Workshop Wonders!

 Working out which workshops are going to be popular is tricky and *I* like to keep things fresh and interesting! I've had these French needlework magazines for years and LOVE the monogramme designs...so decided Welly Boot fresheners were the way to go! 

Embroidered with free motion machine embroidery, stuffed with dried lavender from Provence and made in old linen or ticking it's the smartest (and smelliest) way to combat smelly wellies! Saturday 7th September, details below!

 Needle felting is (as Jenny often starts her workshops with saying...) not strictly 'felting' the fibres but rather 'tangling' the fibres with a very sharp, barbed needle! We have yet to come up with a better name...

We have a lot of fun on these workshops as Jenny has hundreds of funny stories and is so informative about all things fleecey! We also manage to fit a lunch in somehow but everyone is always eager to get back to stabbing the poor little creatures!

 Janice was immediately 'hooked' and continued needling until midnight after leaving us that afternoon! She made this little chap, he soooo adorable! Jenny has a few needle felting days coming up on Friday 16th August and Friday 6th September, she is also doing a wet felting workshop for us on Friday 27th September. See below for details!

Jenny has persuaded me to run a little workshop making a Pixie Skirt like my Pirate one! She has her eye on the fabric with neon chickens on it...Sunday 15th September, details below!

 The vintage clasp bag workshop was a big hit, the next one is on Saturday 28th September and is fully booked but there will be another, let me know if you'd like to do this one. I can do this as a 'craft party' with 3 to 4 people...contact me for details!

Penny, Vicki and Claire all made AMAZING bags with vintage fabrics!

 Jenny's bag was embellished with beads...beautiful!

 Emma chose this gorgeous fabric and wirework trim! Stunning! Emma has a brilliant blog which I've only just discovered here!

 Ah, back to yarn...and this one has 'sprinkles'!

 With a subtle shimmer of sequins the Adriafil 'Gaida Trends' is a perfect yarn to make a skinny scarf in and learn a couple of new hooky skills! Broomstick Crochet on Saturday 17th August and Tunisian Crochet on Saturday 31st August when we will also be Cro-hooking! Places are going fast for these two workshops...see below for details!

 With my background in soft furnishings and my interest in revamping and recycling I have tried to get an upholstery workshop in somewhere for YEARS and this year we finally did it! We've had three so far and everyone has surprised themselves with how much they have managed to achieve on each of these days, Alison recovered her husband's footstool with a tapestry she had recently completed!

 Jen completely restored a treasured chair for her daughter, this was her first upholstery project and she know wants a webbing stretcher!

 Janice made this...

 ...and Penny turned this...

 ...into THIS! It just needs it's box cushion seat...there's one more session planned for this year and that's Friday 9th August, see below for details!

 We're doing the last ever Ragdoll workshop onSaturday 10th August and then that's it! 'I've never laughed so much in my life...' Ma July 2013 - says it all really!

 We've had a mermaid, a Bollywood actress, a circus strongman, a soldier (complete with bearskin) a hare, a Seikh warrior, a ringmaster, a wrestler, several 'mini-mes' and this time TWO cats and a Captain Jack Sparrow! I've only seen two completed ragdolls from the last session so far...and here's one of them!

 Another special request repeat is Indigo dyeing! We've got the last session on Monday 12th August and there are a couple of spaces left...let me know if you fancy getting messy! Details below!

 We got some amazing blues last time!

 And finally, my secret project! My friend is a Pre-school head teacher and she left at the end of term, the children wanted to give her something to remind her of them - 42 hands!

Any creative types would jump at the chance to make something so beautiful and meaningful, keeping it secret was the hardest bit!

 This idea can be adapted to make a smaller wall hanging or cushion and you get to have a lot of fun playing with machine embroidery and embellishments! I have a session of Hands and Feet coming up on Saturday 5th October, capture your favourite little people's hands and feet and create a piece of textile history! See below for details!

