am teaching in Cheltenham on a Monday, Gloucester on a Tuesday, Tewksbury on a Wednesday and at home on a Thursday.. That is miles of driving and hours of prep, before I even start teaching....

I know it is the right decision, but I still worry about letting people down.....