Suddenly It's The End Of the Year......
2012 has been a busy year for me, what with the publication of Crewel
Twists and trips to Australia, Ukraine and Russia along with trips within South
Africa. I'm looking forward to a family
Christmas and a chance to recharge my batteries for 2013, which promises to be
just as hectic.
During February 2013 I will be travelling, with Di van Niekerk and
Wilsia Metz (our South African publisher), to Paris to attend L'Aiguille en
fête from the 14th to the 16th. I will be giving half-day workshops at this
show, teaching a miniature version of the popular Midnight Meander design in my
book.
This will be followed by a hop over the Channel to go to the Craft,
Hobby and Stitch International show in Birmingham on the 18th and 19th of February. At this show - in
conjunction with Search Press - Di, Wilsia and I will be presenting a seminar
to teachers and designers in England on the subject of taking their embroidery
businesses international. We look
forward to meeting up with our French and English friends and customers at
these events.
During June and July, I will be teaching at Koala Conventions. Wherever you are in the world, if you are
passionate about your embroidery, this is a go-to event. The Brisbane event is nine days devoted
completely and entirely to embroidery and related needle crafts. Definitely worth saving up for. And if you've already been to the Brisbane
event, consider taking in the beauty of New Zealand as Andy and Wendy are
taking it there as well next year. Go to
www.koalaconventions.com.au to read about it. At that site there is a downloadable brochure
for both events.
Australia and New Zealand will be followed by a hop over to Norway in
September to teach at Bitteliten Broderie's retreat in Stavanger. I will be repeating the Midnight Meander
miniature that I am teaching in Paris, along with the small Jacobean project
that is in the image above. Once again,
the Australasian and Norwegian trips will provide a chance to meet up with
friends in those parts of the world.
And I haven't forgotten my friends in South Africa. I won't be at Hobby X this year as it is too
soon after we get back from the UK and France.
We do, however, plan to be at the IQCA in Johannesburg during early
September. To find out more about this
event, visit http://www.iqcafrica.com/.
The first IQCA event was held during 2012 and it was fantastic. There is no doubt in my mind that it will
develop into the premier needle craft event in South Africa, if it isn't
already.
In between all of this, I'm spending most of my time in front of my
faithful friend the telly, in the company of my other faithful friend, Neville
the glorious white Boxer, working on a new book. Entitled Crewel Intentions, and due for
publication in June 2014, it will continue the theme of breaking the
rules. Introducing yet more textile and
needle craft techniques into your crewel work and steering clear of wool, which
should please embroiderers with allergies - a very real problem for many of us.
It's a slow but gratifying process, not least because the rest of my
family is quite prepared to take on boring tasks - like cooking the supper and
feeding the dogs while I'm lost in stitch heaven. Apart from the two extracts shown here, it
will eventually go on to include designs with beads, crystals, needle lace and
much more.
Please do feel free to visit our website over the festive season. If you want to place orders that is also
fine. We might not deal with them as
promptly as we normally do, but you won't be ignored for too long.
Thank you for your support and enthusiasm during the year. I hope you all have a happy and peaceful
Christmas and look forward to seeing many of you during 2013.
