I had to go to Stoke on Trent for the day job yesterday.  I got lost trying to find my destination, but did manage to pass the Moorcroft factory - twice.

It was a good day and while I was there I thought I should make an effort to see the Staffordshire Hoard, which is on display in the local museum, but only until tomorrow!  So I stopped off and had a quick look.

And it is dazzling.  Some of the tiny delicate pieces are still covered in 1300 years of mud, but even with those gems the gold glints where is shines through.  If you found it in a field you would know that you were onto something a bit special.

The other thing of note was how far some of the gem stones had traveled before ending up in Anglo Saxon jewelry and how much was recycled (roman glass etc.) Hats off to those Anglo Saxons and their early take on re-cycling.

The highlight for me was this stunning stylised miniature sea horse.





There are more stunning images here if you want to have a look.

A little while ago I posted a blog where I had used PVA glue as a resist.

I had a good result, but blimey it was hard work.

I tried it again but with a different PVA glue, this one aimed at children.  It was easier to apply but it was not successful as a resist.

At that point I sort of dried up.  That was part of my City & Guilds and I think I then moved on to something else.

Anyway, Daughter has found this post and I thought you might be interested.   I have not tried this, but in this post flour paste applied with a simple icing bag is used to create a resist.

Like my own experiment, this technique did not use a "submersion" technique but used Dy Na Flow paint sprayed on (I painted mine on).

I have not tried it yet - I will do and will post the results.  But in the meantime thought those readers who like an experiment might be interested.

And as a bit of a post script you might also like this - a simple stitched book but with a great idea for the cover. 

I think I may have mentioned before that for one short weekend in August, Birmingham becomes the centre of the universe - at least as far as textiles are concerned.

And quilting just not have to be two dimensional.   One of my favourite sections of the show is always the Quilt Creations section where three dimensional stitched items are displayed.  The variety and imagination can be mind blowing.  Let the pictures speak for themselves.

There's more!  And I haven't even got out of the Art Quilts section.

This quilt is Lichen by Janine Visser from the Netherlands.  In the catalogue it is described as hand dyed cotton screen printed, discharged and painted fusible web with three panels of wool felt in mixed techniques.

 Detail from the above.


This quilt, Vikings Beware, is by Jane Appelbee and is a machine and handquilted wholecloth, hand dyed with snow (that's what it says) and coloured using markal paint sticks.

 And here is a close up of those lovely thistle heads.

One of the marshals.

The quilt below won 2nd prize and is by Barbara Lynn Tubbe from Georgetown USA.  The is raw-edged and fused applique using commercial fabrics and hand-dyed cheesecloth.  The quilt is a talisman to ward off forest fires.

Elsewhere there was a lovely gallery of the work of the late Marie Roper, who sadly died earlier this year.

You can see her blog here  (it is still live) or see a lovely review of her stand at the show here.

Here are my own photo of her stand. (Art dolls are definately growing on me)

Well, as far as quilts are concerned for 4 days in August.

And to be truthful, not the centre of Birmingham - but the NEC, near the Airport.

I am fired up and exhausted!  But what a day!

Let's start with the Art Quilts.  And these are just some of my favourites.  (Which begs the question, how on earth do you judge the entries?  And I did not agree with all the judging.)



And I loved this lovely quilt, but I am sorry - my photo cataloging went astray so I don't know who you are.


And I also don't know who did this quilt, but that is because it is not in the catalogue (174 - you know who you are.  Get in touch and I will credit you!)


Oh dear, and I don't know who did this one either.  It's a good job I am not the official photographer.


But I do know who did this quilt.  This is another international one - Angela Schenz from Austria.   This quilt is 220 small rectangular tablets with 260 organza leaves.


This is a detail of the above.


There's more, there's more -  but that is going to have to wait for another day.

Oh, and although I was very restrained I have put down a deposit for one of these. (having considered it very carefully against one of these).  My excuse - it should make the paper quilting easier!

I am finding delaying tactics, as you do!!

I have got lots of boring paper work to do, but instead I have been stitching.


Stitched (that is the organza laid over the top of the bleached, printed and painted velvet.


The organza snipped and burned away, using a heat gun.

But I don't like the open patch in the middle, so I do a bit more stitching.


And now I think it is finished.  But I might add some beads.  I will leave it for now and return to it later and give it a view with a fresh eye.

And while I am at it, just to show you have a fab picture deserves a lovely frame.

It also deserves a lovely photo!  But, despite being in the shade, it is still too bright.  The background is supposed to be black!

By the way, this is a lovely little icon by Angie Hughes.

Some how, and I don't quite know how, life and other stuff has got in the way!

I don't quite know how that happened, but I have managed to grab back a bit of control.

So last weekend we discovered a fabulous garden - Coton Manor, with a fabulous pelagonum collection and   not a million miles away from The Bramble Patch. 




It had stunning flower borders



wonderful views



and an exotic little menagerie.




including Rodney the Blue and Gold Macaw, who lords it over the cafe courtyard (but would not pose for the camera!)


And it has a great little on site plant nursery where you can buy plants you see growing in the garden.

And I managed to get the sewing machine out and have started the embroidery on the latest pieces (at last!)

Despite my time being a bit 'borrowed' I have managed to move the latest pieces forward - just a wee bit.  I have added more paint detail (stamped and painted - using acrylic paints and the home made stamps I made at Angie Hughes workshop) plus shiny foiled papers to add additional leaf and stem detail.