The bad blogger's workshop list...

 Needle felting with Jenny Tidman again tomorrow! Last time Jackie discovered the joys of using cookie cutters to make a festive garland and went on to get a set of a HUNDRED different shapes, she loved it!

I fell in love with this little guy, he is so cute! Vicki had never tried felting before but was keen to give it a go, I think she should be really chuffed with herself for achieving this! Penny is in the background starting a dragon...pictures of completed dragon will follow soon!

 Panda bum!

 Becky's fawn (pre-legs) but already so cute and delicate! Becky is another first-timer but with a very supportive aunt who also likes to craft...we're felting again tomorrow, Friday 6th September 11-3ish and I'm about to start prepping the lunch we'll have. A goats cheese, swiss chard and red onion tart with an autumn Eton Mess to follow instead of the usual cake! I've just picked the blackberries...

 I may make my new favourite 'almost' fatless sponge with creme fraiche and fruit for the upholstery days - Friday 13th September 11-4 and Friday 4th October £35 per session and all tools are provided, some materials also but do bring a packed lunch with you, I make you work hard! Below is Penny stuffing the back of her 1950's nursing chair using horsehair instead of foam.

 The almost finished chair, just a box cushion seat to go...

 Container Candles like the ones featured in Country Crafts will be created on Saturday 14th September and as we're feeling a bit more autumnal after a brilliant summer we will be making the pine cone firelighters with Christmas scents...ideal homemade gifts! 1.30-5 £35, there's a variety of containers to choose from including old flowerpots, vintage teacups, kilner jars and some of my vintage pressed glass collection, you will be able to make several!

A fun one-off session on Sunday 15th September 11-4 making a pixie skirt like the ones I am often seen wearing (I have a few, wearing one right now!) a massive choice of fabrics and a big old wedge of cake as well as the whole haberdashery to play in! Places are limited so booking early is advised, the cost including everything is £35!

EEEEK!

How well do you know your sewing machine? Learn how to care for your machine, oil and clean it, learn to love it and then put it through it's paces! Friday 20th September 10-3 £35 per person, limited space.

We have a soapmaking session on Saturday 21st September 1.30-5, I'm hoping to try some new recipes out! Spaces available on this popular workshop, your cold process soap will be cured by Christmas! £50 due to the cost of the ingredients involved, cocoa butter and essential oils etc.

 Christina made this beautiful garland for the textile garden we made for the Needham Market Open Gardens and so many people tried to buy it that I have persuaded her to run a workshop at HH HQ showing us some of her exquisite ideas and brilliant embellishment techniques. These garlands make wonderful wedding and christening gifts! Thursday 3rd October £35 including everything you need and some of Christina's favourite cake...

 Not very good photos of the brilliant textile garden that we made for Open Gardens but in real life it was stunning! Bowls of strawberries, felted caterpillars, ladybirds, bees and butterflies - knitted mushrooms in their 'blanket' of compost...

 ...knitted, aubergines, leeks, carrots and peas!

The generous visitors to HH HQ that week donated £50 which I split between Arthritis Care UK and National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society both of which I have an interest in. Arthritis Care run a forum which gave me a lot of support last year when I was very ill and struggling to get the correct pain relief and treatment for Rheumatoid/Psoriatic Arthritis and NRAS are a brilliant organisation supporting people who suffer from this painful and debillitating condition.

I handed out fliers which briefly described my experiences with suddenly becoming ill, diagnosis and treatment along with examples of the effect having an auto immune disorder has on a person's life, friends and family. You can read more about my life with a chronic and incurable disease on my personal blog here.

 The vegetables were all knitted by some of my knitters from my Wednesday morning group one of which is 14, the youngest ever has been 9 and the oldest 81!

 A chance to recreate a mini version of the '42 little hands' quilt that I made for my friend Lynne! Hands and Feet, applique and free motion machine embroidery is a brilliant way to get to know your sewing machine and make a family heirloom at the same time! Capture your favourite little people's feet in time and using wonderful linens and printed fabrics produce a stunning work of art! 

Makes a fantastic Christmas gift!

Saturday 5th October 1.30-5 £35

Friday 11th October 10-3 bring a lunch, there will be cake! £35

 Finally! A little bit of what my mother would call 'showing off' but I was very pleased with how the Bob Marley Barbecue Apron turned out in the end!

 My partner's BIL was 50 earlier in the summer and being a Bob Marley fan and a barbecue king we decided to push free motion machine embroidery to the edge...

 ...bit different to the vintage style of embroidery we'll be using on the 'Welly Fresheners' workshop next Saturday!

 Vintage linens and ticking, old mother of pearl buttons and a pile of old French monogramme magazines for inspiration! I LOVED doing the twirly bits on mine and stuffed with the finest lavender from Provence they will freshen up the smelliest of wellies! What a lovely gift for Christmas...

Saturday 7th September 1.30-5 there's still space and I'm just trying to decide what cake to make...will it be blackberry drizzle or banana loaf or carrot cake or maybe a meringue pie!

Book in the usual way, drop by HH HQ, 3 Station Yard, Needham Market IP6 8AS open Mon, Tues, Wed 10-4 and Sat 10-1, text me on 07887511081, tweet me @halfpennyhome or email halfpennyhome at googlemail dot com I do respond to emails but as my hands are a little sore at times please do be patient if you choose to contact me in this way.

Now off to bake!

Nic x

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