My new blog

I've stared a new blog: http://thethreadshedstudio.com

I can add photos more easily on the new one.  If you follow me here, please pop over to my new site to continue following me.

Many thanks for your continued support.

Handmade Postcard Swap

Hi Everyone, I wanted to tell you all about the iHanna blog postcard swap.  Hanna Andersson is a Dutch blogger who hosts an international postcard swap every spring.  It costs $7.00 to sign up, via PayPal.  Hanna coordinates all the swaps, that's what the small fee is for as it is time consuming to collect all the addresses, and send 10 swap details to each person.  I did this last year and it was great fun. This is the web address for signing up: 

http://www.ihanna.nu/blog/2015/04/diy-postcard-swap-spring-2015/#more-18891

Just copy and paste this into your browser and join in the fun.

Just Drink the Spilt Milk....Multiple Sclerosis,RA,Chronic Illness, Loss & Depression: It's Your Opinion, You Can Keep It

Just Drink the Spilt Milk....Multiple Sclerosis,RA,Chronic Illness, Loss & Depression: It's Your Opinion, You Can Keep It: There is a great deal of confusion that seems to come with understanding what chronic pain and illness are like. It does not mean that ...

Course completed!

I've done it - all 5 design portfolios have been completed and submitted, along with my two finished items with their accompanying sketchbook, so I have officially finished my City and Guilds Level 2 in Creative Textile Techniques.  I'm so excited to have the freedom now to play with a whole range of different techniques and materials.  I can do what I want, when I want, how I want.  I aim to carry on learning by attending short courses, such as the one I'm doing in June, with the amazing Robbin Firth, of Heartfelt Silks, which is a two day residential in Yorkshire.  I'm so excited about this one as Robbin is American, and this is the first time she's come to teach in the UK.  I'll post all about it afterwards.  In the mean time here are some photos of my last pieces of work for City and Guilds:

Poor neglected blog...

It's two months since I last wrote a blog post and, as always, I'm amazed at how swiftly time has moved.  My patchwork class has now finished, and I'm on the final straight of my textiles course.  Here are some of my recent samples:

Crafting for a Cause

I spent almost all of my working life employed either in the public or the charitable sector.  When I trained as a life coach I found out why: my driving value is "making a difference".  Since I had to give up work in 2013, due to my MS, I've been able to indulge my love of creating things.  Many of my projects have appeared in this blog, some more successful than others!  In November I decided that I was going to crack the mystery of crochet, and I did.  This new craft skill led me to join some crochet groups on Facebook, where I found lots of inspiration and support.  One of the projects that captured my imagination was making 12" granny squares to be turned into blankets for homeless people.  Then my Facebook friend Ellen posted about the terrible plight of Syrian refugees, and I found a group that can use crocheted items for premature and stillborn babies.  I had to join in!  Then the penny dropped - I'm happiest when I'm crafting for a cause, or making gifts for friends and family.  I've always loved finding the best possible gifts to suit the important people in my life, and better than that is being able to make them something unique.

If you are interested in helping some good causes, and you are on Facebook, here are some links:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1746428925581753/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/needlesandhooksangelandpreemies/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/caresquares/

https://www.facebook.com/HookedonHooking?ref=ts&fref=ts

Happy New Year

It's the first day of 2015, and I can't believe that it has been a whole two months since I last posted anything here.  So what has happened in those two months?  

I've learned new creative textile techniques at college, and patchwork and quilting skills at my Tuesday afternoon class.  I've also managed to master basic crochet thanks to the Crochetopedia book, which gave me a way of holding the yarn that actually worked for me.  For those of you who struggle with crochet because you can't hold the yarn in the traditional way, as I couldn't, try wrapping it 3 times around the index finger of your non-dominant hand - simple and effective.

We've had a lovely family Christmas, and caught up with various friends.  The down side of all this busyness is the dreaded fatigue, which struck on Boxing Day.  I rallied for a few hours on the 27th, only to end up back to bed until the 30th, when I managed to be up for dinner (cooked by my wonderful hubby) with our good friends Joanne and Andy, and have been back in bed since.   The highlight of the week was a phone call last night from my oldest and dearest friend who now lives in sunny Florida.  Rebecca, I miss you like crazy.

I'm on my second coffee as I type, praying for the caffeine to lift the weight from my head.  I can only type this because I have an iPad which is easy to use in bed!

So I'm signing off again, and hoping that another day of bed rest will enable me to shift this horrible fatigue.  I wish everyone a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2015.