Fun in a Doncaster Marquee!

Hello lovelies!

Wow...what a lovely weekend!

I have just returned from a weekend in Doncaster FULL of crafty loveliness!

I've been surrounded by fabric, threads, buttons, different yarns, shiny gems, stamps and so much more... in fact I have been in craft heaven (if there ever was such a thing!)

It was so busy but I did manage to have a quick look around before anyone arrived which was a real treat!

I thought you might like a quick nosey?

This was my first actual major event with thousands of people all wanting to say hello!

I was doing a 'Make & Take' workshop for 100 people as part of Summer Crafts at Doncaster.

The event was organised by Create & Craft TV.

It was wonderful to have the racecourse all to myself (well several hundred as well) early in the morning...

I felt I was trespassing as it was SO quiet.

The sun was so hot even at 8am in the morning but that didn't dull my enthusiasm 

( I don't like the heat at all)

It was the first year that Summer Crafts have ventured into offering customers fabric, haberdashery and yarns as a tester.

The crowds just LOVED it!

So many people said how much they loved the crossover from paper crafting with sewing which is music to my ears....

Sewing is no longer JUST dressmaking or home decor.

Mixed media is becoming very popular as well as collage work and introducing sewing into making cards and scrap booking.

My 'Make & Take' table was offering crafters the opportunity to make a gorgeous vintage heart corsage Tilly Rose style...

Was I nervous?

Well yes I have to say, just a wee bit.... but boy did I have FUN!

I really wasn't sure what to expect...

So many lovely people took the time and trouble to come and find me to say hello and tell me how much they've enjoyed my TV shows which was just lovely.

The night before, I had actually said to Mr T. "what if no-one wants to visit my table?"

I do worry sometimes!

Needless to say I was a very happy bunny when some lovely ladies turned up!

It was fab to see a variety of ages, abilities, a mixture of friends, family and different generations all sharing a love of  being creative... and all leaving with happy smiles :)

So many hearts were sewn!!!

Everyone had the same kit to start with and yet we had 100 different variations...

how wonderful.

I met so many lovely peeps during the event and made loads of new crafty friends.

I am so very lucky to be able to 'work' doing what I love and to be able to share this with everyone over the weekend was simply bliss for me...

A very BIG thank you to you all for making my first show a success!

Here's to next year....

Tilly

xxx

Painting the Fens....

Do you ever just doodle?

You know.... the old fashioned way of ink on paper?

No? maybe it's just me then!

I can sit for hours just doodling(if given the time that is!)

I get an idea in my head and away I go....

As many of you may know I'm a Fen bird through and through...

I can trace my family history back to the early 1700's here in the Cambridgeshire Fens.

i'm very proud of my heritage and feel a great connection with the Fens

Lately I have tried to include some of this history into my designs...

This weekend I decided to design a needle-felted interpretation of the Fens

with a selection of wool rovings...

I started with my doodles as inspiration...

Then simply played.....for hours on end!

The end result was a misty bog filled full of reeds and water violets...

I've still to hand embroider on top with some of the intricate detail and add some more embellishments but so far I'm really pleased!

I can't wait to really get creative now with the wool rovings...

Until now I've only made small projects that I use for accessorizing my bags, jackets or other projects  and they all have been fluffy designs as I love the pre-felted look

but think I've finally found my niche in this craft.

I will share more pics as I create my designs.

It's a breath of fresh air from using fabrics and trims etc and my heart will always 

lie with sewing and embroidering but for now I'm enjoying

taking a small break away.

Continually sewing for TV demo's has sometimes dampened my urge to use my sewing machine (not for too long though!)

All I now need to decided is what to design next...

have a lovely week my lovelies....

Toodle-ooh for now :)

Tilly 

x x x