My teaching travelling trips have now slowed down (after a big post-covid catch up) and I am enjoying being at home this summer and getting on with some new projects. Some of which are still too secret to share much about, but read on for a sneak peek or two… One thing I can shout …
It’s May the Fourth and I’m heading to a wedding reception tonight. It’s the wedding of one of my students, Suzanne and her fiance Scott, who are big Star Wars fans, hence the date they decided to tie the knot! I’ve become very fond of, and proper lifelong friends with many of my students over …
Back in June I finished the Clamshell Cushion below. It had started as a class sample and then hung around in the WIP pile for a few years before I was in a tidying mood in the Spring. It reminded me how much I like to work with this shape and technique. Around the same …
This year’s swap item for the Stitch Gathering Retreat is a pincushion so I thought it would be a good idea to round-up all my favourite pincushion tutorials and patterns for inspiration and help. I’ll also be showing off new pincushions I’ve just finished plus favourites I’ve been gifted over the years. But let’s start …
My working life is roughly divided into four parts: MyBearpaw Studio and Shop Stitch Gathering Retreat The Thread House Retreat Quilting/Sewing Patterns for publication I always joke that I’m part of the gig economy as I need to run at least four businesses to survive! Actually I am only partly joking and sometimes I can …
I spent last weekend with my extended family celebrating my niece, Sarah’s, 40th birthday (I was very young when I became an aunt BTW!) at her amazing party. Of course I left it till the last minute to make her a present. Obviously she has already had a quilt from me (21st birthday) and numerous …
… oh yes I’m turning Japanese, I really think so! Those of you of a certain age may remember this song by the Vapors. And it comes into my head as I consider my growing obsession with all things Japanese. Well as long as it’s sewing related that is! It started about 5 years ago …
Pouchy for presents that is! I’ve come to the zippy pouch very late in the day, having let my colleague Naomi teach our class in this subject in the past. But armed with this excellent tutorial from Flossie Teacakes I turned this hexy sample piece (that I made during my demos at the recent ICHF show) …
This week a friend had a special birthday (a number I am heading for in just a few years too!) so I made her this cushion out of gorgeous Dashwood fabric. I just love those foxes. This is the Botch Handle block for my Modern Sampler Quilt which I finally finished a few weeks back. …
Our Scottish Modern Quilt Exhibition, which ran as part of the Edinburgh Fringe this year, was a great success. Visitors from all over the world came to see the quilts. And everyone seemed very impressed and interested in all the exhibits. We asked all our visitors to vote for their favourite quilt, not an easy …