Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been thinking about the sustainability or otherwise of my own artist practice. I’ve been using Melody Vaughan’s sustainability audit to look at my working practices and think about things I could change. I’ve been very consciously working towards a sustainable practice throughout my nearly 16 years of making. When I started out making products I chose to work with recycled fabrics and did a lot of research into more sustainable textiles which I used for some of my ranges too. I also wrote a book about it (currently out of print) called Sew Eco, focussing on sustainable home sewing practice. The projects are a little dated now but my research into textiles and my passionate belief in re-use not buying new still stand today. In the wider sewing world I rather despair that so little has changed in more than a decade. Why do people still buy brand new, chemically-laded printed cotton which has travelled all over the world just to cut up into small pieces and sew back together again? I personally find it bizarre and shockingly wasteful. I have realised I don’t talk enough about how important I think this is.

My own practice is pretty sustainable although there are things I do which I don’t feel entirely comfortable about but at least most of my stash is decades old and I make conscious choices when buying for projects like Libraries Live. I was recently interviewed by TextileArtist.org about recycling and textiles, which puts my work alongside others who use old cloth, factory waste and other re-used materials. My tiniest scraps go in the compost if they are definitely natural fibres and cannot be used for anything else, while larger pieces go in materials packs or workshop kits.

This week I’ve been recording the videos for my Scrap Patchwork workshop (27th Feb) and talking about why I believe so passionately about re-use, about old cloth, about the important of using our waste and the power of creating something beautiful out of tiny, precious pieces of cloth that might otherwise go in the bin. Creating new work from these tiny, precious pieces is a meaningful and mindful act of making.

All set up at Contemporary Craft Festival ready for the private view tonight. I’ll be sharing more photos over the weekend on social media. 

On Saturday 20th October 12-4pm I will be holding a massive sale of lovely things at my studio (directions and details at the end of the page). Additional sale date Monday 22nd Oct by appointment afternoon & evening. 

What I have for sale:

Fabrics:
Vintage fabric pieces 25-50% off
Lots of 60s prints, some 50s prints and plenty of big pieces (2-3m) as well as small pieces.

New fabrics including Laura Ashley furnishing fabric and new organic handwoven cotton for just £5 per metre (half normal price!)

Books: My books 25% off and a wide range of new and 2nd hand (carefully selected) craft & sewing books. Also sewing magazines including Stitch for £5 (RRP £8)

Sew It Up £15.00 (RRP £19.99)

Mini Quilts £12.75

Gifts:
Necklaces, brooches, cushions, bags and scarves all HALF PRICE From £3. Masses of samples and slight seconds at bargain prices, perfect for Christmas presents. 

Amelia wool felt brooch £5 (normally £10)

Felt Necklace £6 (normally £12). Also kits for £4!

Handmade Christmas decorations, slight seconds from £2

Sewing Kits HALF PRICE from £1.50!

Mr Mouse felt hand puppet kit £4 (normally £8)

Vintage sewing patterns from 50p with 1950s rare patterns just £3.

patterns from 50p

 Haberdashery and sewing tools 25% off.

Embroidery thread 40p

 Sewing Machines. Serviced and in perfect working order. Two vintage machines – Central 1960s as shown £35, Vintage Jones semi-industrial straight stitch SOLD. Plus other machines – come and find out!

Craft materials:

Fabric scraps (vintage and recycled) £1 per bag. Recycled wool felt scrap bags from £3

