Monday, 1 February 2010

Sarah Drew -Recycled Beach Finds Jewellery Workshop

Jewellery Workshop With Sarah Drew
Jewellery Workshop With Sarah Drew


On Saturday (30th January) I used one of my Christmas presents, a voucher to attend one of Sarah's workshops. So off I went to the Windswept Cafe on Fistral Beach, Newquay on a dry but cold day to meet Sarah and four other women who all wanted to learn techniques to turn their beachcombings into fabulous jewellery.

After tea and a delicious brownie we set off down to the beach to see what we could find and collect to be transformed later in the day. Not all of my finds were suitable for jewellery, but I just had to collect them anyway!

On returning to the cafe Sarah taught us some simple techniques for wrapping sea glass, flat pebbles and shells with wire as well as how to make loops to link beads together. She also showed us how to make your own rings with wire and beads. Just before lunch we learned how to use crochet to incorporate beads, shells etc., with wire to create very individual bracelets, necklaces etc.

Lunch was included in the price of the workshop and the choices were sandwiches or soup. Well, after the beachcombing I decided that Carrot and Ginger soup was just the thing to warm me up and this arrived with tasty crusty bread and butter.

The afternoon was spent exploring the techniques we had just learnt with Sarah on hand for help and guidance when necessary.

Sarah gave us all a very good handout to take away with us and lots of ideas for future pieces of jewellery to make at home.

I think the voucher for the workshop was one of my best Christmas presents I had the joy of receiving it on Christmas Day and the anticipation of using it in January.

Sarah is a very inspirational tutor who teaches you techniques but leaves you to decide how you want to use them. She also runs workshops on creating vintage jewellery and bridal jewellery. She also sells her own unique brand of jewellery which features recycled materials, vintage beads etc. and she has an excellent website at:

www.sarahdrew.com

Thank you Sarah for a brilliant day.

Sunday, 24 January 2010

Silk Paper Workshop


Silk Paper Workshop - Embroiderers Guild Cornwall


Last Saturday (16th January) I had a very enjoyable day teaching members of Cornwall Embroiderers Guild how to make silk paper.

During the day they learnt how to make flat silk paper and how to make a silk paper bowl.

Everbody seemed to enjoy the day and I was provided with a very tasty lunch !
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Monday, 11 January 2010

Textile Art Workshops

Textile Art Workshops - St Ives Cornwall
Textile Art Workshops - St Ives Cornwall


So, here we are January 2010 time to talk about workshops I will be running this year. So far the programme includes:

23rd January - Monoprinting on Fabric
6th February - Fabric Birds
27th February - Fabric Collage
6th March - Working with Water Soluble Fabric
17th April - Weaving Without a Loom

All the above workshops cost £40 inc materials and are run from my home at 31 Bedford Road, St. Ives from 10 a.m. To 4 p.m.

There is quite a gap between the water soluble fabric and weaving without a loom workshop because I will be running a Feltmaking Weekend on Saturday 20th March and Sunday 21st March.

This will include learning the basic flat feltmaking technique and then how to make a seamless felt bag on the Saturday and Sunday will be spent learning how to make felt beads and how to make felt using a technique similar to silk papermaking.

This is intended to be a residential weekend with people arriving on the Friday afternoon/evening and leaving on the Sunday afternoon. However, the workshop will also be available to people living locally who will only pay for the two day workshop.

The cost for the two days is £100 which will include materials.

As there is an extensive range of accommodation on offer in and around St. Ives I will supply information on accommodation when people book.

If any of the above is of interest to anyone out there please get in touch.

There is more information on my website:

Textile Art Workshops - St Ives Cornwall

Thursday, 7 January 2010

Erosion Bundle Project

Erosion Bundle - St Ives Cornwall
Erosion Bundle - St Ives Cornwall


Having seen the erosion bundle on Carolyn's Love Stitching Red Blog I decided to do one of my own.

So last night I prepared a bundle and put it out in a snowy garden this morning.

Looking forward to seeing how it changes over time and possibly investigation by our hens!

More information here:
Erosion Bundle Project

Friday, 1 January 2010

Happy New Year From Jo

Page After Page by Frances Pickering
Page After Page by Frances Pickering


Happy New Year!

Just wanted to share one of my Christmas presents with you. This wonderful book is by Frances Pickering who makes the most exquisite books.

This book shows you some of her techniques and tips as well as some of the things that inspire her. What I particularly like is the fact that it is all handwritten by her and full of wonderful photographs.

Frances came to the Cornwall Embroiderers' Guild and gave us a superb two day workshop, teaching us how to create our own books. I think it is the only workshop I have been to when I have arrived before the building was opened up!

You can see more on:
Frances Pickering Website