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Thursday 30 April 2015

Piglets, posh frocks and posies!

 If you've visited Alder Carr Farm in the last week you may have noticed some activity around the pigsty (if I'm not at HH HQ you will most likely find me over there...) these two adorable piglets come from Baylham Rare Breeds Farm, they have been enjoying all the attention and apples!
It makes a change to be cleaning out pigs and not chickens, one of the piglets bit the OH on the toe meaning he WILL remember boots....
 Sarah AKA Scarlett Valentine has settled in nicely with some fantastic workshops featuring felty floral corsages, working with Sinemay and other millinary related delights! The rest of the time Sarah creates amazing headgear and accessories, we are often in awe of how she manages to keep coming up with new designs! 
We're teaming up with Sarah on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th May when we will have a hat sale running alongside a mini fashion show of Colette dress patterns - there will be designs made up in some gorgeous fabrics and worn by some of the growing number of Colette 'fans' dressmaking questions and queries about these vintage style patterns are welcomed. Tea, coffee and cake will be available along with 10% off patterns and 10% off any fabric purchased that weekend!


 Still loving teaching people to love their sewing machines...
 ...and welcoming Melanie from Silverclay Workshop!
 Melanie ran her first workshop at HH HQ last week and did Jenny Tidman add her name to the list? 
 She did and above picture shows her finished pieces, lovely!
Chris couldn't stop burnishing her silver pendant even as she was wearing it, an email from her the following day said it all 'Melanie was an excellent tutor and the other gals on the course were great fun' we had rhubarb, apple and white chocolate cake...Melanie will be running some more classes at HH HQ so if you're at all interested in the alchemy of silver clay working then do let me know!
 Another first was Catherine Armitage's skirt workshop, Catherine AKA Lulumama is pretty amazing at making sense of dress patterns and the mystery around sizing! It was lovely to see the ladies getting the fit of their skirts absolutely right...
 ...a finished skirt! The group of ladies have promised to send over some glammed up piccies! Catherine is teaching a few classes over the next few months and places go quickly as we only have four spaces on each course, details in the list below!
 Workshop list, get to the end and there's more cute piglet pictures! Mostly £35 per person and run from 11-3 unless otherwise stated.
Saturday 2nd May - Drum carding batts with Jenny Tidman, whether you're a novice fleecer or a spinner!
Saturday 9th May - Crochet
Sunday 10th May - Natural dyeing with seasonal plants
Saturday 23rd May - Sinamay flowers with milliner Scarlett Valentine
Sunday 24th May - Fabric printing
Saturday 30th May - Needle felting
Sunday 31st May and Saturday 6th June - Dressmaking, an A line skirt £70 10am start and you will also need two metres of pre-washed fabric. Pattern, notions and sundries included
Sunday 7th June - Kansashi flowers, the kind Geisha girls wear!
Sunday 28th June - Rag rugs and weaving
Saturday 4th July - Needle felted sheep
Sunday 5th July - Get to know your sewing machine a little better!
Saturday 11th July - Bunting!
Sunday 12th July - Cushion making, zipped, piped or envelope, it's up to you!
Saturday 18th July - Advanced needle felting, The Green Man
Saturday 25th July - Dress making, a simple blouse. 10am start, £45 includes pattern for Sencha by Colette Patterns, you will need to bring along pre-washed fabric
Saturday 15th August - Polymer clay jewellery with Jackie Daly
Saturday 12th September - Wet felted bowl, moving forward with felting, not a beginners class £50
Saturday 19th September - Introduction to machined patchwork
Saturday 3rd October - Drum carder day, get your batts ready for some autumn spinning!
Goodbye from the piglets, hope to see you soon! Nx