Author: Ruth Singer

Months back I came across local printmaker Amy Chapman‘s work and loved it. I saw some again at the Ferrers Gallery last weekend. I really want one of these tree prints. I particularly like the mid-century feel to the colours and patterns used and the collage of papers used in to print onto. I’ve got a weakness…

Laura attempts the Olympics sport of Cramming Giant cupcakes into a Tiny Car. She wins GOLD! Ruth wins gold in Winding Wool onto Giant Polystyrene Balls at High Speed Late at Night the Day Before the Thing Opens. And silver for Wrapping Lamp Posts in Gingham.  Kate wins GOLD PLUS for having such fab ideas.…

One of my favourite things is browsing car boot sales. Sometimes I come away with nothing, usually I come away with something good and sometimes I come away with a gem. This was one of those gem moments.I saw it on the floor, in a tangle of junk. I lunged. I grabbed. I tried to…

My favourites from the new range: I can’t find large images apart from the last which comes via the lovely Amitie. Busy Bouquet In fantasy sewing world, this one is a calf-length full circle skirt  with turquoise, pink and brown chiffon false hems. Phillipa A wrap blouse with full bishop sleeves maybe? Cranford Smock dress with…

I bought some new wine glasses with John Lewis vouchers. Should get some more vouchers in September so I can have a set of more than 2. I’ve never bought expensive glasses before so I’m not sure I’ll dare use them. But they are beautiful so I am happy with them just sitting on my…

When things get stressful at work (as the last month or so has been), my way of slowing down, recharging and letting go is to get out into the countryside. I need to take a lesson from these swans. SLOW. Sunday, swan day, was my first full day off in 4 weeks. I really did go…

Work has finally calmed down enough for me to resume knit-club duties – weekly knitting and gossip being essential to keeping body and soul together. This week the whole lot of us got happily hijacked into giant knitting in aid of Kate. The amazing Kate is a theatre designer who, having just finished working on…

In the midst of the day job, I finally finished the last remaining bits of Sew Eco, which will be published by A&C Black in July 2010. Hurrah! The pleasure of finishing a book seems to be enough to make me want to start another one. Foolish perhaps. Fortunately, I have projects in a couple of…

It may be pouring with rain, but for me summer starts here. The exhibition I’ve been project managing opened on Friday night and Saturday was taken up with special opening events. And today, finally, for the first time in four weeks, I have a day off. It’s been a hard-going few weeks but at last…

photo from Katrin Moye A few weeks ago (actually the same weekend as the open houses) I went to an open studio in Nottingham (on the way back from elsewhere; rushing as always). Turns out it was part of a much bigger open studio weekend which I must explore more next year. I met Katrin Moye at Origin a…