Ally Pally Crafting for our Well-Being

Good morning my lovelies!

How are we all?

Today is a lazy daisy kinda day after spending last week working my little socks off at

the most amazing 'Knitting & Stitch Show' at Ally Pally in London.

I had the most A-maz-ing week surrounded by cloth, thread, yarn, embellishments,

vintage gorgeousness, and even handmade chocolates!

I've been in crafty heaven to say the least............

BUT

Do you know what really made me smile?

The daily taxi ride to Ally Pally through the back streets of London looking at the beautiful Edwardian architecture maybe?

The fabulous Indian restaurant I managed to discover?

The fantastic  plethora of wonderful inspiration on offer from so many talented people?

No.

The answer lies in human compassion...

Whilst at Ally Pally I have been overwhelmed by the beautiful warmth and kindness generously gifted towards me whilst demoing free motion embroidery on the Create & Craft TV stand

Your words and comforting smiles have all made me feel so humble in knowing how you feel I am able to offer you all a little inspiration and help with tips & techniques at times...

You've all shared your stories, your projects and your crafting worries and it has been lovely.

As you all know I am a textile artist who also appears as a guest presenter on TV at times.

Crafting for me is completely all about well-being, friendship and a gentle sharing of skills.

I know for many peeps crafting is often the only little ray of sunshine that helps to keep 

them smiling at times.

And I know through personal  experience when my husband was undergoing chemo treatment for bowel cancer, that sometimes you just need something like some gentle slow stitching, the hum of a sewing machine or the rhythmn of a pair of knitting needles to help to take you away from the harsh reality of life into a warm gentle happiness if only for a few minutes.

I am blessed to be in a very fortunate position of doing a job I absolutely adore and being able to walk my way through life in a gentle way sharing skills with so many others through crafting.

Hearing from so many of you; your stitching tales, your yarn rambles or your thread journeys and how they help to make up your own life's patchwork has been so inspirational and hugely rewarding.

Life often brings you riches in a variety of ways and sometimes not in a financial way.

You just have to decide what you consider is actually valuable in life...

A huge thank you for all of you who took the time and trouble to come and say hello.

Toodle-ooh -for-now folks!

Slow Stitching for fun, never a chore....

Hello my lovelies

how are we all?

Hoping your week has been fun and entertaining in many ways....

I've been inspired to write this post after a few comments on my Facebook page this week that have made me smile..

(you can find me HERE )

As many of you know I run a weekly Friday Showcase where I invite fans of my page to upload their own pics of projects they have been working on during the week.

I LOVE seeing the variety of crafts, the various designs and overall support for one another.

Creativity is so good for the soul and it really doesn't matter if you are a beginner just stumbling your way through the minefield of instructions and online tutorials or you are an avid sewer, embroiderer or embellisher etc with years of experience to your name.

I'm constantly saying this (and I do apologize if you are bored of hearing me say it again!)

but for me being creative is simply being in the moment...

It really isn't about competing with others.

It's simply about enjoying the process, fuelling your inner soul and slowing down that hamster wheel of life that we all run on every day of our lives.

Slow stitching ticks all those boxes for me as there are no rights and wrongs even though many would say different.

As much as I LOVE sewing with my machine I love nothing more than feeling the fabric between my fingers, seeing all my threads nestling in their boxes waiting to be picked for a project

and slowly watching a design come together as I choose a stitch to get started...

My show on Create & Craft TV this week was been full of slow stitching...

all of which you seemed to have enjoyed which is lovely for me!

and after reading a few comments from those of you who have decided to give it a go, I thought I would give you some little tips that may help convince you all that even the tiniest of stitching can add a little something special to a project...

First, I'll let you into a little secret....

Is anyone listening?

No?

OK, now keep this just between you and I as I don't want the whole world to know... 

(I have a reputation of being a professional to keep you know ;))

So, first things first...

I don't actually enjoy using a hoop for embroidery.

You see I've been blessed with Fen hands ready for working the land...digging up spuds and the like.

Certainly NOT for dainty stitching, Jane Austen style!

I have chunky fingers that get very clumsy when wrestling with a wooden hoop

even though I really do try to make them look elegant on TV!

So... all though I teach everyone the correct way as shown in books, tutorials and classes in reality,

at home  I do my usual thing and go off on a tangent...

(I'm a quiet rebel at heart and always do my own thing if I'm honest!. 

You don't have to shout from the roof tops you know to make something happen if you want to! ;))

I can stitch for hours on end if I can feel the fabric between my fingers.

It grounds me and makes time slow down

I love to feel the ripples of weft and warp tumble through my hands as I often daydream whilst stitching... and oh boy do I daydream!

