I did try so hard to remain focused on the mammoth task of sorting my studio but I am very easily distracted.  The enormous bag was sorted, yarns balled and stored,  all the fabrics and textiles folded and ironed and things went into the black bag and stayed there.  But then it all looked so lovely and tempting…

So this Sunday my living area has been transformed into a textile workshop with a sewing machine on one side of the dining table, a felting machine on the other side and the laptop in the middle.  The sofa is covered in hand sewing and the ironing board is set up in the kitchen. Henry the cat has retired to a sunny spot in the garden and my long suffering spouse will be relieved that he is currently in the middle of the North Sea!  In the midst of all the textiles I found a bundle of vividly coloured cotton strips,  elongated triangles, cut for a long forgotten project.  Having stitched them together, primarily  to enjoy the intensity of the saturated colours,  inspiration suddenly struck.  Diving into yet another fabric stash (this one’s  under the bed)  I found a length of  royal blue cotton and a much loved Provencal print which used to be a curtain.

I now have a bag guaranteed to brighten up the most boring supermarket shopping expedition.  Then there was what I did with all those brightly coloured blanket pieces and the felting machine….but that is for another post!

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Great excitement yesterday when I was introduced to the St Lawrence Textile Centre in Norwich. Kit had kept me in the dark, just telling me I had to be prepared to be amazed. Oh I was! Only opening a few weeks ago it is situated in one of the many churches to be found all over Norwich. You walk in the door expecting the cool shadowy calm of an English church but are then confronted by a kaleidoscope of colour and texture and music which leaves you momentarily bemused. I met a wonderfully vibrant lady with a knitting machine who creates fabulous knitted garments which defy description. Imagine a scarf with amazing elastic qualities which can then become skirt, a dress or a hat, which is shocking pink and frilled with peacock coloured crochet… Each section between the pillars is rented by different talented textile and costume artist, their wares artfully displayed alongside vintage jewellery and shoes, old suitcases from which tumble felt hats and silk scarves, feathers and diamante, hanks of yarn and lengths of satin. I just wanted to move in and live there!

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