A Grey Day Again :(

Hi everyone,

I’m really looking forward to the warmer weather now…..Winter seems to have been so long this time.

On the plus side it’s perfect weather to stay at home and sit behind the sewing machine.

My current project is a kaleidoscope quilt that has been ongoing for a few months. It’s all on my design wall but still needs to be pieced together…..

I’ve been working on it in between other projects. I’ve been thread painting on my new machine to see how it copes, plus I find it very relaxing and addictive……

If you’re visiting the Creative Craft Show – Sewing for Pleasure at Birmingham NEC this week, I have a few bits on display as part of the Midlands Textile Forums exhibition. We’re on stand L30, I’ll be there on the stand on Sunday morning. If your there please come and say hello 😘

I’m excited to say I’ll be teaching at the Festival of Quilts this year. I’ll be there for three days – Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets go on sale on the 9th April for guild members and the 16th April for non members….

I’ve had some lovely feedback about my memory box kits and photos of finished boxes……

My kits are available from my website – https://www.simplyneedlecraft.com/store/p53/Memory%2FTrinket_Box_Full_Kit_.html

and also all of my workshop dates in the Sewing Studio- https://www.simplyneedlecraft.com/workshopsclasses.html

Thank you for reading, I hope to see you when I’m out and about.

Ami

xxx

Grabbing 5 Minutes Whilst Poppy is Sleeping!

Hi everyone,

I’m taking advantage of Poppy sleeping as she likes to type 😂🙄

Its been a busy time here as usual with lots going on.

Workshops over the last couple of weeks have included beginners sewing, Free Motion Embroidery and Vintage Botanical Fabric Journals…….

All of my workshops dates and craft groups info are available Here

My new kits have gone on sale. They contain everything you need to need the trinket box. Here….

I’ve been really busy in my new sewing room at home. It’s taking some getting used to having a space to sew however it’s getting in a creative mess already.

I finished my entry to the Uttoexter Quilt Show. The themed category is Myths and Fantasies and mine is named Excalibur …..

I’ve also finished my fabric, stitched collage called Northern Lights…..

And I’ve made a start on the quilt entry for the Festival of Quilts in August…… only made a start though…..

In between all of that I’ve dropped of a few bits of work to Banks Mills Studios Enterprise Centre for their new exhibition…..

And I’ve updated my exhibition dates on my website ……http://Www.amijamestextileart.com

I’ve got a fab competition running over on my Facebook page. I’ve got 5 tickets to give away for entry to the Knitting and Stitching Spring Show Competition

thanks for reading a very rushed blog post …….

Ami

xxx

A Good Start To The Year!

Hi everyone,

It’s the second week into the new year and things are already getting busy.

Workshop bookings are coming in fast which is fantastic. I’m adding new workshops all of the time and you can find them all listed on http://Www.simplyneedlecraft.com

The Knitting & Stitching Show have also released all of the workshop details in March at Olympia Stadium…… so excited to be doing this I’m there for three days now with three workshops times.

https://www.theticketfactory.com/theknittingandstitchingshow-spring/online/?_ga=2.212526684.93495661.1515745898-1140815537.1506413652

My Etsy shop has a sale on throughout January with 15% off everything so please take a look….

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/textilesandyarn?ref=profile_

I’ve found time over the Christmas and New Year break to get stitching.

This first project is an experiment, not only experimenting to techniques but it’s about experimenting on mounting work too. It’s no easy to display textile art so I’m really just playing to see what works best for me…….it’s not finished yet so these are just progress photos…..

The second project I’ve been working on……Trinket/memory boxes made up of uses fragments of vintage materials and threads. I’ve loved making this and I’m turning them into kits for people to try at home…….and Poppy helped as well

Now for some exciting news…

I’m delighted to say I’m an organiser for the new art trail coming soon. Swadlincote Art & Architecture Trail is a two day event taking place on 21st&22nd 2018 in the town centre. We have just put our call out for artists to join us….

