Observation

Lately back from Denman College again this week, after two nights teaching a small group of beginners. Lovely to be there in the spring as the gardens are so delightful and the countryside such a break from London.  The low numbers made a change, and I could really pay my students some extra special attention - which was really nice.

Rosemary and Jan finishing
their neck snugglers on the
Beginners course at Denman
in March

And, actually, rather well timed, because Denman's principal,  Jane Dixon, had arranged for me to be formally observed by a visitor from a local Further Ed. College. It was the first time this had happened since I started running courses there. I tried not read too much into it and my fellow tutors all reassured me it was par for the course and I should certainly not be inferring some kind of precursor to being ejected!

As it happened, in the event the observer was really in to crochet and fascinated by what we were doing, and told me in no uncertain terms that I had nothing to worry about. Sigh of relief. Carry on…..!

May Martin
from website:
http://theperfectnose.wordpress.com
/2013/04/06/sewing-in-the-media-the-
great-british-sewing-bee-s1e1reviewed/

The texture of the time in Marcham was different again due to the presence of TV celebrity, May Martin,  of Great British Sewing Bee fame, who was in the textiles workshop next to mine, grappling with eight overlockers. Unfortunately I hadn't seen any episodes of the aforementioned programme and so, for the bulk of the time, was unaware of her celebrity status. What she did talk about, however, was the book she has been writing. A point that interested me, of course, with my not so secret ambition to write one of my own. But of course, where I am going to have to actively convince (beg) any publisher to make the leap of faith, May on the other hand is fighting off the contracts and turning away enormously lucrative offers. Not jealous, not jealous, OK, may a bit. Anyway, I've caught up with the sewing bee on IPlayer now and May's great - a kindly and knowledgeable judge. Good choice BBC. Well done May! Can't wait to find out who wins.....

Hazel Jones
from website: http://kleurrijkjaneausten.blogspot.co.uk/

Quite a few of the tutors are also authors and Hazel Jones, expert on Jane Austen and writer of a book on marriage at the time of her favourite literary figure, was also present among us. She has written two more since I first met her. We rebonded over our shared delight in the act of writing as May expounded on the terrible pressures of getting her thoughts into prose and how she'd sooner be sewing. 
I really do love the time I spend with the tutors at Denman.

I've hardly a minute to breathe before I pop to a meeting of the Knitting and Crochet Guild to demo and instruct on a couple of Improver-level stitches: the chevron and the almond stitch, as well as a start in Tunisian. I'm looking forward to it and have made a couple of really pretty samplers in preparation.

Continually growing sample
of the chevron or wave stitch
that we worked on at the
Central London meeting of the
Knitting and Crochet Guild
in March

While I was at Denman
I made a lovely
owl towel basket, adapted from
a photo on Craftsy.

And soon I plan to get back on track with the book….. When? When? WHEN?

Quite Busy

I can't say I'm not absolutely delighted with the way my crocheting activity has hotted up this year and it sure is keeping me on very happy toes!

I'm teaching beginners Tunisian to the U3A this coming Saturday, so in preparation for that I have created a Tunisian Sampler makeup bag. I bought the lining material first, it caught my eye in Little Woolie last Saturday afternoon, and I then bought the lovely cotton dk and 4ply colours to match. The sampler covers Tunisian Simple Stitch of course, and knit and purl stitches. After that it's mostly combinations of the above, with a little diversion into popcorns and 'claws'. The exercise piece also requires plenty of colour changing and finally a little bit of decreasing. I can see there could be interest in a follow up for more Tunisian techniques... I'll have to watch my Dora Ohrenstein CD again.

My head has also been diverted into preparation for the two night colour course as Denman College needed the programme for it to send to students currently booking. Once again the challenge was keeping the number of exercises DOWN to a realistic degree to fit it all in. I may have to fill in some gaps in my samples collection before the day. I'll enjoy that!

In July I'm teaching an entire couple of days on flowers and this weekend I asked my mum to show me how to wire them up to present in a vase as though they were real. I'm extra excited about this as it's a bit different and I've now set myself the task of creating at least three full flower arrangements. Yes, well, we'll see.....It's not till July but I'm also trying to get my act together for a book and that is a LOT of crocheting, designing, pattern writing and testing, blurb writing, photography and heaven knows what else and I've still got nowhere near an actual publishing contract. It's all been slotted in between my full time day job, my crochet teaching and my family life.

I don't help myself either, by going off at tangents on tangents after being inspired by other, non crochet related courses at Denman, such as the doll making which resulted in my attempting to build an amigurami doll of my own. Not looking particularly stylish at present. Watch this space.

Most exciting of all this month has been the publication in Inside Crochet magazine of my Tunisian Cabled Sweater. This affirmation of my identity as a crochet professional serves to spur me on to greater heights and increased professionalism. I am so loving it.