100% Design 2010

Here are a few images of my stand at 100% Design 2010, held at Earls Court in London.

This images shows my chaise-longue, designed by Darren Kelly of Staffordshire University, a throw and bolster cushion.

This shows the close up of the detail on the back of the chaise-longue.

This is the shelving unit, Darren designed to take a woven panel of the same fabric as the throw.

Here is another view of the stand.  The colour on the walls is a better match in this image.

Here is the screen that Darren designed to take my woven panels.  I can remove the panels and replace with another design for other shows.

100% More Success

Hi all

I've been back about 3 weeks from 100% Design. It was a huge success this year, loads of contacts which I've been following up, and I got an order.

Here's an image of part of my stand, sadly the image of the lovely linen and wool window panel got another image save over, so I can't show it to you. But I'm taking all my pieces to a professional photographer at the end of the month. Hilary Shedel photographed all my "Anthurium" collection and swatches from previous projects so I know they will be great. She has had a lot of high profile clients and her specialism is dance!

Design for Creative Spinners

Hi all

Jane Deane and I have just heard that there are still places on the Design for Creative Spinners course at the National Association of Guilds Summer School in August.

As you know Jane and I are passionate about design, but realise that many people are frightened by it, so we aim, on this course, to dispel some myths! We both maintain that if you can colour in and scribble, you can design and we will show you some simple ways to explore this to help you produce some stunning yarns from a favourite image.

On the right you will see an image of a page of one of my sketchbooks. Although it looks like I've painted a lovely water colour, it's actually an enlargement of the small image which I coloured in!

So if you feel that you are painting or drawing challenged or are stuck in a rut with your spinning, now is your chance to find out a few simple secrets that will revolutionise your spinning and help you to become a yarn designer!

For more information please download the Summer School Brochure here.
And by the way, you don't have to be a guild member to be able to attend!

100% Design Success

Hi all

I got back late on Sunday evening after a successful, fun and tiring 4 days at 100% Design with Design Factory.

It was truly wonderful to meet so many interior designers, architect specifiers, architects and businesses from the UK and all over the world, as well as the general public on Saturday and Sunday in one place.

The Design Factory stand looked amazing, too, but that was all down to the other designers who were exhibiting as well, Jeanne Roberts, Lionel of Futurefactories, Gill Wilson, Peter from NamelessLtd, Stuart Akroyd, Noel Blakeman, Eiry Rock and Grant and Nick from Sonodesign.

I want to thank my family and friends who supported me throughout the run up to the exhibition while I was designing and weaving my pieces, Design Factory for sending me for selection and the 100% Design Selectors for selecting me.

It was a wonderful experience and has given me a huge amount of confidence knowing that I was the only hand weaver at 100% Design and that my work is worthy of being displayed in the contemporary settings I had envisaged.

I'm so excited!!!

Hi all

It only seems a few days since I last posted, but it's two months! Wow, where's the time gone!

Well, I was accepted to exhibit at the Contemporary Craft Fair at Bovey Tracey in Devon. This prestigious fair is by selection only so I'm pretty lucky to get in and will be exhibiting with some wonderful designer makers including Isabella Whitworth, Gracie Burnett amongst others. It takes place from Friday 6 June to Sunday 8 June from 10am to 5pm and I will be launching my new range of British wool scarves as well as exhibiting my wall panels.

More great news for me is that I've been selected to exhibit at 100% Design in London! I'm going with Design Factory (the organisation that represents and helps designer makers in the East Midlands), but it was the eminent panel of 100% Design who selected 11 out of the 20 makers who were sent for selection. I can't tell you how pleased I am!

One slight down side is I have to make my pieces to a colour swatch (see it on the right!). It's certainly not my "cup of tea", but will do me good to design something to such a limiting palette!

Wish me luck!