Please join us on Facebook to get all the details ……..website is currently being designed.

https://m.facebook.com/Swadlincote-Art-Architecture-Trail-2018-120826111951567/

It’s a busy start to the year but a very exciting one.

Thanks for reading,

Ami

A Quick Catch-up!

Hi everyone,

Its been a hectic few weeks with events and workshops.

I released some of my new dates for next year last week and I’m amazed how quickly to places are being booked. To see the workshops and dates please go to http://www.simplyneedlecraft.com/workshopsclasses.html

We’ve had a couple of workshops running this week for botanical stitching and art quilting. I’ve had a wonderful time and I’ve met lovely people. Everyone’s left with a work of art…..

I spent last weekend at the Bank Mills Studio Winter Art Event in Derby. I met so many talented artists and artisans throughout the weekend.

The event ran from Friday night to Sunday and featured 100’s of different types of art. I was absolutely shattered but I loved every minute of it…..

Next week I’ve got a couple of workshops running for hand embroidery and vintage decorations. We’ve got the Making Memories Quilting Group running on Monday evening and the Craft & Chat Christmas meal on Thursday…….

But I’m still managing to work on my coursework……slowly but surely.

I’ve got a busy week coming up but I’m looking forward to every minute.

Thanks for reading ……keep warm.

Ami

xxxx

Bishops Castle Lie of the Land Exhibition

Hi everyone,

Yes my first exhibition with Midlands Textile Forum started yesterday at Bishops Castle. I’m so excited to be part of this and I’m hoping to get to see it soon….

I had such a fantastic week last week. On Thursday we made the journey to the International Festival of Quilts where two groups of my sewing students entered.

I’m pleased to say both groups did amazingly well, the theme was ‘free’. The younger primary school aged group made a quilt of hot air balloons and kites and named it ‘Up, up & away. They received a highly commended.

My older group of secondary school ages made a 4 panelled quilt called ‘ Natures Wardrobe’. They won 3rd place.

I’m so proud of them ❤️

I’ve been busy hand stitching recently. I bit different for me and a break from machine stitching.

Thread painted landscape. This is a hand stitched version of my machined landscape.

And I finished my botanical fabric journal. I’ve loved making this sample book ready for my new workshop dates. Made from vintage fabrics, lace and threads and inspiration from garden centres and countryside.

All of my new workshop dates are now on the Haberdashery website, all dates, times, details and booking is available to see. Places are filling extremely quick…….Please see here

Its been a busy time and I haven’t managed to catch up on coursework so that’s the next task……hopefully.

thanks for reading

Ami

xxx

I’m Back Behind My Sewing Machine

Hi everyone,

At last I’m back where I feel most comfortable…… behind my sewing machine getting relaxed by stitching.

I always roughly draw up a design and plan……..however 9 times out of 10 it never looks like the original idea 🙂

I’m focusing on landscapes at the moment …. so I’ve started stitching, with plenty more to do.

It’s been a hectic few weeks as Derbyshire Open Arts took place and the shop became a gallery…..

I’ve been busy preparing for the Midlands Textile Forum exhibition at Bishops Castle in August. The subject is ‘Lie of the Land. My piece in the exhibition is called ‘Mother Earth’. It still needs mounting and framing though…….

Some extra news –

I will be exhibiting at Melbourne Festival, Derbyshire in September which I’m very excited about. It’s a fantastic festival.

Melbourne Festival

and i’ll also be at Bank Mills Studios in Derby 24th – 26th November

http://www.evolvederby.co.uk/os2017

I’ve managed to take some time off this week and carrying on with the landscape theme I decided to go a walk in the woodland national forest close to our house. I’m not the best at drawing without a visual example so it best for me to take photo,s……..

I’m planning on having a calmer week next week so I can get plenty of coursework and stitching done……..fingers crossed. I’ll let you know how I get on 🙂

Thank you for reading

Ami