Crafting Courses
Papercutting, patchworking (various and assorted), and creative textiles are brought right up to date with a contemporary spin in my fun craft courses. ‘Inspiring’, ‘fun’, and ‘wonderful’ are words often used by my students to describe my courses, so whether you are a crafting novice or more experienced maker, why not treat yourself to some quality crafty time. As well as courses throughout the UK, I also do private talks and classes.
CREATIVE PAPER CUTTING
Paper cutting is the on trend craft of the moment, but it dates back many years and is an international craft with traditions in China, Mexico and Poland.
MACHINE PATCHWORK
Machine stitched patchwork enables speedy production of all manner of items: designs can evolve organically resulting in unique pieces.
HANDSTICHED PATCHWORK
Hand stitched patchwork with or without templates, has a rich history spanning several centuries, whilst being right up to date with its recycling ethos and therapeutic benefits.
CHRISTMAS MAKES
Hand embroidered calico stars and hearts, patchwork stars and fabric wreaths make perfect Christmas decorations and are fun to make.
UPCOMING COURSES & TALKS
For further details, click on the link or message me
may 2024
Event Details
Talk for the Brixworth U3A I was a graphic designer at the BBC for 13 years and worked on shows as diverse as the Queen’s Christmas Speech, ‘Our Friends
Event Details
Time
(Wednesday) 2:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location
Brixworth Village Hall, nr Northampton
Holcot Road, Brixworth NN6 9BS.
Organizer
04may(may 4)9:30 am06(may 6)4:30 pmHenley Arts TrailHenley Arts TrailMaker Space, Nuffield
Event Details
Come and visit me at the Maker Space, where I shall be exhibiting my paper cut designs, patchwork pieces and needlepoint kits along side a great line up of talented
Event Details
Time
4 (Saturday) 9:30 am – 6 (Monday) 4:30 pm
Organizer
The Maker SpaceCreative workshopshttps://themakerspace.co.uk/maker-hq/ The Maker Space at the Crown, Gangsdown Hill, Nuffield, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 5SJ
Event Details
‘Playing with Knives’ – An illustrated talk about paper cutting, including a bit of history, culture, techniques, my own paper cuts and my influences and a demo
Event Details
Time
(Tuesday) 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Location
Memorial Hall, Witney
Park Rd, North Leigh, Witney OX29 6SS
Organizer
North Leigh WI
Event Details
Visible mending is so on trend and popular and this is the perfect opportunity for you to find out why and have a go. Inspired by Japanese Boro, it involves
Event Details
Time
(Tuesday) 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Organizer
The Maker SpaceCreative workshopshttps://themakerspace.co.uk/maker-hq/ The Maker Space at the Crown, Gangsdown Hill, Nuffield, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 5SJ
Event Details
Talk for the Quercus Quilters I have been patchworking since I was a child and have made numerous quilts over the years. I have a very creative and liberating approach to
Event Details
Time
(Thursday) 7:15 pm – 9:30 pm
Location
Riverhead Hall, Sevenoaks
Amherst Hill, Sevenoaks TN13 2EL
Organizer
june 2024
11jun7:30 am9:30 pm‘Working for Auntie’ – TalkTalk for Wendover WISt Anne's Hall, Wendover
Event Details
Talk for the Wendover WI I was a graphic designer at the BBC for 13 years and worked on shows as diverse as the Queen’s Christmas Speech, ‘Our Friends
Event Details
Time
(Tuesday) 7:30 am – 9:30 pm
Location
St Anne's Hall, Wendover
Aylesbury Road, Wendover, HP22 6JG
Organizer
Event Details
Talk for the Gone to Pieces Quilt Group I have been patchworking since I was a child and have made numerous quilts over the years. I have a very creative and
Event Details
Time
(Friday) 11:30 am – 3:00 pm
Location
Coleshill Village Hall, Amersham
Barracks Hill, Coleshill, Amersham HP7 0LN
Organizer
july 2024
Event Details
This is my fist time teaching at the Marlborough Summer School and I have two course running: Boro inspired visible mending in the mornings and and Introduction to Improv Patchwork in
Event Details
Time
15 (Monday) 9:15 am – 19 (Friday) 4:30 pm
Location
Marlborough College
Bath Rd, Marlborough SN8 1PA
Organizer
august 2024
Event Details
The Oxford Summer School offers a wide range of craft and arts courses. I will be teaching Boro Inspired Patchwork, Introduction to English Piecing, Kawandi
Event Details
Time
6 (Tuesday) 9:30 am – 10 (Saturday) 4:00 pm
Location
Oxford Summer School
The Oxford Academy, OX4 6JZ
Organizer
september 2024
Event Details
Talk for the Abbey Quilters I have been patchworking since I was a child and have made numerous quilts over the years. I have a very creative and liberating approach to
Event Details
Time
(Tuesday) 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location
Northcourt Centre, Abingdon
Northcourt Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, Vale, OX14 1NS
Organizer
Abbey Quiltersabbeyquilters@gmail.com
10sep8:00 pm9:30 pm‘A Life in Stitches’ – TalkTalk for Chesham Bois WIAmersham Free Church, Amersham
