Tan y Bwlch Textiles

This is a woven piece that Tricia is making. First of all she had a dummy run where she practiced the loopy stitches she wanted to use and then went on to the real thing. I can tell you it is a wonderfully textured piece of work and I know she will let me show you a photo when she's finished it. The colours blend so beautifully.



Here is Jenny, a friend who came with us. She is not yet obsessed with textiles , but she made a card for her friends 25th Wedding Anniversary and also started to do some quilting for the first time, under Gaynor's guidance. Before long she will be well and truly hooked like the rest of us.



This is Joan's new white doll and she is beautiful as well. One of the best yet, even though she is still carrying her head under her arm at the moment. She has the most fantastic hat but I forgot to take a photo.



A detail of the doll's dress.

Gaynor is another of our Quilters in the group and she is also kept busy with teaching local groups. She is very free with her advice and help and will always stop what she's doing to show people how to do all sorts of quilting. Thank you Gaynor.
I'm afraid you will have to wait for a close-up of the work she was doing until August 8th when we next meet.



Rhiannon is a beautiful stitcher and here she is working on the 100 squares piece for the Embroiderers' Guild Raffle. I will share a little secret with you, some people even paid her to do their 2 squares for them. Tut tut!



Here is Joan again making her 17th doll. Every doll she makes I say it's the best yet and I just don't know how long I will be saying this, for they truly are wonderful and full of character.
By the way, commissions are taken and if you write to my e-mail address I will put you in touch with the person you require.

Textile Retreat

This is the happy group of textile artists who had a wonderfully creative time at Plas Tan y Bwlch. For this retreat we do not have a tutor with us, we just enjoy our own chosen projects. We depend on each other for help and constructive criticism, often with some very plain spoken advice on what to do with the work!
We laugh and joke as we work, but often you can hear a pin drop on the cool blue slate floor as we all concentrate on our work.


This is where we work. It is the old stable block and it has a worn slate floor, which was nice and cool to work in this hot weather, plus the cool breeze that came off the mountains through the open doors. We are so fortunate to be able to come here every year.


Here is a message from Sue to her friend Sheila who is a regular reader of our blog. Just in case it's not very clear, it says "Hello Sheila".


Here is Janine, who is a C and G quilting tutor at Plas Mennai a local college setting out a new idea for a quilt. She was also making a Memory quilt of her father, which is unfinished. She allowed me to photograph it, but unfortunately, it is the only one that had a shake so I can't post it here. I'm sure I will be allowed to photograph it again when it's finished.
There are many more photos to post during the next few days for those interested.

Margaret Beale's course

Janine, Sue and Joan are all busy working on their 'burning issues'.


This is Ann's unfinished sample of her reverse applique. Below is Sue's sample of the same technique. I love these.






There were 6 of us from SerenTex on the course this weekend and here are some photos that show you how much we enjoyed ourselves. I meant to ask someone to take a photo of the 6 of us together, but we were too busy enjoying the work.
These were taken at the very end of the course. Ann and Miriam were having me on in the first photo and in the second one you can see how much they enjyed themselves, even though Ann looks particularly dangerous with that soldering iron in her hand doesn't she?


Margaret looking at some of the work.