Collage papers scrap bags from £1 per bag Knitting yarn at bargain prices! Good quality stuff and also some cheap stuff.  Spend over £50 and received another 10% off! Free drinks & biscuits; come for the afternoon.  HOW TO GET HERE Sale takes place in Ruth Singer Studio, Workspace 14, Phoenix Square, 4 Midland St, Leicester, LE1 1TG. This is the same building as the Phoenix Cinema but the workspaces are not directly accessible from the cinema foyer. To get in, it is best to come to the Burton St entrance to Phoenix Workspaces, which is opposite Staples (on the opposite side of the main cinema entrance). Make sure you are at the workspace door not the apartments door – big glass door with large lobby, orange back wall, lots of post boxes & not much else – not the one with the bath-sofa on the corner which is the flats. Ring number 14 & I will let you in to the lobby & come & collect you. Parking Pay and Display spaces are available around Phoenix Square, until 6pm this is charged and is for a maximum of 3 hours – costing around £1.70-90. From 6pm and on Sundays this parking is free. You can park on single yellow lines from 6pm too, but not on Sundays. Please do not park in Staples car park. There is now a small car park accessible from Burton St at the side of Phoenix. At the time of writing the pay & display meters have not been installed so it is free! Access There is a lift to the workspaces from the Burton St entrance. The Studio is fully wheelchair accessible and there are accessible toilets on the same level.

Ruth Singer Studio presents the Sewing Space at Handmade in Leicestershire at Belgrave Hall Museum & Gardens on Saturday 18th August

The forecast for Saturday is for hot and sunny (if we ignore the *heavy showers* part) so come along and join us in the glorious gardens of Belgrave Hall for a bit of social sewing. We’ll have a bijoux sewing space in the gardens all set up for you to relax and have a go at making fabric flowers inspired by the surroundings.

The whole event costs just £1 entry and for that you get a load of craft stalls, a nosey around the hall and the chance to hang out in the gardens with lovely sewists. What could be better?

Belgrave Hall Museum & Gardens, Church Road, Leicester LE4 5PE

I am teaching the following workshops at London and Harrogate this autumn – workshops have just opened for bookings. 


*  Harrogate — Thursday 22nd November  *

Trapunto or Italian quilting is a fast, fun technique for creating raised texture on fabric. Unlike traditional quilting, in trapunto the stuffing is added between two stitched layers of fabric just in the areas required. Trapunto can be worked by hand or machine, but in this class we will use simple hand-stitching techniques to create a small sampler. This workshop is suitable for all levels of stitchers and is an introduction trapunto for those who have never done it before. 

*  Harrogate — Friday 23rd November  *

This workshop teaches you how to make a dome-shaped folded felt brooch, with layers & ripples. You will also find out how to make a square variation of the brooch, as well as professional finishing techniques for the back of your brooches. We will also cover tips & tricks for working with felt and how to source different types of felt including wool and recycled wool. The techniques are simple and fast and only require hand sewing. 

Bookings here

* London —  Thursday 11th October  *
Booking details here

1pm Introduction to Trapunto Quilting (Code 23)
Trapunto or Italian quilting is a fast, fun technique for creating raised texture on fabric. Unlike traditional quilting, in trapunto the stuffing is added between two stitched layers of fabric just in the areas required. Trapunto can be worked by hand or machine, but in this class we will use simple hand-stitching techniques to create a small sampler. This workshop is suitable for all levels of stitchers and is an introduction trapunto for those who have never done it before. 

3.30pm Folded Flower Brooch (Code 39)
This workshop teaches you how to make a dome-shaped folded felt brooch, with layers & ripples. You will also find out how to make a square variation of the brooch, as well as professional finishing techniques for the back of your brooches. We will also cover tips & tricks for working with felt and how to source different types of felt including wool and recycled wool. The techniques are simple and fast and only require hand sewing. 

I am delighted to be invited to exhibit at The Beetroot Tree this year. When I first started out, seven years ago, this gallery was the first to select my work for exhibition! Things have changed a lot since then & rather than bags & purses, I am now exhibiting wall panels, including several of my most popular pieces.

The exhibition opens on Saturday June 16th and continues to July 22nd.

There is a Pimms & Pampering night on Thurs 28th June where you can meet the artists, including me. It sounds wonderful! It is free but you need to book in advance.

Other exhibitors are Ruth McLees, Mick Rafferty and Esther Patterson of Curiosa & Curiosa. I am a big fan of Esther’s work too.