Full list of dates (so far) subject to change and a place is confirmed when payment is made, thank you! There is always cake and plenty of tea and coffee...let me know if gluten-free etc. You only need bring yourself unless materials or protective clothing is specified!

Upholstery Day on Friday 9th August 10.30-4.30 £35 and you do need an item of furniture to work on, I need to know what it is and roughly waht size piece you are working on - please bring a lunch with you. There are a few takeaways nearby too! Spaces available

Ragdolls! Saturday 10th August 1.30-5 - £15 Spaces available! 

Indigo! Skein of yarn, some fabric, fleece, whatever your fibre vice is? A messy, smelly workshop full of magic and science! Monday 12th August 10-1ish (probably all day!) £40 a few spaces free...

Needle Felting with Jenny Tidman, Friday 16th August and Friday 6th September 11-3 and a light lunch is included - £30 Spaces free but they go fast as everyone re-books!

Broomstick Crochet, the most fun you can have with a big stick and a hook! Includes gorgeous sparkly yarn and tools so you can complete a scarf at home after the session! Saturday 17th August 1.30-5 - £35 Limited space

Natural dyeing with Purple Feathery Reed heads! Another magical dyeing session using native plants that grow along the River Gipping - purple in the dyebath but turning a wonderful pistachio green when exposed to the air...Saturday 24th August 1.30-5 and Friday 30th August 11-2 £40 a skein of yarn, fleece and fabric to take away with you included! Spaces available

Tunisian Crochet and Cro-hooking are a cross between knitting and crochet, both produce a firm 'fabric' ideal for scarves, cushions, blankets and bags! We're 'hooking' with sparkly yarn and you will have all the tools and materials to complete the project at home! Saturday 31st August 1.30-5 - £35 Limited space

Welly Fresheners! Lavender, linen and free motion machine embroidery, make ideal gifts for all the welly wearers you know! Saturday 7th September 1.30-5 - £30 Spaces available

Pixie Skirt! Adventures in fabric and a fun way to spend a Sunday! 15th September 11-4 - £35 Spaces available

Soap! Handmade, cold process soap makes amazing gifts for family and friends! 1.30-5 - £50 Limited space

Make a wet-felted bowl with Jenny Tidman! Jenny's first love is wet-felting and she blogs about her passion for fibre here, there's also a lot of stuff about our friendship and the coincidences which have come to light since we met on Twitter a few years ago...spaces are filling fast for this workshop so don't dally! Friday 27th September 11-3 - £40 (price is tbc but will be around this) all materials included as is cake, coffee and tea but please bring along a lunch, heating facilities available.

Hands and Feet! Make a unique gift for Christmas and create an heirloom like the quilt I made for Lynne on Saturday 5th October 1.30-5 - £35 using old linens and Liberty print fabrics! Spaces available

Book in the usual way, either drop by and see me at HH HQ or drop me a text 07887511081 or even a tweet @halfpennyhome

Cheers! Nic x

Workshops 2013

 Workshop season is upon us - this means I get to try out a few new ideas in order to inspire the crafter in you!

The old needlework magazines with the templates for embroidery pattern and monogram initials led to the 'Welly Freshener Hearts' you see above - embroidered by hand or machine on old French linen and tickings!

 We've had a few workshops already this year - bunting making...

 ...and needlefelting have been great fun to do! 

The next workshop at HH HQ is cushion making and even complete beginners can become confident on a sewing machine and produce something to be proud of! Saturday 25th May 1.30 - 5 - £40 with all materials provided along with plenty of tea and homemade cake!

We then welcome back Jenny Tidman who is gathering quite a band of needlefelting groupies - this time she's showing us how to make 2D garlands using templates - I am VERY excited about this one! Friday 7th June 11 - 3 £30 with a light lunch included. There are only a few spaces left on this one as Jenny's workshops are very popular, so much so that she has agreed to come and do needlefelted figures again on Friday 21st June! Book early as places are going fast...

