More Student Beading

We are now getting to the end of the Online Beading Course and some work is getting really luscious isn't it?
Joy is embellishing a crazy quilt and I love the texture.

The next Course starts 17th March so contact me if you are interested. You don't need to be around every week to do the course. The links to the videos are available anytime and the notes are also full of drawings and photos so you can pick them up anytime. I am having so much fun that I am already planning my next course.

Beading and Auction Update

Thanks so much for the great bids on my Beaded Artwork in the last post. The organisers at Make it Perfect have decided that rather than make you stay up until Midnight on 24th January for last minute bids, that the Auctions will now close at 9pm on Monday 25th (Australian time). Sorry it was the Monday 24th.

So I hope that some of you might consider another bid to help raise money for the Queensland Premier's  Flood Appeal. You just need to leave a comment on this blog post to place a bid - we are at $360 now.

Also, we are now half way through the first of my Online Beading Workshop lessons. I have opened bookings for the next one which will start on March 3rd. Here is a little sample of one of the videos. Hope you like it.

Beaded Artwork for Auction for Queensland Floods

I have joined the growing group of people donating work for the relief effort for the dreadful floods. I just get so upset when I see houses with the water up to the rooflines. Where would you start in restoring some sense of normality to your life? I cannot imagine what it would be like.

So I am donating this little framed beaded piece to be auctioned. It is called Monterey and was based on my visit to the Monterey Aquarium in the US a few years ago. It sort of has a water theme so appropriate for the moment.

The frame is 11" x 11" and the beaded work is 6" x 6".

How the Auction works

1. Bidding starts at $100 Australian.
2. Place your bid by adding a comment here stating how much you are willing to offer to own MONTEREY. Your bid must be greater than the previous bid.
3. All bids must be in whole dollar increments.
4. The auction is open to all and the price will include postage to any address worldwide.
5. The auction is now open and closes at midnight on the 24th of January 2011 (This will be midnight Sydney/Australian time).
6. I will contact the winner at the conclusion of the auction. The winner must commit to sending their bid to the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal and provide an email receipt as evidence of payment.
7. Once I have evidence of payment MONTEREY will be posted to its new owner.

Your generosity is much appreciated, particularly by those most affected by the floods. I offer you my thanks on their behalf. Please share this auction with as many people as you can. Other Auctions currently underway include Brenda Gael Smith and Nic Bridges and a full list will be available at the Make it Perfect Blog very soon.

New Techniques

Ok it may not look like much but thanks to the very talented Fiona Hammond I can finally do peyote stitch. I have tried many times to teach myself but could just never get the tension right.
So today we had a playday with Erica (who has just started a free quilt design on her blog).

I have always wanted to do free-form off loom work so now I have the basic skills I can see this green one growing - in my spare time of course. I am pretty busy at the moment putting the finishing touches to my Online Beading Embellishment Course.

Online Beading Workshop

I am pleased to announce my first Online Class on Beading Embellishment.

I have had a lot of requests to run some workshops online so am trying this one first. It will be a combination of written notes and short videos and will run from January 6th for 6 weeks.

I am really looking forward to this new venture. Click here for more information. There is a kit available but if you have a collection of beads at home you probably have everything you need already.

You could always drop a subtle hint about getting it as a Christmas Present.

O is for Octopus

Jodie did my Creative Beading class recently and I was thrilled to get this photo of her lovely ATC.
This is what she said in her email - isn't it a joy when you can give people permission just to have fun,

I never thought I would be able to manage something like that with all those little beads & stitching. In my first solo attempt I blinged up a little octopus on my O is for ATC. Surprise, surprise, NOT! It has 8 little free hanging beaded legs and outlined body. The comments I have received from the recipients have been amazing. So thanks for adding a new dimension to my work and for allowing me to start believing that I am able and can do things, even if it is slowly.

Little Quilts

Carol did my Aurora Workshop a little while ago and has just sent me these pictures of some little pieces she did for a swap. I think they are so cute - they are all around 5" x 6" .




I am teaching Aurora at Midsomer Quilting near Bath in the UK on Saturday 4th September if you would like to join in the fun. Also teaching Crystallisation (as a one day class) on Sunday 5th.

If you are closer to the Bramble Patch - Crystallisation will be running as a two day workshop on 13th/14th September.

Another Button

Just had to make another last night - mainly just to check one of the bead mixes I have put together. I love the colours but the big beads were just a little too big so I added the small gold ones to balance the mix. There are also some very cool blue/green sequins in the mix.
This one took about an hour from start to finish and this one is the Purple & Green colourway on the website.

Down Under Textiles

The second great issue of Down Under Textiles is about to be released and this time there is one of my projects in it.

This project is Beaded Buttons and I have been showing you little bits of them over the last few weeks but here are some more.

This extremely simple project can be completed in a few hours and can then be used as jewellery or a focal point for another art work.

To make it even easier for you - I have put together a complete kit in a variety of colourways. The kit contains hand dyed fabric, stabiliser, needle, beading thread and of course a container of beads. I have photos of the colourways on the website but if there is something you particularly want - just ask. I am sure I could find the right colours in my small collection.