My background in working with children and young adults who have many disabilities including very severe sensory impairment has taught me over the years to simply touch and feel everything before even starting...

At times I have had to work around a situation of teaching someone a new skill with little or no communication or response other than a simple blink of an eyelash which makes you adapt to any situation....

you have to think laterally not literally....

So... what does that mean in reality?

It means if you are having trouble using an embroidery hoop such as I do...

It's simple don't use it!

If you are having trouble threading with a said needle because you can't see the thread easily...

don't use it! 

Choose a larger eye even if that means it's meant for a different thread.

I'm going to be shot down in flames for this only you can decide what is right for you.

Don't be taken back to your school days of rules and regulations.

I really didn't like school as there were too many rules.

Too many for me to always be getting wrong with all things academic!

My outlet was through my creative side of life and I learnt to make things work my way...

not necessarily the correct way but it has worked for me over the years.

I guess what I'm trying to say in a very LONG round about way (and I do apologize if you are slightly dozing off right now...)

is simply be yourself and find your own creative path...

We are all different which I think is a very good thing because the world would be a very boring place if we were all the same.

If you are having difficulty with any new stitch, design or even just holding a needle, here's a few pointers that may help you along the way...

* Invest in a good child's book for easy instruction and bigger easy-to-follow diagrams and DON'T be afraid to use it.

*Start with a very simple design - you will get no where if you think you are going to create a masterpiece the first time you pick up a piece of thread or needle etc!

*Allow yourself time to time to play and permission to go wrong. Be prepared to make those mistakes and not worry about it.

*Don't try and copy your friend's work or design...it's not your idea and it will never look like hers/ his

*Lastly be still, be in the moment and indulge in some calm... Tilly Rose slow stitching time

I'd love to know your thoughts so do drop a comment below as I always enjoy reading them :)

Happy stitching my lovelies!

Tilly

x x x

Women & Thread Through An Ancient Tapestry

Hello my lovelies!

I feel it's been ages since I chatted to you even though I know it's only been a week...

Yesterday I had such a fab day out...

I trundled my way back to my home town deep in the middle of the Cambridgeshire Fens for a day filled of history.

I had my bag packed with all my supplies, my trusty camera at the ready and 

tons of smiles in readiness for all the delights that awaited!

I was a woman on a mission.... 

The reason????

I am busy researching for a few textile pieces based on my roots 

that I am going to be exhibiting later in the year.

I was born in the Fens (many moons ago I might add!) and have always known I'm a true Fen girl at heart despite now living on the outskirts of a city.

My soul is always soothed when I stroll home through the patchwork of  Fenland fields.

the wrap me with a warm soothing blanket that calms my soul whenever I need a re-assuring hug.

They are in my blood and what makes me who I am today.

This year I have decided to concentrate much more on my textile art and so like everyone

starting a new venture I am filled such enthusiasm

I want to bring some of my passion for The Fens into my textile designs.

I have decided to base my designs on Women & Cloth and their connection with threads throughout time.

I want to capture those beautiful tales of everyday living...nothing special

and yet so very special.

The little snippets your Grandma used to tell you but you never really listened to..

The sort of tale Great Aunt Maud would wander off into whenever she visited for Sunday tea...

like I say, nothing special and yet SO special

The Fens are renowned for it's myths, mysteries and tales of marsh men as well as 

the ghosts of the past wandering across the flat lands.

After a beautiful day of wonderful stories, photos and memories I was reminded of the mystery of the Fens as the sweeping mists began to cover the farrowed fields

Mother Nature can be so beautiful in the harshest of times

I will share some pics with you soon....

Tilly x

Creating an Autumnal Design - FREE TUTORIAL

Hello my lovelies...

Following on from my last blog post, as promised, here is my tutorial on how to use Mother Nature's inspiration to help you with designing a project....

The number one question I am always asked is "As a textile artist, how do you know where to start when designing?"

the answer is simple... I don't!

I'm a firm believer in letting a design evolve in an organic way and apply this philosophy

to all my designing but I know that many crafters find this concept quite hard to follow.

If you love stitching, by hand or machine, you will want to experiment with colour, texture and of course think of your own designs.

Once you have gained confidence in your actual stitching from using a pattern you will want to move on and start designing your own projects.

I've previously written a tutorial on how to gain inspiration from Mother Nature to help you get started which you can read here

Today I am showing you how to use those ideas in the next stage of your designing...

Using elements from Mother Nature...

I hope you will gain some ideas from the following tutorial....

Creating an Autumnal Design

Last week I collected these leaves on an early morning walk not knowing quite 

what I wanted to do with them.