 Another workshop which has had a lot of interest is the one where we will be making a Vintage Style bag with the fabric set into a clip frame - there are also fixings within the frame allowing you to attach a chain or fabric handle! Saturday 22nd June and 28th September 1.30 - 5 as well as Friday 19th July 11 - 3 £40 with a large selection of vintage fabrics and linens to choose from!

 This little piece of handmade cutwork trim has been picked up and admired soooo many times - I've lost count of the number of people who have tried to buy it! I dyed this with my good friend Lynne during our experimental plant dyeing sessions - it is (of course) dyed with INDIGO! A magical dye which never fails to surprise me...we're getting the dyepots out again on the following dates:

Saturday 8th June 1.30 - 5 for Madder and Mordants

Friday 28th June 11 - 2 and Saturday 20th July 1.30 - 5 for Indigo

Saturday 24th August 1.30 - 5 and Friday 30th August 11 - 2 for seasonal dyeing with purple feather reed heads, locally grown plants which produce a rich, pistachio green shade!

All the dyeing workshops are £40 per session and you will leave with a skein of yarn and some silk...that way you can make something beautiful with it when you get home!

 I'm the welly wearer in my house and now I'm keeping my wellies fresh with lavender filled linen hearts - teaming old linens and lavender from provence with some very stylish initial templates from some vintage needlework magazines! 

 Smelly wellies no more!

 Soap!

The soapmaking workshops are great - along with the candlemaking they make the shop smell amazing....Saturday 6th July and 21st September 1.30 - 5 £50 using essential oils, cocoa butter and coconut oil and the cold process method to produce delicious soaps - 1 kg of various soaps in total!

These two look after HH HQ and the one on the right was made by the rather clever Jane Southgate and is me! The shady character on the left is the scoundrel Alfonso, breaker of hearts all over the world...we're having one more ragdoll day at HH HQ - a handsewing workshop and a lot of fun! Saturday 13th July 1.30 - 5 £15

Crochet!

Get to grips with hooking and create some frocks for rocks - suitable for beginners and a fun way to learn....Saturday 15th June and 3rd August 2 - 5 £25 - limited spaces!

Other workshops include...

Scented Container Candles on Saturday 27th July and 14th September 2 - 5 £35 each person makes at least 3 container candles per session

Altered Mends on Sunday 2nd and 30th June - bring along those ripped hems, loose buttons, that dress you've been meaning to alter or those trousers that need taking up! 

With a whole haberdashery FULL of notions available! 

Includes plenty of tea and cake £20 per person (machines, threads and tools along with a selection of hard haberdashery included in session fee any extra materials will need to be paid for at the end of the session)

Text Nic on 07887511081 or drop by HH HQ on Monday, Tuesday 10 - 4 Wednesday 1.30 - 4 or Saturday 10 - 1 for more details. 

A workshop place is secured once full payment is received and a full refund will be given on any workshops cancelled due to illness, bad weather or low booking numbers.

Happy Thursday! Nic x

Workshops 2013

 The very popular free motion embroidery is back!

It is so much fun and a brilliant way to gain confidence in using your sewing machine - there are sessions on Saturday 16th March 2-5pm and Thursday 2nd May 10.30-2pm £30 per person per session.

Following up the May session with a Bunting making session on Friday 3rd May 10.30-2pm - an excellent opportunity to create a work of art and combine the two workshops! The Bunting session costs £35 per person with a discount of £5 if you attend both the Thursday and Friday sessions!

I've been supporting a brilliant local company that provides internet access and advice to young and old residents in Needham Market - The Internet Cafe has been hosting a series of 'Indoor Carboot Sales' and together with my baking chum Lady Galula I've spent a few Sundays selling some of my more unusual wares like these old French needlework magazines. We also have a good old natter and partake in some of the best bacon rolls around...

There's one more before Easter - I'll be at the cafe in School Street 10-2pm on the 24th March and then Jan (supplier of bacon rolls) has planned to hold the fairs on the 2nd Sunday of each month after that.