I am also stocking the magazine so if you want to be amongst the first to get your copy (they won't be available in newsagents) you can order them from me too so you can get started straight away on your beautiful creation

Book review - The Beader's Color Palette

This book arrived today from Book Depository (the best way to order books). As a beader and quilter, I love reading about colour and this book is a wonderful resource. It is not only for beaders though - as a quilter it is also a brilliant way to analyse inspirational images for perfect colour combinations for your quilts.

Margie Deeb has written a book with 220 different colour combinations which are themed into categories

• Elements
• Artists Historical Palettes
• World Cultures
• Gorgeous Planet
• Living Colour

I am really impressed with the inspirational photography and the matching beading projects. Each category also has 4 projects of different levels with clear instructions and clear colour step by step photos.

Although I don't usually make jewellery - my work is usually bead embellishment on quilts - I am definitely inspired to give some of these ideas a try. I do have one or two beads to play with.


This book won the Best How-To Craft book of 2009 by the prestigious Library Journal and I am not surprised as is it beautifully produced and inspirational.

Here is one of my latest little pieces

Beading up a Storm

I have been doing a lot of beading lately but can't show you the whole thing yet so here is a teaser just in case you think I am not doing anything at the moment.

And they released a couple of places in my previously full class at the Festival of Quilts in Creative Beading so if you are interested I would sign up quickly.
It is Class 222.

Be Creative by the Sea Retreat 2010

I am so fortunate to be invited back to Coffs Harbour for the new Be Creative By the Sea Masterclasses. I will be at the Creative Winter Escape from 4th to 6th July 2010.

I am launching a new 3 day workshop developed specifically for Be Creative which will give students the opportunity to work with a broad range of textile skills including stamping, foiling, free motion quilting, rubbing, beading and working with water soluble stabilisers and textured fabrics. We will be compiling these techniques to create a unique wall hanging using inspiration gathered from your own experiences and influences.


Registrations open on 1st January and numbers are very limited and I would love you to join me for a really creative and inspiring time.

More Christmas Gift Ideas

I have listed these three Beaded Jewel Boxes for sale on my website - the small one is AUD$30 (US$27) and the large ones are $AUD50 (US$45) + shipping. They would make great presents.

Small green satin with green hand dyed fabric and beaded design

Large black satin box with purple hand dyed fabric and beaded kaleidoscope design

Detail

Large gold with turquoise hand dyed fabric and kaleidoscope beading design

Detail

A Stunning Aurora

Couldn't resist posting this as soon as I received it.
Lesley did my class at Coffs Harbour a few months ago and this is her Aurora with the most incredible beading.

Some Beading but Mainly Food

I have had a wonderful few days - there was food, gardening, folding fabric and even time for some beading.

My garden has really suffered this year with little - ok NO - work done in it at all. Barely had time to even notice it to be truthful. So I have spent a few hours each day and have weeded and transplanted and mulched and watered so hopefully by spring we will have a colourful display which I can show you.

We went to the Eveleigh Growers Market for breakfast and had a wonderful time munching through some delicious goodies. I love Helen's Grab Your Fork Blog - she has a wonderful eating her way around Sydney. My favourite was a jar of the most delicate marinated baby figs which I am eating sparingly but they are scrumptious.
Here are some dips and spreads for sampling.

I had a cheese and mushroom and spinach blini for my official breakfast along with lots of other samples and organic apple and raspberry juice


Here are some other delicious treats. Well I thought they sounded delicious until I realised they were actually for dogs!

And yes - I did do some more beading on my quilt. These are all sewn on one at a time using seed stitch.

Additional Bead Class at Coffs Harbour

Funny how things change. Last year we could not fill a beading class at Be Creative by the Sea in Coffs Harbour. This year it is the opposite with the afternoon class filling up so quickly and leaving many disappointed potential beading addicts.

So I am now pleased to announce that I will be having an additional half day beading classes in the morning on Wednesday 29th April. Places are limited so please contact Be Creative if you would like to join us. Kits are available and I guarantee you will be beading up a storm at the end of the class and possibly the beginning of a new obsession.

Although you don't have to sign up for any other workshops, there are still some places left with some pretty amazing tutors. The venue is incredible and the food (and cocktails) to die for too.

See you there

Another Aurora

I have just finished another Aurora quilt and it has been very satisfying doing the beading while I am still unable to walk.



Here is some of the beading close up.

So slack

Here it is January 3rd and I haven't posted. Do I have an excuse - no not really but I have been sewing.
I needed another sample of Aurora so have done this one. I love the colours.


I have only just started beading it but it is good to be back doing some hand work.

Up North in Durham

We had a very brief time in Durham but from all accounts (by Peter) it is an amazingly beautiful city. He spent 4 hours in Durham Cathedral but you can't take photos in there so I cannot even pretend I know what it looks like apart from the website.
I spent the day teaching my Creative Beading Class with enthusiastic quilters and we had many laughs during the day.

I would love to return so I can spend some time in what I believe is an very interesting city.
The reason it was such a quick visit was that we found out the Knitting and Stitching Show was on in Birmingham and we only had one day to get to it.