As well as printing and dyeing our own fabrics we love to dye threads for hand quilting and one of the most frequent questions we are asked is how we prepare the threads for dyeing so that they don't become 'threads of despair'!

An expandable coat hanger is perfect for winding the threads to make a skein and we used one for years 

Don't forget, if you want to have the same amount of thread in each skein you'll need to keep count of the number of wraps you make.

Once you have wrapped enough thread tie off with a double knot, then tie loosely around all the strands and cut, but leave on the coat hanger.
Now this next step is important if you want to avoid ending up with threads-of-doom! You need to make a figure-of-eight tie in two places on the skein. Don’t make the ties too tight or they’ll act a a resist to the dye and you’ll end up with white spots on your thread.

Now you can slip the skein off the hanger. If you are going to dye the threads straight away then there's no need to twist them, however it's a good idea to if you are going to wind a pile first and dye later.
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Most probably you will be using yarn which hasn't been specially prepared for dyeing, in other words it will have some sort of finish.  So to ensure it dyes evenly it's a good idea to give it a gentle wash before you dye.  Add a small amount of liquid clothes wash to some warm water and drop the untwisted skeins in, swish them gently around before rinsing.  Give them a gentle squeeze and then they're ready for dyeing, no need to dry.

Here’s to no more ‘threads of doom’!

Hazel & Terry

If you have been on an InStitches Textile Adventure you'll know that the day isn't complete without a tasty treat or two!  One of the most requested recipes is for the apricot and ginger flapjack, so by popular demand  here it is again!

These Yorkshire oaty biscuits are quick and easy to make, but don’t expect them to last long in the biscuit tin.

Yorkshire oaty biscuits

3oz butter
1 tbsp golden syrup
3 oz plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 oz caster sugar
3 oz rolled oats

1. Melt butter and golden syrup in a large pan.
   
2. Then stir in the rest of the ingredients.  Mix well.
3. Drop dessert spoonfuls onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment.  Squash gently with the back of the spoon.
4. Bake at 180 C for 8 - 10 minutes until golden.  
5. Allow to cool a couple of minutes on the tray before transferring to cooling rack.

Why not try adding?

•  a handful of desiccated coconut
• a few chopped cherries
• Some chocolate chips
• Raisins!

Hope you enjoy them! 

Hazel & Terry

I just can't help myself - I need to touch things!  Looking is all very well but I find that I also have to touch and feel the texture of the surface.  As  quilt makers creating texture, both visual and implied, is an important part of our work.  In a recent piece I wanted to create a section of an wall I had photographed in Pushkar, India.

I used different paints - acrylic, Xpanda and screen printing inks, rusting using tea, Markal oil pastels and stitch to try and recreate the  distressed surfaces of the wall and door.

 On our recent trip to Finland we were busy collecting inspiration for texture.

But you don't have to travel so far to find inspiration for texture!   Rummage around in the kitchen cupboards and photograph what you find...

Until next time,

Hazel & Terry

I love baskets - paper, wicker, stripped wood, rope or plastic, you name it; I just can't get enough of them. My house is full and whilst I promised I won't buy any more there always seems to be a very good reason why I just need to buy just one more! I use them for shopping, storing magazines, firewood, shells, pine cones, wool, fabric and even the odd cat. Yes, my two cats are big on baskets too and have their very own collection.

My obsession with baskets also extends to photographing them and the objects they contain.  Wherever I travel around the world I'm peering in, picking up, sniffing and touching baskets and their contents.  Fancy coming basket watching with me? 

Local markets are a good place to start looking into baskets,  - flowers, exotic fruits and weird dried fish, they're all in there plus

puffed rice, hot, hot chillies or does anyone fancy a deep fried insect?

Baskets come in all shapes and sizes, to be carried on the head, in the hand or on the back.  In the top right photograph above, the tall baskets are used for catching fish in the Mekong Delta region.

Huge bundles of wood, a few live ducks and a pile of ginger on the back of a bicycle all with the help of a basket.

The lotus silk weaving sheds on Inle Lake, Myanmar had baskets full of temping things for the textile artist in me.

Given my passion for all things basket, you can imagine how excited I am that basket maker and willow weaver, Judith Needham, is making a return visit to the InStitches Studio in May.  This time Judith will be helping us to make a shallow Catelonian tension tray, great for serving fruit or bread, but will look equally fantastic on the kitchen wall when not in use.  Judith will also show us how to finish the tray in different ways including adding a handle should you want one.  I've some beautiful dogwood waiting to be pruned in my garden so I'm hoping to include that in my basket to give it some colour.

If you fancy joining us why not head over to Judith's page on our website and book your place now?  I promise you a fun and enjoyable day with all the materials and equipment provided including refreshments and a light season lunch - come and join us, be inspired this Spring!

Hazel & Terry

So what better way to spend a snowy day than looking through pictures of snow!

It gets so cold in Finland that even the sea freezes. The harbour front in Helsinki was frozen solid in places with just selected shipping lanes kept free of ice. We took the opportunity of these ice free lanes and hopped on the ferry over to Suomenlinna, one of the smaller islands just off Helsinki.

I’ve only visited this tiny island during the summer months, but it was just as beautiful and inspirational under it’s thick blanket of snow.

I just love the colour pop of the magenta bike and the neon green bike lock and how about the colours below?

Against the white backdrop of the snow the colours just sing out loud, and I promise I haven’t photoshopped them! I think these images with their bold colours, high contrast and graphic areas of solid colour would make fantastic starting points for a Modern Quilt. There’s now a category at the Festival Of Quilts (http://www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk/competition-categories-prizes/) so who knows what I might sew if tomorrow is a snow day too!

Whilst back on the streets of Helsinki there’s inspiration of an entirely different kind to be found. Some may call it vandalism, but I think in these cases its more of a creative outlet! I couldn’t resist the owl sign - unfortunately it wasn’t advertising owls for Hogwarts’ students, but mundane insurance of some kind. Pretty sign though!

In the coming weeks I’ll be writing about inspiration for line and texture, looking at shape ands colour, as well as profiling other artists and exhibitions to inspire your creative work. So if you enjoy reading the InStitches blog why not have it delivered straight to your mail box? Just click on the link in the side bar and you’ll be sure not to miss our weekly instalments. And we promise, you won’t receive any unwanted emails or spam either.

Until next time. Keep warm and enjoy a creative snow day!

Hazel & Terry