Event Details
Talk for the Chesham Bois WI group I have been stitching for as long as I can remember – starting with dresses and a patchwork quilt for my teddy bear,
Event Details
Time
(Tuesday) 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Location
Amersham Free Church, Amersham
Woodside Road, Amersham, HP6 6AJ
Organizer
Chesham Bois WIcheshamboiswi@gmail.com
Event Details
Talk for the Churchdown Patchwork & Quilters I have been patchworking since I was a child and have made numerous quilts over the years. I have a very creative and liberating
Event Details
Time
(Thursday) 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Location
Churchdown Community Centre, Gloucester
Parton Road, Churchdown, Gloucester, GL3 2JH
Organizer
november 2024
28nov10:00 am4:00 pmFestive PapercuttingFestive papercuttingArdington, Reading
Event Details
A great way to ease into the festive season. With the help of pre designed sheets, some simple cutting exercises and lots of inspirational resources, you will cut out several
Event Details
Time
(Thursday) 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location
Ardington, Reading
The Victory Room Bucklebury Reading RG7 6PS
Organizer
Ardingtonhttps://www.ardingtonschool.com/about.html#/
PRIVATE WORKSHOPS
If you’ve got a special occasion coming up, a birthday perhaps, or anniversary, a hen party or may be you just want to have some crafty time with friends, I am very happy to organize something special , this could be paper cutting or stitching. Drop me a line, to chat through your idea.
TALKS
I regularly give talks to interested groups including WI, U3A and patchworking groups. I offer four different talks all of which are well illustrated with lots of images and hands on resources.
Playing with Knives: Paper cutting
This is a craft that I practice myself. I am self taught, and have built up a small business selling my typographic designs. The talk covers international aspects of paper cutting, a bit of history, techniques, popularity and my own take on it. A couple of years ago I was featured on BBC4’s ‘Make! Craft Britain’ demonstrating and teaching paper cutting.
Feedback
‘What an amazing talk you gave us last night – we were all buzzing, and it was such an entertaining evening. Thank you so much. You were recommended to us from another WI, and we shall certainly pass on your name to others. (I imagine we will be in touch again in the future!)’
Working for Auntie: Behind the scenes at the BBC as a graphic designer
I was a graphic designer at the BBC for 13 years and worked on shows as diverse as the Queen’s Christmas Speech, ‘Our Friends in the North’ and ‘Foyles War’. I have numerous show reels, story boards and art works to show. I received several international awards for my work including a BAFTA nomination for my work on ‘Cambridge Spies’.
Feedback
‘I’d just like to say a huge thank you for your lively and fascinating talk this afternoon. I have already had plenty of emails to say how much people enjoyed it and I am certain that there will be more to come. What a fabulous career you have had, working on such a variety of programmes with so much energy and versatility. It was especially mind-blowing to see all the details which we often miss when watching a programme. My husband has just commented that he would have loved to have had your job and he won’t commit the sacrilege of fast forwarding through the opening credits any more! It’s not just the wonderful work that you shared however, but the clarity and energy with which you presented it to us.’
Patchwork: Bust the Rules and Get Creative
I have been patchworking since I was a child and have made numerous quilts over the years. I have a very creative and liberating approach to patchworking, throwing out most of the rules, recycling wherever possible and creating unique pieces. I reference my influences and explain some of the different techniques I use, from the quilts of Gees Bend to Japanese Boro.
Feedback
‘Bust the rules and get creative, you certainly did that! You had the group absorbed in your stories and how your fabric was found. It was a very entertaining evening.’
A Life in Stitches: a look at some of the stitched projects I have been involved in
I have been stitching for as long as I can remember – starting with dresses and a patchwork quilt for my teddy bear, through to co designing and writing a book about needlepoint, stitching velvet scarves for the opening night of ‘Mary Poppins’ on Broadway, sewing buttons on to the original Pudsey bear.
Feedback
‘Well, that was a splendid talk you gave us earlier. Thank you so very much. Your work is so diverse and gorgeous and your stories put everything into their own interesting contexts. You’re so entertaining too. I must say that I had a smile on my face for the duration!’
‘What a lovely talk. Your boundless energy and ‘can do’ attitude to projects coming your way was so inspiring. I was particularly taken with the Boro pieces you had done, so similar to Kantha which I love doing. I was chuckling at your bags and bags of every decreasing sizes of fabrics.’