2 for the price of one!

I have a couple more things to share with you today so thought I would put them in a separate post.  First of all I have joined a new monthly sewing group and thought I would like to have a project to take with me each month that I could work on over the course of the year.  I have been saving my offcuts and scraps for a long time and decided it was time I used some of them up in the spirit of reuse and recycle so I am making up scrap blocks with a view to making a bed quilt.  I must be mad!  I've only ever made a cot quilt before so I may rue the day!

I've made some squares at home too and I'm really enjoying seeing snippets of past projects and my hand dyed fabrics coming together.

I'm reproducing here an email that I received a few days ago from Colouricious who brought us the Talking Threads Series of videos. 

Talking Threads Series 1 -
Invitation to the
Private On-Line Viewing
Raise the profile of Textile Art

Textile Artists in our opinion, are unsung heroes of our time. The work they produce is totally outstanding and the passion and followings they create are contagious. There are thousands of creative textile lovers all over the world who crave more knowledge and understanding of the textile techniques that help unleash personal creativity. We at Colouricious have chosen some of Britain's top textile artists, to tell you their story. Where they derive their inspiration and how they became who they became may be something that you can relate to. Each artist will also share with you one of their favourite techniques, in simple and easy terms for you to follow.

As we so love creative textiles, as a Valentine's present to you, starting on February 14th 2011, we will be sending you one episode  of Talking Threads a week, for 10 weeks, running time approx 20 minutes, free of charge. All we ask in exchange, is that you tell everyone you know, so they can sign up too. Everyone will learn a great deal each week from each of our textile artists, not only about their life and skills but also about themselves as well. 

If you go to the Colouricious  website and sign up for their email newsletter you too can receive the free programmes for textile artists.  The original series was most enjoyable and informative so it would be good to support them in their bid to get more funding for a second series.

Talking of support, you may be aware that people are working together once again to make quilts for the people who have lost homes and possessions in the appalling Australian floods.  If you click on the link at the top of my right sidebar you will be taken to the blog of one of the organisers who has instructions for making very quick blocks.  This is next on my to-do list. 

I have slipped behind a bit in my work with Kim Klassen's Photoshop course and I am starting a new course tomorrow but this is my latest effort using Kim's source photograph.

I've even managed to make a stamp of my own name, not that I am claiming this as my own photo as the copyright belongs to Kim.  Kim's classes are excellent and her video instruction is very clear so if you've ever been tempted to learn more about photo manipulation don't wait for Kim's prices to go up as they surely will.  If you just want to sign up for Kim's emails and free textures just sign up here.  There are links there to Kim's other sites too.