I hope the festive season treated you all well? January started with a purse making class at Queens Park Arts Centre. I have added a card wallet design to the range of options available within the class. The picture here shows how the class personalised theirs. Great ideas and this was the first time any of the class had saddle stitched too. They all did really well.

Last summer after discovering that I have a passion for designing shoes, as much I like making them, so I set about looking for some training that came to fruition in December when I had the pleasure of having a workshop with Hetty Rose Shoemaker at the start of the month, and then later in the month at the London College of Fashion. I thoroughly enjoyed designing the shoes on another short course at Central St. Martins last August. The heels rather took me by surprise to say the least.

Making with Hetty Rose

Hetty uses kimono fabric to make beautiful shoes. She has some amazing examples of her shoes on her website https://www.hettyrose.co.uk/

Here are some photos of the pair I made. Hetty prepares the fabric uppers so that you focus on the construction during the workshop. This was fascinating for me. There is definitely engineering in ladies heels! Hetty is very knowledgeable and a great teacher.

London College of Fashion 

I also attended another course at the London College of Fashion making pumps or heels, part of their short course programme. This time I designed the shoe, made the patterns, constructed the shoe and added some embroidery to the heels - a taste of things to come. There is a lot to learn in a week, but what a week! If you like learning have a look at the short course programme, there is so much to do.

September and October have been busy months for teaching at Queens Park Arts Centre. Making purses and belts, and new for October guitar straps. In the background there are also the commissions I have been working on, everything from altering clothes to making altar frontals!

Where is the year going?

On Sunday 29th July, as part of the Sunday Specials Workshops I taught belt making at Queens Park Arts Centre. What a wonderful day and a great group of individuals who all made belts to fit themselves. If you enjoy crafts and creative activities then have a look at their programme. Paste this into your browser:

https://www.qpc.org/Workshops.aspx?g=b9f167c3-4072-407b-af0f-a9d5aa77e8ad&/Sunday%20Specials%20Workshops