A busy day…

…yesterday.

Went down to Otford in Kent to take a look at the Sevenoaks Embroiderers Guild 10th Anniversary exhibition.

Two reasons for going that distance – firstly Pat ‘Altering Thoughts’ Thornhill, a good friend I have made through blogging is chairperson of this branch and secondly it was one of the first places I taught a workshop and all the ladies were really very nice so I just felt I would like to go and show my support.

The exhibition was well worth seeing. Spread over two halls it showed a wide range of the work produced by the groups talented members and all of it to a very high standard. There were lots of pieces that caught my eye – the Punch & Judy dolls were absolutely amazing – and I took several photographs of course.

I did ask permission for taking photographs but didn’t ask the individual makers if I could publish them on the blog so feel I better not, with one exception that is. I am sure the maker, found here, won’t mind but if she does then hey, sue me. :))

It took 18 months to complete this quilt called ‘Don’t tell the Quilt Police’ and when you look at the close-ups and see the amount of stitching that has gone in to it then you can well understand why.

I do know that I for one would never have finished – it would still be a WIP!

Before I travelled down to Kent I went across to Colchester first to visit the Bright Ideas Scrap Scheme.

I met with Liniecat at the NEC and she was telling me about the ‘Scrap Store’ that she visits regularly – I didn’t even know these places existed and felt sure there wouldn’t be one down our way. But I googled when I got home and found one practically on the doorstep. Check out the Scrap Store website to see if there is one near you. The charges probably differ but the one here charges £1.50 per visit or £7.50 for the year when you can visit as many times as you like.

And this is the booty I came away with along with a large number of cardboard tubes in all sizes to use as formers for vessels.

And this was all for just a few pence. Scrim, Paper Sticks, Calico Tape, small rolls of Foil and Sequin Waste.

I know there appears to be a lot of sequin waste, about 80 odd metres altogether, and goodness knows what I will use it all for, but you would not believe the amount that was there, just rolls and rolls of it. Because I was in a bit of a hurry I didn’t get the chance to have a real good rummage around, but next time…

And some pieces to leave you with. You would be forgiven for thinking you have seen them before as they are pretty much the same as some others I did using Transfoil with coloured Tyvek and with rusted Lutradur, but the shiny,shiny background in these is something different. :)