Textile Design

Where has the week gone?…

I was thinking in the shower this morning (as you do) and asked myself, “what have I made this week?” It’s Thursday already and, unlike most weeks I haven’t made anything at all. But I have been busy in other ways, honest.

I started the week by posting my details on the lovely on-line magazinefrombritainwithlove’s directory, oh yes and the course notes from my first lampshade workshop were published, very excited about all that.

gilhoolie on frombritainwithlove

What else? Well, after the success of the first one, we have booked a date for the next workshop  with Arts and Laughs (12th May, in Maidenhead, Berkshire), looking forward to it already.

I’ve been busy listing my machine-embroidered tea-towels on etsy and sold two of them to a friend and my ‘nice cup of tea’ cards seem to be popular too so I’m thinking about getting some printed.

gilhoolie tea-towel montage
gilhoolie tea-towel montage
Nice cup of tea cards
'Nice cup of tea' cards featuring my gilhoolie retro circles pattern

So you see, not much making going on this week. But, I have just finished screen-printing my windmill pattern in turquoise for a lampshade order and I now I’m going to make a ‘nice cup of tea’ card and possibly start on my first wedding picture commission, phew! I’m pretty good at multi-tasking and it’s a good job I like being busy!

So it’s Thursday and have I met my objectives yet this week? Well, I’ve certainly met some of them but I really wanted to start making another hand-stitched empire lampshade, ah well, there’s always tomorrow, (where has the week gone to?!…)

Screen-printing gilhoolie windmill
See, I have done something!
Sewing projects

Tricky joined-up writing…

Tricky joined-up writing!
Tricky joined-up writing!

Sometimes, when I look at all the amazing creative work people post on the Internet I feel a bit overwhelmed, but other times I am incredibly inspired. Okay, so this is just a tea-towel idea but any inspiration is good I think. This time I was inspired by Charlotte Macey and her lovely machine embroidered textiles. I already have a load of tea-towels I was supposed to screen-print (it didn’t work, bit of a sore point) so I decided to have a go at stitching one of my pictures on one (my retro teapot and cup). It was a bit nerve-wracking as I haven’t done a lot of machine embroidery but great to dust off the sewing machine and have a go. I have to say, the end result was better than I expected. It’s a good job no-one was watching me though, I’m sure my head follows the needle as I sew, does anyone else do that I wonder?! Oh yes, and joined-up writing was a bit tricky, but don’t tell anyone…

Ta -da! The finished article