'Swindon View Point'

Back in September when I was taking part in Swindon Open Studios I was filmed for a website called Swindon View Point. I had forgotten all about it until a friend found the video today! Take a look to hear me talking about my Textile Designs. http://www.swindonviewpoint.com/video/art-emma-clease

Swindon View Point

Christmas Bunting

As we are nearing the festive season I decided to make some Christmas bunting. As I started making it I thought it would be nice to create a step by step guide for others to follow, so here we go... (I apologize about the quality of the photos - I was using my phone!)

Choose some festive fabrics - I decided to use a red and white theme.

Cut out 34 triangles – this is enough for 17 flags with front and back fabric with the letters

M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S and a flag at the beginning, end and middle. I made mine 15 cm wide by 15 cm long.   

To get templates for your letters you can either print them off the computer or you can draw them yourself. If you draw them yourself draw them inside a uniform box so that all your letters are the same size. You also need to draw a shape that will go on the first, last and middle flag - I chose to use a star shape.

Cut out your letters and shapes and use them as a template to draw on to the paper side of some bondaweb.  You need to draw your letters back to front on to the bondaweb so they will be the right way round once ironed on to your fabric.

Cut roughly round your letters on the bondaweb and iron on them on to the back of your fabric. Remember to iron the fabric rather than directly on to the bondaweb. When choosing your fabrics for your letters think about your colours - my choice of fabrics had either a red base or a white base so I made sure that my letters alternated i.e red M, white E, red R, white R, red Y etc

Cut out your letters.

Iron your bondaweb letters on to the centre of your flags. Again think about your choice of colour I placed my white letters on to red flags and red letters on to white flags to create a nice contrast. 

Sew round the edges of your letters with a small zig zag stitch.

Pin the back triangles on to your flags.

Sew round the edges of your flags you can do this with a zig zag stitch, a straight stitch, an over locker or you could do blanket stitch by hand.

Finally sew your flags on to a length of ribbon!

Happy sewing!

Avebury Manor

The National Trust is currently renovating Avebury Manor in Avebury, Wiltshire, so that it can be open to the public. The BBC are filming the transfomation and making a television series about it called 'To the Manor Reborn'. I was recently asked to go along to the Manor to help sew some drapes for a four poster bed. It was really interesting to see the many rooms being done up and to watch a telvision programme being made. Here are some photos of me and the other ladies hard at work sewing the drapes!

That is me in the middle sat next to Katie Griffin on the right a wonderful Textiles teacher from St John's School in Marlborough and a lovely sixth form student on the left! 

Amazing Embroideries by Jennie Sandford

I came across these amazing embroideries by Jennie Sandford whilst browzing on Folksy. I love the use of an embroidery hoop as a frame so will keep this in mind when I do some more designing!

Embroidered Geometric Crow, £20, from Folksy

  Embroidered Geometric Fox, £23, from Folksy

  Embroidered Geometric Squirrel , £21, from Folksy

Folksy

I have finally got an online shop set up via Folksy. Take a look at my shop emmaelizabethclease. Below are some of the products I have for sale.

Digitally printed velvet cushion £75, available from Folksy

Floral Bouquet Cushion £125, available from Folksy 

Purple Orchid £125, available from Folksy 

William Morris inspired cushion 3 £115, available from Folksy

Calne Music and Arts Festival

I recently took part in the Calne Music and Arts Festival. The Art exhibition consisted of a range of Art work from local artists and was in the lovely location of Marden House. 

My embroideries - I love them against this wallpaper!