I simply loved the colours, the smells, the shapes and the textures!

I wanted to capture their beauty for future projects.

So, how to get started transforming them into a design?

Start by photographing each leaf in turn to show more detail and finer points to include in your design.

 Take time to look carefully at the colours, the shades and how the pattern emerges together

The next step is to capture your leaves actually onto paper for future reference.

You do not need to be an artist to do this....

Using a normal HB pencil and piece of plain white paper, simply trace a fine line around each leaf in turn to help you become familiar with the shape of each leaf.

Please do not worry about being exact because you can add a little more detail once you start shading.

You may want to only use the outline of your leaf for a particular design rather than a full leaf so try experimenting with ideas.

I like to use Derwent Artist's drawing pencils but you can use any medium you prefer.

You may prefer to use felt -tips (for a firmer outline), charcoal or even watercolour pencils

that you can later add more detail to.

The process is simply to take things back to basics and look at the shape of the leaf

and how the shading alters the actual look of the leaf.

Allow yourself permission to take time and focus on the leaf itself.....

These doodles will form the foundation of your designs however you decided to use them.

You can keep them as a visual reference and if you combine them with your original photos

you will have a choice of designs.

I chose a few of my leaves to combine to compare shapes and designs....

Here are a few questions that may help you decide what to look for when doodling...

Do you want to capture the glossiness of the surface?

Have you looked carefully at the leaf veins?

How many colours will you need to use?

Don't forget you DON'T have to use the exact colouring...

It is your interpretation.

You are simply using this as part of deciding how you would use your leaves in your design.

There are no right or wrong ways!

Even if you have no idea of how your leaves will be used in a design as yet you will have your doodles in your reference library that you can use time and time again....

You may want to use them for 

- hand embroidery

- free motion embroidery

- machine embroidery

-applique

- mixed media collage

- card making

I have used my designs on a piece of calico with some free motion embroidery

which I may make into a bigger piece of textile art

You can see that I have used the actual size of the leaves but you can of course reduce or 

increase your sizes to suit your project.

I often draw with my enbroidery threads creating shading as I work but you may want to work on top of your designs if you have maybe painted them onto fabric.

Of course, you will need to make sure you use washable markers if you intend to launder your actual project.

If you would like some more inspiration for Autumnal projects you can check out my Pinterest board

here

I hope these few simple rules will help

when starting to design...

I would love to see some of your lovely projects...

Happy stitching...

Tilly

x x x

Autumnal Inspiration....

Hello my lovelies!

November already.....

Wowie.

Just exactly where has this year disappeared to?

(answers on a postcard pleased to Tilly @confusedoldlady.com)

It really doesn't seem possible that we are turning our thoughts towards that

time of year....

dare I actually say the  'C' word out loud?

As many of you know I'm really not a lover of the torrent heat of summer but neither am I a fan of the bitterly cold Winter.

 I much prefer the gorgeous seasons of Spring & Autumn...

the seasons when you can wander out in just a thick wooly, some boots and a warm scarf to keep your neck all snuggled.

How about you?

I absolutely adore walking in the Autumn mists and smelling the change of season in the air...

Last week I managed a beautiful walk early in the morning when most people were asleep.

Greeted with early morning mists, dewy cobwebs and damp carpets of muddy grass I ventured out with my little camera for company.

At times like this, I do wish I had a lovely dog to have as a faithful friend to accompany me on my wanderings but hey, you can't have everything in life I guess...

My mission?

Simply to take in the sights, smells and sounds of Autumn early in the morning.

I've always been a fan of early morning since a teenager, when I had a paper round.

There was always something quite magical about the quietness of the day.

My thoughts have never altered and I still love to walk early in the morning when I can.

Mother Nature didn't disappoint and I managed to snap loads of beauties...

I do wish I had a better camera to get the really fine details and sharper colours.

(It's on my Christmas list!)

I love to save my shots for inspiration when designing especially when doing some free motion embroidery.

I always go home feeling very inspired from the sights I capture however big or small and then love taking some time out to doodle away in my journal a little, like a modern version of the Edwardian lady - Edith Holden.

I wonder if she would've enjoyed my sketches and embroideries?

As I wandered home with my collection of wet leaves I had collected along the way I decided I wanted to do a little tutorial for you all to help get started when taking inspiration from Mother Nature as many of you lovelies have said you sometimes struggle with knowing how to start etc.

Watch out for my next blog post with all the details...

In the meantime I'm off for a cuppa or two...

Will you join me?

Toodle-ooh til the next my lovelies!

Tilly

x x x