 Doing fairs and the big Easter Monday remnant sale at HH HQ is a great chance for me to get out some of the rare and hard to find stuff that is looking for a new home! This time I have a collection of hand-printed furnishing fabrics, silks and whole rolls of furnishing fabrics that are going 'cheep'...Easter....geddit?

 Rocks with frocks?! Actually a really lovely way to learn to crochet and aren't they gorgeous?! Friday 12th April is the next session and spaces are very limited...£35 per person including a light lunch!

 The last workshop where we enjoyed a lovely homemade lunch was the needle felting one run by Jenny Tidman - we made these cute ducks which were supposed to be Easter Chicks but we all rebelled! One lady even turned hers into a cat...

 It fascinates me how a lump of fleece can be transformed into some gorgeous creatures by simply being stabbed with a needle - a special needle with barbs down the side. We had a few 'ouches' on the day but everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and it was great having Jenny's expert tuition and funny stories!

 Jenny has blogged about the day here and explains how we became friends and the wonder of twitter, glass and David Sylvian....we are both in awe of the brilliant work that Sue produced following the chick/duckling/cat workshop!

 It was such a lot of fun that Jenny is doing another on Friday 19th April 11-3pm £30 per person including a light lunch and cakes of course!

As you can see there are little felty creations appearing all over the place - it's such a fun craft to learn!

 I can't wait to see what Jenny comes up with next...

Another of Jenny's passions is natural dyeing and anyone visiting HH HQ will see some of the fantastic shades that can be achieved using plant dyes - the dyeing workshops are amongst my favourites to run and are so popular with felters and spinners. 

This year we are adding indigo to our dyeing! It's magic and watching the blue shade develop before your eyes is quite wonderful - dyeing workshops £35 per person and you will dye a skein of yarn and a piece of silk!

Indigo

Saturday 12th April 1.30-5pm

Thursday 25th April 10.30-2pm

Madder and Mordants

Learn about the role mordants play in dyeing and how to use dried plant dyes...

Saturday 8th June 1.30-5pm

Purple Feathery Reed Heads

An invasive weed that we can put to good use! When picked at the correct time the dye produced is a stunning pistachio green!

Saturday 24th August 1.30-5pm

 Scented container candles make lovely gifts and this year there are even more teacups, jars and dishes to choose from....£35 per person and as you can see from the photos below there's always cake to keep us going as we melt wax and choose scents!

 In a previous life I made soft furnishings for interior designers and I'm often shocked to see how complicated piped cushion-making is made out to be in books - learn some tricks of the trade and gain a plump feather filled cushion for your sofa!

Saturday 25th May 1.30-5pm £40 per person - limited to four persons.

 I've been asked time and time again to run some upholstery workshops - it's tricky because everyone's chair is a little different and who wants to lug a heavy piece of furniture around only to work on it for just a couple of hours? I'm having a series of three upholstery days where you can come along for the day, use the equipment and tools required and gain some skills!

Friday 14th June

Friday 5th July

Friday 26th July

 We ran a frame purse workshop last year where we used some gorgeous old fabrics to make a teeny coin purse - I then spied these brilliant bag versions! 

Saturday 22nd June 1.30-5pm £40 per person - limited to four spaces.

 I rather fancy using this vintage silk fabric for mine, I'll keep you posted!

 Not baking though you'd be forgiven for thinking that I'm whipping up a batch of cakes here!

Soap making and other stories...

Saturday 6th July 1.30-5pm £50 per person - limited to four spaces.

The Steam and Craft Fair held at the Museum of East Anglian Life every year is a fantastic event which showcases some traditional crafts and gets everyone together amongst the steam engines! Last year I demonstrated some Indigo dyeing, mordanted some yarns with rhubarb leaves picked from the walled garden and helped some talented stitchers to produce little pincushions.

I was joined by my OH who was doing a little bit of traditional upholstery...

We had a lovely time and met some great people so were delighted to be invited along again this year, we'll be there on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th with felted stones and big knitting on offer!

All workshops are subject to change and a place is secured on payment - call or text me on 07887511081 for details or drop by HH HQ it would be lovely to see you!